Best Hard Hat

TempestV

It looks like I will be wearing a hard hat a lot more in the coming months, and my old hat is rather uncomfortable. I'm looking to find one that is more comfortable and easier to wear. I've been looking around seeing what is available, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with:
metal vs plastic (only ever used plastic)
full brim vs front brim (only ever used front brim)
best kind of suspension? (currently using a wheel lock, which jammed up and doesn't adjust very easily) I've had trouble with hair getting caught in the suspension when adjusting it on my head as well, not exactly the nicest thing in the world.

where I'm working, the temperature swings quite a lot, and I usually have to wear a hat under the hard hat in the morning and then go with just the hard hat by noon. I will probably also be spending a bit of time in windy areas.

Celtic

"Best" means many different things to everyone.

For me, my preference is a Fibre-Metal E-2 shell.



This style has the wheel adjustment in the back...to combat hair loss, a bandanna tied around the head works well...also helps keep sweat out of your eyeballs.


In the winter, same hat, with the addition of a "Hot Headz"

+ YouTube Video

I love the hot headz..$20...lifetime warranty...usually have to take it off while working because it REALLY keeps the heat in ~ from neck to the top of your head.

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Brandito

i don't think it's the best, but i like it.



it's made by ao safety. they have a 4pt (which i have) and 6pt suspension. the one thing i dislike about it is the sweat band absorbs a lot of odor, when i get in the shower after work i can literally smell my forehead. cleaning it is a very short term fix.

i don't wear bandannas though, that could help. either that or look for a hard hat with a sweat band that's less cloth like.

it also has a ratchet for size adjustment (i won't have one without it) comes in handy in the colder months switch back and fourth from wearing a hood. ratchet is pretty strong too, on really windy days i can ratchet it down pretty damn tight.

oh and if you're wondering, you can indeed switch the suspension around to wear it backwards, i know, osha probably doesn't like it, but all the other guys are doing it! then again i also believe osha says you can't put stickers on your hard hat either.

Quiglag

The Fibre Metal above is probably the best in the average price range but the MSA Skullgard is probably the best hardhat on the market, but it costs $65+

I find that a full brim gets in my way when carrying full sheets of plywood, and is a little heavier, but offers a bit more shade if outside, and more protection from small falling debris.

I have the Skullgard full brim, but if i was to do it over I would probably get the front brim as most of my work is indoors.

rustyjames

A lot of people wear bandanna's and whatnot under their hard hats, but OSHA can write you up for doing it.

Celtic

Do you have an OSHA statute to support your opinion?

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Chris Johnson

I'll try and look later in my Cal-OSHA book, but I remember that one as well. Also remember you were not allowed to have stickers all over your helmet either, it was a safety factor as well, and I want to say something electrically believe it or not.

Ever since I have been back out on my own I haven't gotten too excited over certain rules, Hardhats being one...Between gravity and concrete I don't know of any incident where it jumped up and hit a guy. Pour day is a different story mind you.

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Chris

ProWallGuy

Seriously? I'd love to hear the rule on that. On every job-site I've been too, I see the majority are covered in stickers. I have a few on mine as well.

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

Chris Johnson

It was a few years back while the GL and WC inspection audit were happening, the guy mentioned it in passing, never got written up.

The other one was broken leather on work books exposing the steel. Other than replacement with new, the only acceptable temp repair was ABS glue smoothered on.

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Chris

Celtic

We're gonna need a reference of the sticker item as well.... many jobs I have worked REQUIRE stickers on the brain buckets [Contractor ID #, various safety training cert. stickers, etc]

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Chris Johnson

Hey guys, I don't make this stuff up, I just pass along info I was fed over the years. But I will look for it later today.

I look at OSHA rules much the same as the warnings posted thru out the world. We only have them for one reason, someone actually ate the fibre package that came with the new running shoes, someone actually gave the plastic bag to their kid as a toy and lastly someone actually thought the Hot Coffee they bought at McDonalds wouldn't be that hot.

Along with a whole bunch of others

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Chris

Celtic

[NOT a personal attack on you Chris]

The "problem":
Far too many times, people are told "what is code"...and w/o questioning the person/"code" in the least they accept the word as "fact".



The "solution":
It seems too simple, doesn't it... for some it's just easier to keep drinking the kool aid.

Thank you Chris

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rustyjames

It's not my opinion and I've got better things to do than look up citations. I can tell you from real world experience that it happened on a job. You might be correct that there is no such statue, but all I can say is that it happened.

Chris Johnson

You been sniffin my Kool-Aid glass? That's only a decoy for what's really inside

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Chris

BKFranks

I wear an MSA Skullguard. They are fiber-resin.
http://www.amazon.com/475407-Natural.../dp/B000S95HY2


As for the cold, just google "hard hat liner". There are tons of different types.

TempestV

I've seen those around. What is the advantage of them over plastic or aluminum?

Quiglag

I would never use a metal hardhat, and I think they are illegal in some states. Too much of an electrical hazard... but that's just me.

Why are they better? They will last you a lifetime, and they are practically bullet proof. I have one at home that was my great Grandfathers, and could still probably be used today if the liner holder wasn't different. You can find vintage ones on ebay still in good condition.

tgeb

I searched OSHA and found no reference to stickers on hard hats. If an OSHA inspector were to attempt to issue a citation based on stickers I would have to ask him to site the rule before letting him get into my pocket. I did find some useful information though, read below.


All this from,
http://www.elcosh.org/docs/d0500/d000504/d000504.html


Warnings and Precautions

Never alter or modify the hard hat shell or suspension. This can drastically reduce the amount of protection provided.
Drilling holes in the hard hat shell for ventilation purposes must be prohibited at all times.
Always avoid contact of the hard hat with electrical wires.
Never use a suspension that is not intended for use with a particular shell or one that is made by a different manufacturer.
Never carry or wear anything inside of your hard hat between the suspension and the shell. A clearance must be maintained between the hard hat shell and the wearer's head for the protection system to work properly. A ball cap or other object may limit this clearance. An object placed under the cap may also contain metal parts that may diminish the dielectric protection provided by the hat. There are some products, such as winterliners and sunshades, that are designed specifically to work in conjunction with hard hats. Be sure to follow manufacturer's recommendations for the use of these products.


Use of Adhesive Stickers

It has become a common practice for hard hat users to apply self-adhesive stickers to "personalize" their hard hats or for other marking or identification purposes. Considering the type of adhesive used in typical pressure-sensitive stickers, there is very little potential for chemical interaction between the adhesive and the helmet shell. As a result, the use of stickers would not be expected to negatively affect the performance of the helmet under normal conditions.

Hard hats are designed to provide optimal protection under normal conditions. Any impact can substantially reduce the protection offered.
There are a couple of rules to follow related to stickers. First, adhesive stickers should be placed at least 3/4 inch away from the edge of the helmet. This prevents the possibility of the sticker's acting as a conductor between the outside and inside of the shell if it were to wrap around the brim. Second, the area of the helmet covered by stickers should be kept to a practical minimum to permit regular inspection of the helmet shell for signs of damage.

Hard Hats Worn Backward

There is considerable confusion and misinterpretation about whether OSHA allows hard hats to be worn backward. An OSHA Standard Interpretation and Compliance Letter dated July 22, 1992, states, "Because ANSI only tests and certifies hard hats to be worn with the bill foreword (sic), hard hats worn with the bill to the rear would not be considered reliable protection and would not meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.100 (a) and (b) unless the hard hat manufacturer certifies that this practice meets the ANSI requirements."

Prior to allowing employees to wear their hats backward, always get written verification from the hard hat manufacturer on whether your hard hat model has been tested and found to be compliant to the requirements of the American National Standards Institute standard when worn with the bill turned to the rear. The manufacturer may specify that proper performance requires the suspension to be reversed in the helmet, so that the headband is oriented normally to the wearer's head (i.e., with the brow pad against the forehead and the extended nape strap at the base of the skull). In this manner, only the shell of the helmet is positioned backward on the head.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

K2

I wear one of these.

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Brandito

i like that it has a chin strap, probably helps on those windy days.