Hard Hats to Helmets

The iconic construction hard hat, a symbol of pride for the construction worker, has changed very little in 50 years. Developments in the understanding of the causes and prevention of debilitating and often fatal head injuries is leading to a revolutionary change in the way we protect our people from head injuries on the jobsite. The classic hard hat is about to change forever. This presentation will focus on new technology available today to minimize the effects of falls and impacts to the head of the worker. We will also focus on new technologies, already in development, that can further provide protection from head injuries. Industry requirements (OSHA, ANSI) will be reviewed, and the application of worldwide standards (EN) will be discussed and applied to new helmet development and implementation.

Presentation Learning Objectives:

1. Review current standards and requirements for head protection in the construction industry.
2. Review improvements to the standards and testing that indicates the degree of improvement that can be achieved.
3. Current efforts to change the industry acceptance of helmets as an alternative to hard hats. 
4. Examination of new technologies utilized in other activities such as biking and football and how this research can be applied to construction helmets.