Today’s Hard Hats Offer Options for Contractors (and Cavers)
Chuck Ross
I became aware of the importance of hard hats as a teenager, when friends invited me to join their school’s caving club. It was a Catholic school, and one of the religious brothers who taught there would lead club members through mapped caves once or twice a month. It was a fascinating experience – we even slept an overnight in a cave once every year, and I’ve never experienced darkness that deep or profound since. Hard hats are essential when wondering through a cave’s tight passages because you never know when a stalactite going to bonk you in the skull. And the carbide lamps that attached to those helmets were just as important, to help us keep our eyes on the spelunker in front of us.
Hard hats have come a long way since those days, though their basic protective function has remained the same. Contractors now have a range of options for both the helmets and their accessories, to help ensure both safety and comfort no matter the setting.
The first choice to make when selecting a new hat is whether you’re going for a vented or non-vented model. The argument in favor of venting is obvious – in hot summer weather, adjustable vents can make wearing a hard hat more comfortable. However, in higher risk environments where falling objects are more of a hazard, non-vented hats provide more stable protection. Additionally, electrical contractors working around high-voltage lines or equipment will want a non-vented hat, to better protect the head and face from discharged electrical current.
When it comes to accessories, headlamps can be a key convenience – and fortunately, today’s lamps use high-performance LEDs for illumination, and not the smelly little lumps of carbide we depended on in my caving days. And today’s hard hat manufacturers also often incorporate universal accessory slots that allow wearers to add hearing-protection earmuffs, face shields and other aids. Plus, internal suspension systems, chin straps and sweatbands all can be easily switched out for quick replacement and upgrades.
With options like these available now, I’m guessing today’s cavers have a much more comfortable – and less smelly – experience than I had when they venture underground.
Hard hats have come a long way since those days, though their basic protective function has remained the same. Contractors now have a range of options for both the helmets and their accessories, to help ensure both safety and comfort no matter the setting.
The first choice to make when selecting a new hat is whether you’re going for a vented or non-vented model. The argument in favor of venting is obvious – in hot summer weather, adjustable vents can make wearing a hard hat more comfortable. However, in higher risk environments where falling objects are more of a hazard, non-vented hats provide more stable protection. Additionally, electrical contractors working around high-voltage lines or equipment will want a non-vented hat, to better protect the head and face from discharged electrical current.
When it comes to accessories, headlamps can be a key convenience – and fortunately, today’s lamps use high-performance LEDs for illumination, and not the smelly little lumps of carbide we depended on in my caving days. And today’s hard hat manufacturers also often incorporate universal accessory slots that allow wearers to add hearing-protection earmuffs, face shields and other aids. Plus, internal suspension systems, chin straps and sweatbands all can be easily switched out for quick replacement and upgrades.
With options like these available now, I’m guessing today’s cavers have a much more comfortable – and less smelly – experience than I had when they venture underground.
Photo courtesy of Klein Tools
