They now specialize in industrial head protection including Construction Hard Hats. In the early days, there was no protective gear for the head in the construction industry. Then with the passage of time and recognition of safety measures, a helmet similar to a baseball cap was designed. It had a small hard leather and shellac brim. It was mainly used by the miners. During the year 1915, Bullard started work on the hard hats, also known as helmets at that time. It was originally made out of steamed canvas, glue and black paint and was referred to as the ‘hard boiled hat’. This proved as an inspiration for the making of the Construction hard hats. Bullard, in collaboration with the engineers of that time, set out to design a helmet that could protect the workers from impact of falling objects. Hence the mining helmet was transformed into a durable construction hard hat.
The first construction hard hat was made of aluminum, which was considered very durable and reasonably lightweight at that time. They were very effective in protecting from falling objects and bad weather but were very hazardous for electrical purposes. The reason being that aluminum is a great conductor of electricity. In the 1940′s Bullard came out with the three rib, heat resistant fiberglass hard hat. The fiberglass was soon replaced by thermoplastic because of the material being less costly and better suited for heat resistance. In the 1980′s Bullard once again introduced a revolutionary new hard hat. This time while designing and manufacturing the hard hat, the focus was on proper suspension for fieldwork purposes. This also helped in marking a new era in the standards and safety of head protection gear. The new design integrated a non-slip ratchet suspension helmet, with a knob at the back for simple sizing. This particular model, famously known as the 3000 R, is produced from polyethylene plastic. This makes it extremely light in weight, durable and easy to mold and non conductive to electricity. The plastic is also treated with an ultra violet inhibitor to protect it from outdoor environment.
When working at construction sites and other workplace surroundings, helmets, better known as hard hats, provide protection to the head from debris, bad weather and falling objects. According to a number of tests, a hard hat can take the impact of an 8-pound object that is released from a height of five feet. It is an indispensable piece of gear and mandatory for people that work with construction equipment and earth moving machinery.
Hard hats are classified into three classes, A, B and C. A hard hat made with insulating material that protects you from electrical shock (2,200V) and impact from a falling object is a Class A hard hat. Class B are similar to A but can withstand shocks up to 20,000 V. The Class C hard hat is meant only to protect you from impact from falling objects and not an electric shock.
When looking for a construction hard hat, remember that your safety is paramount. And if your company allows personalize your hard hat with hard hat stickers.