Hard Hats

A hard hat or safety helmet is essential if you’re working in any area where there’s a risk of head injury. Designed to protect you against falling items as well as impacts with fixed objects, wearing a hard helmet could save your life in the event of an accident.

Hard hats are mandatory across so many industries. If you’re working at height or you’re at risk from falling objects and debris, a hard hat will always be required before accessing the site. Got a job in an area with restricted headroom and dangerous objects overhead? Make sure you’ve got a suitable work helmet or safety hat. 

Safety Helmets

Employers are responsible for providing all employees and visitors with safety helmets. It’s also essential to carry out regular inspections of any safety hard hats and protective helmets – any with cracks or damage from a previous impact must not be worn, and should be replaced immediately.

It’s also important to check the safety rating of your hard hat to make sure it’s suitable for the environment you’re working in. For example, the EN 12492 standard for climbing and mountaineering helmets also covers safety hats when work at height is required, while EN 50365 requires testing for electrical insulation.

Construction Helmets

A hard hat or safety helmet is mandatory on almost any construction site. Look out for the blue sign – it will advise you when you need to wear a construction helmet before entering any part of the site.

The EN 397 standard covers basic requirements for industrial safety helmets such as vertical shock absorption and penetration resistance, while EN 14052 offers higher performance and additional protection from side impacts.