The Technology and Information source for electronics, shopping, games and more
|
Technology ArticleThe story of Hard Hats A hard hat is a type of helmet predominantly used in workplace environments, such as construction sites, to protect the head from injury by falling objects, debris, bad weather, and electric shock. Inside the helmet is a suspension that spreads the helmet's weight over the top of the head. It also provides a space of approximately 30 mm (1.2 inch) between the helmet's shell and the wearer's head so that if an object strikes the shell, the impact is less likely to be transmitted directly to the skull. Sometimes the helmet shell has a midline ridge. They are typically required personal protective equipment where heavy labor is being performed. They were originally made from metal, then fiberglass, but from the 1950s rigid plastic has been the most common material. Some contemporary cap-style hard hats feature a rolled edge that acts like a rain gutter to channel rainwater to the front, allowing it to drain off the bill, instead of letting the water run down the wearer's neck. A hard hat issued by a firm often has that firm's name or some word or logo on its front. Hardhats may also be fitted with: Visor: A welding helmet, or A safety visor Ear protectors Mirrors for increased rear field-of-view A helmet light mount A chinstrap to keep the helmet from falling off if the workman bends over Blue-collar workers engaged in occupations that require protective equipment are sometimes called "hard hats". Hard hat colors can signify different roles on construction sites. For instance, white might signify supervisors, blue technical advisors, red safety inspectors, and yellow laborers. A hard hat also gives a worker a distinctive profile, identifiable even in peripheral vision, for safety around equipment or traffic. Safety colors like orange or green do not appear in peripheral vision, but the hard hatted shape of a worker will be avoided. Wikipedia Disclaimer Above information is from wikipedia and is freely distributed under the GNU license Also See: All Articles |