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What Does a Hard Hat Symbolize? There’s no question that workers feel immense pride in wearing a traditional hard hat. For many, it’s a symbol of the hard work they’ve put into their trade, it represents the changing of roles as they evolve in their career, and even gives workers a sense of pride when wearing it. In a way, it’s an unspoken advertisement for the individual. With such pride also comes attachment to the style. When Type II helmets first hit the market, all offerings were modeled after a climbing-style helmet. While the Type II style safety helmet is demonstrably safer, it lacks the traditional brim that is symbolic of the hard work the industry performs every day. Many industrial workers, especially those working in civil, oil and gas, or utilities, were not willing to give that up. Beyond the aesthetic style, many also desire the added protection from the elements that a brimmed helmet provides. In response, the PPE industry is introducing new versions with the more traditional full-brim look they are familiar with, but packed with all the technological innovations that make Type II helmets significantly safer. A Pivot in PPE Now Type II safety helmets have evolved to balance the safety needs of the industry and the style and comfort the wearers crave. Full-brim options maintain the familiar silhouette while provid- ing better protection. That one aesthetic tweak has made a world of difference in shifting the wearer’s perspective, empowering them to adopt a Type II helmet. It also helps that these helmets offer increased impact pro- tection via incorporated technologies. That includes welded- tube polymers such as from Koroyd, and NFC technology, from TwiceMe, that replaces the traditional medical information paper scrap that workers would stuff into the side of their respective hard hats. And much like an action sports helmet, these new gen- eration Type II safety helmets feature replaceable pad sets that are both more comfortable and washable, offering a more hygienic experience. Although many organizations are mandating Type II helmets for all their respective commercial and industrial job sites, it’s im- portant to get employees excited about transitioning. A full-brim style, but with Type II protection, provides the critical compro- mise for mass adoption. Ryan Barnes is founder and CEO of Studson, a U.S.-based industri- al Type II safety helmet maker. Since its founding in 2020, Studson aims to consistently deliver the most inno- wwUwn.toitlhesd-o3nl1ine.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | Occupational Health &4S/4a/f2e3ty3:24 P1M3 vative industrial head protection equipment to save lives and liveli- hoods. REFERENCES The next generation of noise monitoring CEL-620 Series Enhanced Digital Sound Level Meter Time history storage (1s to 30min intervals) Voice notes GPS Compact, rugged design Single large measurement range Long battery life Automatic calibration function Website: www.casellasolutions.com Email Interest: info-us@casellasolutions.com 1. http://tinyurl.com/y3mjs3k8 2. http://tinyurl.com/drb6a98u 3. http://tinyurl.com/2sywtp27 NEW
