Anybody who works in an environment that presents a risk of head injury is required to wear a hard hat. There are various types of hard hats and it is the responsibility of the employer to provide employees with suitable protective helmets that meet the standards for the requirements of the work environment.
Hard hats were originally introduced at the end of the 19th Century for the safety of miners, but they were not made compulsory to wear on building sites in the UK until almost a century later. Today they are used in any industry where head injuries can occur.
The laws concerning the wearing of hard hats in the UK are illustrated in The Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989, but other occupations should also be considered where there is a foreseeable risk of head injury. These include, tradesmen, fitters, assemblers, packers, wrappers, sawyers, welders, laborers, freight handlers, timber cutting, and warehouse laborers should also be routinely considered.
When should hard hats be worn?
Hard hats must be worn whenever there is a foreseeable risk of head injury. The decision is left to the discretion of the employer who must determine when, where and how safety helmet gear should be worn. In certain working environments designated “hard hat” signs must also be erected.
Employees and self-employed contractors must also adhere to regulations and are bound by the rules of their employer or the site. When hard hats are not provided on-site, self-employed contractors must provide their own.
The only exception to the rule of hard hats as determined by the Health and Safety Executive in the UK applies to turban-wearing Sikhs. The regulations under this category have been withdrawn and are no longer considered current. Sikhs who refuse to wear provided safety helmets when asked to do so, do it at their own risk with no liability on the employer.
Maintenance of safety helmets
The regulations also state employees are responsible for ensuring that their safety helmet is kept in sound working condition. They should not be misused or worn improperly such as reversed with the peak backward like a baseball cap and any defects should be reported immediately.
Other maintenance requirements are:
- An absorbent sweatband that is easy to clean or replace
- Textile cradle straps
- Chin straps (when fitted) that fit around the ears and are fitted with smooth, quick-release buckles which don’t dig into the skin.
A hard hat should not hinder the work being carried out. If vision is restricted, the helmet is ill-fitting, chin straps are not provided or the hard hat is not compatible with other safety equipment such as ear defenders employers could be liable for damages in the event of an injury.
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| HARD HAT REGULATIONS IN THE UK |
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HARD HAT REGULATIONS IN THE UK
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