The Dos and Don'ts of Wearing a Hard Hat

A hard hat is an essential form of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many occupations. Construction workers and utility workers, for instance, typically wear them. Hard hats offer a physical barrier of protection that lowers the risk of head injury. While they may seem self-explanatory, though, there are several things you should and shouldn't do when wearing a hard hat.

Do Wear Forward

You should wear a hard hat forward. In other words, the bill should point in the same direction that you are facing. Wearing the hard had backwards may result in it falling off. More importantly, it won't contour to the shape of your head if you wear it backwards, so the hard hat will offer a lower level of protection against injury.

Do Secure to Your Heard

In addition to wearing it forward, you should secure the hard hat to your head. Most hard hats have adjustable straps. After placing the hard hat on your heard, you can tighten or loosen the strap. You'll need to tighten the strap so that the hard hat stays on your head.

Do Consider a High-Vis Hard Hat

You may want to consider a high-vis hard hat. Like with other high-vis PPE, high-vis hard hats are characterize by their color. They feature a bright -- typically reflective -- color that makes them easy to see.

Don't Wear Other Hats or Caps Underneath

Avoid wearing other hats or caps underneath the hard hat. You can wear a liner underneath the hard hat, but you shouldn't wear other hats or caps with it. Wearing another hat or cap underneath the hard hat may cause it to move out of position. The hard hat will no longer fit right. Instead, it will shift around while offering a lower level of protection against injury.

Don't Wear If Cracked

If you discover any cracks on the hard hat, don't wear it. Hard hats are typically made of strong and durable materials, and they can withstand direct blows. But no hard hat is completely immune to damage. Dropping a tool on a hard hat may cause it to crack. Once the hard hat has cracked, it's no longer safe to use. You should replace cracked or otherwise damaged hard hats immediately.

Don't Substitute for a Bump Cap

Don't substitute a hard hat for a bump cap. Hard hats and bump caps aren't the same. While hard hats are designed with withstand direct blows from falling objects, bump caps are not. Bump caps are lighter, weaker caps that only offer protection against bumps.