How to Wear a Hard Hat the Right Way?

How to Wear Hard Hat the Right WayWearing hard hats in a hazardous environment is a must and you can’t avoid it!

But what you can avoid is the uncomfortable feeling from wearing the hard hat which arises due to its improper wear.

Yes, it is very essential to wear your hard hat the right way to ensure proper protection. This is because if you don’t wear your hard hat properly, it will just fall off while work or keep on sliding to the left and right which will ultimately create disturbance in work.

To help you with that I am here with this guide in which I am going to tell you the exact way to wear a hard hat!

So, without any more thoughts, just get scrolling…

Components of a Hard Hat

Before you learn to wear your hard hat correctly, you must be aware of the components or parts it is made up of and I am here to explain you that:

Components of a Hard Hat

1.) The Shell

The shell is the hard outer portion of the hat. It is generally made from a thermoplastic for example polycarbonate. Its main function is to offer protection from impact and sharp objects.

2.) The Suspension System

The suspension system actually fastens to the inner side of the shell at either 4 or 6 points (depends on the design of the manufacturer). Its main function is to absorb the impact of the load to the wearer’s head and thus resist the injury. (Best Hard Hat Suspension)

3.) The Chin Strap

The chip strap either comes in elastic bands or has holes at regular intervals to adjust the strap according to the size of your head so that you get a snug fit.

The chip strap ensures that the hard hat fits proper to your head and does not fall off in case of windy situations or movements during work such as bowing your head down.

How to Wear a Hard Hat? The Dos and Don’ts:

The Do’s:

How to Wear a Hard Hat

1.) There should be at least 1 to 1 to 1/4th inches clearance in between the head and the hard hat. This can be done by adjusting the harness suspension.

2.) Proper fitting means that there should be a little for airflow in between the internal suspension structure and the hard shell. Otherwise, it will lead to sweat lock inside your head and in turn hair loss in the long run. You obviously would not like to be bald.

3.) Choose the hard hats that use a sliding mechanism to adjust the tightness of the hard hat to fit to your head. There are holes at intervals of 1/8 inches usually and you have to find the exact hole tied to which the hard hat fits securely but not too tight to cause pain to your head.

4.) The bill of the hard hat should point towards the front while wearing. In other words, the brim of the hard hat should face the front.

5.) If your hard hat has already undergone an impact, discard it immediately. (Learn How often you should replace hard hats)

The Don’ts:

Do not wear your hard hat backwards

1.) Do not wear your hard hat backwards. This will only lessen the protection level of the hard hat. You can only wear the hard hat backwards if it has a reverse donning symbol, meaning the hard hat has no front or back.

2.) Do not wear just any clothing as padding beneath the hard hat to make your head feel comfortable. There are winter and summer liners especially designed for the purposes. Wearing just any material will just increase the potential risks of injuries.

3.) Do not paint on the hard hat just to make it look cool. The paint might react chemically with the material of the hard hat and degrade it. (Check out the Right Ways to Put Sticker on Hard Hat)

4.) Do not over expose your hard hat to the UV rays. UV rays will lessen the shell life of the hard hat as it makes the material brittle and more susceptible to cracks.

Regular inspection of the hard hats:

Simple scratches or dirt spots can be overlooked as they won’t pose any obstacle in the line of safety. But cracks and discoloration due to chemical reaction are something grave which might prove fatal. Because if your hard hat has a crack, it will break down with the slightest impact or pressure.

Therefore, inspecting your hard hat before wearing it every day is very necessary.

Pro tips on accessorizing your hard hat:

Accessorizing the hard hat definitely might end you up in injuries. Just have a look how:

1.) Using turbans or sombreros or soft padding inside the hard hat increase the risk of the hard hat sitting incorrectly on your head and thus the incidences of injuries.

2.) You might try wearing a sweat proof cap inside the hard hat to make yourself comfortable. But this can too misfit the hard hat and become an obstacle to safety.

3.) Trying to fit a strap or lamp on the hard hat might require drilling or using adhesives. This will only damage he hard hat. In case your hard hat is not provided with an adjustable strap, it is advisable to change it or get the strap installed by a mechanic.

4.) Use winter liners, sweat bands and flat-top beanies as instructed by the manufacturer, I mean get them from the same manufacturer who knows which accessories would fit perfectly with the hard hat.

Before we bid Adieu:

Always remember to tie the strap tightly considering a snug fit so that it will make you feel comfortable and at the same time offer protection too.

If you take the hard hat lightly suppose you think you can do away with the straps being open so that the hard hat fits loose and you feel comfortable, you would be only risking your life!

That’s all for today! I hope I could give you an insight on the correct ways to wear a hard hat and hope you would follow them because your life matters to us!

Have a great day ahead!

Take care and…

Work Safely!

Stephen Luettgen
I have 12+ years of experience in construction, inspections, handy work, and currently working as a Construction Site Manager. In today’s day we spent a significant part of our time at workplace and a right work gear can have significant impact not only on your safety but also work quality.

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