Archive for the ‘Hard Hats’ Category
Hard hats have become an enduring symbol of blue-collar labor in America. This pragmatic piece of safety equipment protects against falling debris and rubble, as well as adverse weather conditions and electric shock. In order to prevent concussion and other head trauma, hard hats sit roughly an inch off the top of the wearer’s head, which provides an opportunity for the hat to cushion before impact.
Some claim that noted author Franz Kafka, who penned classics like ‘The Castle’, ‘The Trial’ and ‘Metamorphosis’, was responsible for the first hard hats, but there is no documentation to support this claim. Metals such as aluminum were used to construct early hard hats, but today most models are made from fiberglass and high-density thermoplastics.
History of hard hats
The first hard hats were created in California by a mining company in 1898 and were made entirely of leather. The hats were later made from steel and based on the Brodie helmets used in World War I. The first use of hard hats on a construction site was during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1933.
Since the 1950’s, most hard hats are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or advanced engineering resins, such as Ultem. The main reason for switching over to plastics is because they were easy to mold and shape with heat and cost less to manufacture then ones made of metal. Most workers prefer hats made from plastic because of better balance, lighter weight and resistance to scrapes and stains.