Mips applauds OSHA’s shift to helmets from hard hats

by Christopher Brinckerhoff | 8 January 2024 6:00 am

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that the agency is replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets[3] to protect them better when they are on inspection sites.

“[OSHA’s] recent switch from hard hats to helmets for their personnel emphasizes the importance of helmet safety,” says Joe Brandel, business development manager at Mips AB, a safety helmet manufacturer based in Stockholm, Sweden. “Understanding the different helmet options and which options best serve your workplace needs is critical. PPE is especially important in the metal construction industry, with structural iron and steel workers experiencing the fifth highest rate of fatal workplace injuries.

“Under the ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 standard, the two helmet types include Type I and Type II. Type I helmets are designed to reduce the force of impact to the top of the wearer’s head, while Type II helmets are designed to protect against side (lateral) impacts that may be off center, in addition to the top of the head. However, it is worth noting that neither specifically addresses the rotational motion that can occur from oblique impacts. Rotational motion can cause injuries such as concussions and [traumatic brain injuries].

“For those working in the construction industry today, many jobsites are beginning to require the use of helmets, which can include chin straps. This is an improvement from the regular Type I helmets that rarely have chin straps, as they often fail to shield workers from head injuries resulting from slips, trips, and falls if they fall off the wearer’s head.

“Safety helmets typically provide more protection than hard hats due to their design. They almost always include chin straps, which are not required but, if worn correctly, allow the helmet to stay on the user’s head.

“OSHA making this change for their employees is a step in the right direction, and will hopefully spur others to make the switch to safety helmets as well. A next step for OSHA, and ANSI, could be requiring the use of chin straps when wearing a helmet. Additionally, OSHA could require helmets to be used in certain applications. Changing their guidance from a recommendation to required would make a significant impact.”

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/news/daily-news/mips-osha/

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