Welcome to the 3M Science of Safety Podcast. Let’s listen in and learn more about protecting workers from head trauma on the worksite. In this episode, co-hosts Mark Reggers and Laurie Wells welcome Don Rust, a Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Safety Professional in 3M’s Personal Safety Division, for a discussion on selection of head protection. Tune in to learn more about types of head protection, selection considerations, donning tips, care and maintenance considerations, and much more. Hard hats are an important piece of personal protection equipment for construction, heavy manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, utilities and many other industries where there is a potential for head injuries from falling objects, flying/swinging objects, nearby overhead hazards, and other worksite specific hazards.
This global podcast series provides another educational tool that can help increase your knowledge and is something that you can share with others in your organization and with your friends. The goal is to help provide a global perspective and foundation for those of you who are new to workplace health and safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) while also providing information for more experienced professionals who handle complex health and safety challenges.
You can listen, subscribe to, and share this podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and most major podcast apps and platforms.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, you can get in contact with this podcast by contacting your local 3M office or visit our worker health and safety website at 3M.com. If you’d like some assistance in your workplace when it comes to the appropriate selection, use, and maintenance of PPE please contact us today.
Around the world, we aim to help everyone get the job done safely today, tomorrow and in the future.
Below is the full transcript of the podcast:
Speaker 1:
The 3M Science of Safety Podcast is a free publication. The information presented in this podcast is general only should not be relied upon to make specific decisions. Listening to this podcast does not certify proficiency in safety and health. You should always seek the advice of a licensed or certified professional in relation to your specific work or task.
Always consult the User Instructions for any personal protective equipment you are using and follow local laws and regulations. Information presented is current as of the date of the podcast, and requirements can change in the future. 3M owns all rights to the podcast and production is strictly prohibited without permission.
Laurie Wells:
Welcome back to our previous subscribers, and welcome to our new listeners. The Science of Safety Podcast is presented by the 3M Personal Safety Division. This is a podcast that is curious about the science and systems behind workplace health and safety with a focus on personal protective equipment (or PPE ) used to help keep workers healthy and safe. I am Laurie Wells, one of your co-hosts, and I have the great pleasure to have Mark Reggers with me as well. We are occupational health and safety professionals who like to ask questions Why, How, and Please Explain. Whether you are a safety professional, occupational or industrial hygienist, someone with any level of worker health and safety responsibility in your workplace, a user of PPE or a health and safety nerd like us, this is the podcast for you. Mark, can you believe we are already into our second episode? Where does the time go? How does it happen?
Mark Reggers:
I know, like it only feels like we just started yesterday, but this is our second episode of our second season of the global podcast, and it’s been so much fun talking to all these amazing guests about so many different safety and PPE topics that our broad 3M team around the world gets asked every single day to help keep workers healthy and safe.
Laurie Wells:
Right Mark, and I’m based in the US as many of our listeners know. So being able to talk to so many different people from different countries, different regions, it’s really great to get an insight of the similarity and the challenges and many similarities in the workplaces around the globe. It’s, really an honor to be part of this science of safety podcast team. So pleased to be here with you, Mark.
Mark Reggers:
I find, listening to all these guests from around the world that, at the end of the day, a hazard is a hazard. Wherever it is, noise is noise, dust is dust, chemicals are chemicals. You know, gravity is gravity wherever they may be. And that focus on protecting workers doesn’t change wherever that workplace is in the world.
Laurie Wells:
So true, Mark, and I would love to have you take the honor of introducing our guest today. Who is it? Where does he come from?
Mark Reggers:
You’re too kind to give me that honor. But we are talking with Don Rust today, who’s going to be speaking all about head protection with us. Welcome Don. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your professional experience, and your role at 3M, if that’s okay?
Don Rust:
Certainly. Thanks Mark and Laurie. I’m happy to be here today. My name is Don Rust and I’m an application engineering specialist. I work out at St. Paul Minnesota, which is near the 3M Global Headquarters. I have a certification in industrial hygiene and safety and about 25 years of experience in health, safety and emergency management. Currently, I’m supporting the head and face product portfolio for 3M.
Laurie Wells:
Well, it’s great to have you here Don, and to talk to us today about head protection. For many, it’s pretty common, you know, to see people in industrial sites, construction workers, wearing hard hats. And they look pretty simple enough. But I know it’s really important for workplaces to be aware of many different aspects of head protection. So, why don’t you give us a little introduction?
Don Rust:
Certainly, and it is a no-brainer, pun intended. <laugh>,
Let’s think about what the purpose is of the human brain. I mean, as most listeners know, its functioning: It’s the center of your nervous system. It’s responsible for controlling pretty much everything that your body does. Without it, we couldn’t breathe, read, play, remember anything. The list is truly endless. So, it’s fair to say that the brain is vital.
Unfortunately, the skull alone isn’t always enough to protect the brain all of the time. And trauma to the brain, even something that might seem fairly minor, can cause permanent behavioral and cognitive problems. Remember, loss and ability to concentrate, sleep disorders and in some cases permanent disability or death.
Mark Reggers:
I mean, when you put it like that, it really does bring it front of mind. Sorry, another pun there. But like, how important it really is to protect our noggins, you know, from the minor and the major things that seem apparent.
Don Rust:
Right. Head protection is really important, particularly for those who work on, you know, busy construction sites, heavy manufacturing, mining, utilities, and many other industrial settings. Pretty much anywhere where there’s work there’s potential for things to be falling or swinging. Even something as simple as tripping on a surface and hitting your head can cause serious head trauma.
Laurie Wells:
Thinking about what we’ve discussed in many of our other episodes, we’ve introduced this concept and keep bringing it back, this hierarchy of control. So, applying that to head protection, wouldn’t it be the simplest thing to just eliminate items that could fall, or come in contact with a worker’s head?
Don Rust:
Yeah, absolutely. That is why workplaces, do follow the hierarchy of control, but in reality, with all the real-world challenges, it’s not always an option to fully eliminate the hazard.
For example, on a multi-story construction site or a heavy manufacturing environment, there will just be some residual risk despite a lot of engineering controls, and it’s these residual risks that we really need the PPE such as head protection for.
Mark Reggers:
So starting at the top of the hierarchy, when you talk about higher order controls and thinking about falling objects, what are some examples if people aren’t familiar with these things that they could start looking at before we get down to the PPE level of things?
Don Rust:
Yeah, for sure. I mean, a lot of what we see when we go to different 3M customers are barriers and guards to prevent items going over the edges. Those same barriers and guards can prevent workers from getting close to the edge. So, then anything falling off of the worker is not going to hit somebody below. The other thing is you can exclude people from being below those certain areas. That’s an exclusion zone. You can have nets to catch falling items and training and work practices, and one of the big ones that has gained traction the last few years is the practice of tethering tools and equipment to the workers when working at heights. So, this is often called fall protection for tools and there’s a lot of different connection types for a lot of different tools that can help keep them from falling to the ground.
Laurie Wells:
Don, I’m sitting here trying to imagine in my mind’s eye a hard hat and it seems simple enough, but I’ve learned enough about PPE to know that it’s more complicated than what I just think of, you know, when you picture it in your head. So, could you walk our listeners through some of the parts and important features of an actual hard hat that will in fact protect your brain, like you talked about?
Don Rust:
I’ll start with two components that are part of what we call a traditional hard hat, and that’s the shell. Which is the most visible component, and that’s constructed from typically these days, a high density impact absorbing type plastic material. In the past they’ve been made out of metal or carbon fiber is another option, but ultimately the shell itself serves to help shield the scalp from environmental and workplace elements such as rain, high heat, splashes, and even exposure to UV light. The brim of the hard hat can be in a couple different shapes. It can be on the front or a cap style, so it shields the eyes from ultraviolet light and kind of the brightness and glare. And then you can have a full brim type shell, which then covers a little bit more of the head giving more shading or protection from rain and splashes.
The other thing that the shell can provide is an insulator. Basically, when working near, low voltage electrical hazards. And those shells would have not a vent. And then the second big component besides the shell is what’s called the harness or suspension system. And that’s a critical component of any hard hat and it’s really the interface between your head and the shell. And that does two things. It works like a shock absorber between the shell and the suspension. They work together to absorb that blow. It also creates that distance and then so things, if they did even penetrate the shell, they might not hopefully penetrate the head. The suspension keeps the hardhat shell on your head. So, it’s always one of those things that needs to be adjusted snugly. And so, a comfortable suspension is really, you know, that’s what’s touching your head. That’s a key consideration when evaluating your head protection options.
Laurie Wells:
I really like that analogy you made with this shock absorber, because that’s really the part that you can’t see when, you’re just imagining this, hard hat in my mind’s eye, and yet the shock absorber really makes sense as to why it’s so critical that that fits so well. Don, I know that there’s some different kinds of hard hats and you mentioned the traditional hard hat. So, what about non-traditional, do you have something to add on that?
Don Rust:
That’s a great point and these are becoming more and more common in a lot of industries. It is a climbing style helmet, which is similar to or also a heavy-duty hard hat. And what they often incorporate is foam that is installed between the suspension and the shell. Sometimes the foam is even, an integral part of the suspension, but what that does is, besides top impact, that those can provide front, side and rear impact protection capabilities. And sometimes they can also, improve the penetration capability of this system. The other thing that a climbing style helmet, typically has is an integrated chin strap, and that’s intended to keep the hard hat or helmet on the worker, essentially no matter what. That can be a two-points chin strap, which is seen on some traditional hard hats, but it really, in most cases now is a four-point chin strap that’s integrated into the design of a climbing style helmet that’s adjusted snugly. It basically just keeps the hard hat on but doesn’t interfere with the workers’ comfort at all. Then one other thing about any type of hard hat is that they are kind of becoming a holder for other accessories or PPE, such as hearing protection, face shields, goggles, headlamps, there’s even PAPR systems that incorporate head protection into their design. Everybody understands the head protection, but it also can be a really key component of your personal protective equipment program.
Mark Reggers:
I mean, what seems such a simple piece of PPE, there’s so much that can be going on when it comes to protection and having that confidence that when used correctly, it’s going to do what it needs to do. Now I’m based in a beautiful Australia, and now on our standard we have three types of hard hats with one being for general industry, another for high temperature workplaces, and then we have another one for bushfire fighting. Is that similar to other parts of the world, different classes or types within these sorts of standards?
Don Rust:
There are slight variations around the world, but there really are, you know, some key points. And that is in the standards, the selection always should be based on three key items that the end user must understand. And that’s the regulations as you refer to, in some countries they might, in the US it’s OSHA, that’s the regulation’s part. The other thing, is head protection standards and both of those elements, can truly affect the design of the hard hat. So, it’s regulations, it’s standards, and most standards also, or regulations also will have a hazard assessment that the workplace safety professional or somebody on the workplace needs to conduct that hazard assessment to really understand what the hazards are there and then select the right head protection. And that’s where it can really vary. And that’s where I think 3M really brings a lot to the table with our sales reps, with our application engineers across the globe. We are here to help with that selection.
Mark Reggers:
Well, that’s one of the things I enjoy most is being able to work with different customers. I’m an application engineer here in Australia and a lot with respiratory. I’ve got colleagues around the world like yourselves that are here to help these different workplaces go through this hazard assessment and look at the different products. So, uh, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local 3M contact wherever you are in the world.
Don Rust:
Yeah. And then kind of coming back to the types of head protection, you know, you’ve done your hazard assessment. So, from a hazard perspective, most standards cover these types of hazards. So, does the workplace primarily need to protect workers from small falling objects? Then this would be a what’s traditional hard hat. It’s for top impact only. And then if there is a need for front side rear impact, then this may be either a heavy-duty hard hat or possibly a climbing style hard hat that with that added foam we talked about earlier. Again, the chin strap for workers, if you’re working at heights, if there’s wind, or you’re concerned is even on a level surface of slip strips and falls and you want their hard hat to stay on. Then you would specify a chin strap and you would need to meet those local standards or regional standards.
The other thing is electrical hazards. Most standards will have electrical conductivity tests to allow some models. And again, it’s typically a non-vented model to provide a level of electrical protection or as we often say, more insulation should they be around those types of hazards. And finally, most standards have temperature ranges. So, if you know you’re in Australia and it’s high heat or if you’re in Minnesota and it’s really cold, you always want to look at the range that they’re testing those. Could be anywhere from, you know, subzero temperatures to well over a hundred degrees temperatures, but they test the hard hats at those temperatures or pre-condition the hard hats at those temperatures. And then, I guess I would make one more point about standards and that is that no matter what your standard is, they will have specific marking requirements in the shell or the suspension somewhere on the product that says what standards they meet. So, that is always something that, you know, if you’re a safety professional and you’re doing audits, that’s a great way to check that their workers are using the right PPE.
Laurie Wells:
Don, it sounds very similar to when we’ve spoken to some previous guests. There’re similarities within the intent of the products and yet they go about classifying them and testing them, slightly differently depending on which, regulatory or standards you’re following.
Don Rust:
Yeah, that’s very true. At the end of the day, you know where you’re at when choosing head protection, as with any PPE as you’ve mentioned, it’s important that it complies with your specific local regulations and whatever standards are in place for your country. That’s first. But once you understand that, then they should be evaluated for their options by considering comfort, fit and then again, what accessories maybe needed that fit onto the head protection. Head protection needs to be adjusted correctly. There’re size ranges. If chin straps are used, they need to be fit snugly. And the other thing is, get to know the User Instructions and be sure that your workers are properly trained, at the end of the day, that’s going to be a key.
Laurie Wells:
You mentioned accessories and obviously I’m the hearing protection person, so hearing protectors as an accessory to a hard hat is something that’s really important. I know that there are cap attached ear muffs and there’s visor attachments for certain environments. Could you expand a little bit more around somebody who’s in a multiple hazard type situation and some of the considerations for PPE compatibility?
Don Rust:
Yeah, that’s a great point, Laurie. I mean, PPE compatibility, we, you know, as a manufacturer of different types, we hear that all the time and it’s so important in a workplace. Again, where comfort and fit is critical. So, if you have multiple hazards, again, I want to keep pointing out the importance of conducting workplace hazard assessments. If you identify multiple hazards, it’s important that you verify that the PPE system has been tested together. So, for example, a hardhat shell and suspension, virtually nowhere can you mix and match manufacturers. They just have not been tested to those standards together. So do not assume that just because a suspension or earmuffs fit into the slot or the parts of the hard hat, that doesn’t mean that they will provide the indicated level of protection. Same thing applies to face shields. Be sure that the helmet, face shield holder and face shield have been tested together. For example, our 3M face shields and earmuffs and helmets have been tested together to meet the different standards and eye protection and respiratory protection also need to be considered. It’s possible a large enough topic to warrant its own podcast Laurie.
Mark Reggers:
I’m sure we will probably get to it at some stage because it is such a big topic and I think you’ve highlighted so well Don that a hard hat is a vital piece of personal protective equipment. To perform its job correctly the hard hat needs to be in tip top condition, which are true of all PPE of course. With that in mind, what are some best practice recommendations or tips you can share with our listeners, so they can be assured we are really confident that the head protection is going to do the job it’s intended to do.
Don Rust:
Of course. Yeah, I think, well let’s start. It’s a long list, but let’s start with the things you should not do. So, don’t store objects between the suspension and the shell. The hard hat we talked about how it’s a shock absorber. Anything stored in there could cause serious injury if forced onto the skull. Don’t store hardhats in direct sunlight when not in use.
Sunlight will degrade most plastic shells. So, that’s a key thing, where you’re storing it. I unfortunately so often see it, shell sitting on the dash of a car, which is like a UV light magnifier. Don’t paint the hard hat, don’t use chemicals on it, don’t use adhesives or similar substances on a hard hat. They can cause deterioration of the shell. Don’t puncture it. Don’t alter it or engrave your name in it. Again, remember, this is a key piece of protective equipment. Don’t use your hard hat as a bucket to carry tools and don’t purposely drop, throw or use your helmet to sit on.
Laurie Wells:
Good advice. Okay, so what about the things that should be done?
Don Rust:
Yeah, and this comes back to training again, but I think the most important thing is, it’s personal protective equipment, which means it’s for you. So inspect your hardhat shell and your suspension before each use. What you want to look for is cracks, fading of the plastic material, frayed straps or any sign of damage. If you see anything like that, replace it immediately. The other thing is just if you have sustained an impact on a hard hat, you need to dispose of it immediately. This is the same for a lot of sports helmets that people sometimes don’t realize. If you’re on a bicycle helmet and you impact it, it’s done. It’s not going to protect you, not going to protect you the next time. Stored in a clean, dry area. Wear your hard hat correctly. Make sure you refer to the User Instructions.
Some hard hats have been tested and approved to be worn with a brim in the back. If that’s how you want to wear it, you turn it around and change the suspension around, but make sure it’s approved to be worn that way. Always maintain your hard hat. You can clean it with mild soap and water. Make sure it’s dry. And then the other thing is you need to replace the head harness and the hard hat itself had a regular interval in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions. And even with proper care, wear and tear is inevitable. So again, consult your regulations and the manufacturer’s guidance around change out.
Mark Reggers:
Like any piece of PPE, there’s so much that workplaces need to be aware of, and it’s not necessarily complicated, but being aware of these things. And I think you’ve highlighted some of them so well and succinctly. So, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us and your experience with us today. Don, really appreciate it.
Don Rust:
Well, thank you. Hopefully this information will be helpful and can encourage end users to select and use the best head protection for their job.
Laurie Wells:
Thank you, Don. It has been great. I’ve learned a lot and I really appreciate the emphasis on how important our brain is to us. We, we don’t think about it unless we think about it, right? And so you’ve give us some really good information. Thanks for listening everyone. You can listen, subscribe to and share this podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast, and most major podcast apps and platforms. If you have questions, topic suggestions, or you’d like some assistance in your workplace when it comes to the appropriate selection, use and maintenance of PPE, you can get in contact with this podcast by contacting your local 3M office, or visit our website at mmm.com. Around the world we aim to help everyone get the job done safely today, tomorrow, and in the future. Thanks for listening and have a safe day. Stay safe out there, Mark.
Mark Reggers:
Stay healthy, Laurie. Thanks everyone. Bye.
Laurie Wells:
Bye-Bye.