One of the most visible and critical forms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on a jobsite is the hardhat, yet it is also one of the least evolved. Many hardhats used today are the same that have been used for decades.
As the design and technology of construction evolve, so should the protective equipment we provide. A traditional hardhat is designed for impact protection at the top of the head and has little effectiveness protecting against impacts to the front, back or sides of the head. A sudden movement, tilt of the head, or fall, typically leads to the hardhat falling off, leaving the worker unprotected.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that brain injuries led to the deaths of at least 992 construction workers from 2011 through 2015. In 2016, there were nearly 400 fall fatalities. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that 25% of deaths in 2016 resulted from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), most of which occurred from a fall. NIOSH has been studying and working on a change for the past five years to help save lives.
The traditional hardhat has evolved, and the transformation is not only keeping our crews safer, but also more comfortable. An addition of the chin strap keeps the safety helmet in place, while also offering additional protection from front, rear and side impacts.
CG Schmidt’s jobsites have become even safer and our employees are better protected due to our new safety helmet initiative. Every CG Schmidt employee on a jobsite – and in the office – received a new safety helmet that took the place of their existing hardhats. CG Schmidt’s in-house Safety Team implemented the process by ordering 300 safety helmets from our supplier, 3M. The helmets were then separated to accommodate the number of employees at each jobsite, and the Safety Team delivered the new safety helmets to each field employee at every jobsite. Every CG Schmidt employee smoothly transitioned from a traditional hardhat to a new safety helmet within a few short days.