Progress For The Hard Hat
Today, hard hats are everywhere; construction sites, factories, any site where there is a potential hazard due to falling debris. They may not be much to look at and they may not seem like a big deal, but they are a valuable asset to the safety industry and have changed the lives of construction laborers the world over. However, there was a time when hardhats weren’t required and they really weren’t all that hard.
The First Hard Hat
Some credit Franz Kafka with developing the first hard hat during his time at the Worker’s Accident Insurance Institute; this has yet to be verified. However, in the United States, a mining equipment firm based out of California with over 20 years in the safety business discovered the “Hard-Boiled Hat”.
The First Hard Hat
Until World War I, the Bullard Company who had its roots in the safety industry for over 20 years had been using leather protective hats. In 1919 E.W. Bullard arrived back from the war with a helmet made of steel. This sparked ingenuity. Soon after the company patented the “Hard-Boiled Hat”, which instead of being made from leather was instead compiled of steamed canvas, glue, and black paint. This was the prototype of the modern hard hat.
Military Inspiration
After the Hard Boiled Hat, the United States Navy then commissioned Bullard to come up with a shipyard protective hat to protect workers from falling debris. Soon after his development of the shipyard hat Bullard thought up an internal suspension system that would in turn provide a more effective protective hat. The inspiration for these new more effective hats was the military M1917 “Brodie” helmet.
Hard Hat Laws
Although the hard hat industry was constantly creating safer and more effective hats, the safety clothing and equipment still weren’t a requirement on the job site. In 1933 the Golden Gate Bridge construction site mandated that all workers wear hard hats, only the second ever in the country to mandate such an order. The first project was the Hoover Dam in 1931. Now with more sites requiring safeguards, Bullard was working on creating a hard hat that also protected those who worked with sandblasting. The hard hat featured a window with a view and allowed for a hose for air from an air compressor.
Materials
Since 1933 the hard hat has gone through mass renovations, aluminum eventually became the main component, minus those conducting electrical maintenance. In the 1940’s fiberglass was introduced, only to last about 10 years. Thermoplastics lead the way in the 1950’s and is still featured in many hard hates today, as most are made of high density polyethylene, also known as HDPE.