Hard Hats

[gafftapegreenia]

How long do you think it will be before our industry as a whole is mandated to wear hard hats? I know many venues require hard hats/bump caps out of either necessity or insurance issues, however, it's by no means universal. Personally I won't be surprised that if in the next five years we see serious talk about mandating hardhats.

[Arez]

I wouldn't be surprised, I know I've hit my head a number of times or had something hit it. Wound up int the hospital a few times because of it, nothing major thankfully, just concussions. I started wearing caps to give a little cushion if it happens, but hard hats, all day, everyday, i'd be more settled on the idea if they came with flashlight mounts, or built in head lamps and a flip down visor.

[Van]

Honestly I've often wondered why is hasn't been mandated yet. Perhaps the low incidence of head trauma injuries that would have been alleviated by the use of a hard hat keeps the insurance industry from requiring them for us? I've had to wear hard hats in certain jobs I've held in the past, namely as an Installer for Stagecraft Industries, where I had to conform with all the job-site safety requirements that a "regular" Carp / Steel Worker might have to. It was very difficult to get used to, very uncomfortable. It did, however save my butt, or head, on a couple of occasions. Let me tell you there is nothing like being 60' in the air on a giant scissor lift, only to turn around real quick and smack you head on a loft block, or piece of structural steel. I would guess the biggest reason for "us" not having to wear them would be the "finished-ness" of our work, that is, we work in an area supposedly ready for people to walk around in. I can see OSHA requiring Hardhats, especially for Riggers and/ or carps doing load-ins of concerts where there is a lot of gear hanging at head banging height, but honestly , if someone drops a hammer from 80' up even a good hard hat isn't going to keep you from Major Trauma.

[coldnorth57]

Hmmmmm anyother workplace I have worked at with that much stuff hanging overhead you would be wearing a hardhat ....so don't tell Worker Comp about this or the actors will have to wear them

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Arez

I wouldn't be surprised, I know I've hit my head a number of times or had something hit it. Wound up int the hospital a few times because of it, nothing major thankfully, just concussions. I started wearing caps to give a little cushion if it happens, but hard hats, all day, everyday, i'd be more settled on the idea if they came with flashlight mounts, or built in head lamps and a flip down visor.

Well...

You've ended up in the hospital, but are still skeptical about them?

You can get flashlight mounts/headlamps for hardhats.

--Sean

[mstaylor]

In the concert business, if they made you wear hardhats, the riggers would be exempt because the is no drop hazard above them. Feld makes all of their guys have hard hats and many times they wear them in my building because of the drop ceiling. When we rig, we have to pull tiles from above and on occasion they will break and get away from the rigger. A spinning ceiling tile from fifty feet is not pretty.

[Footer]

Cirque also requires it of all of their people during any in/out. They don't require it of the local crew. They all wear petzl climbing helmets.

I have worked a few places that did out on the in/out. It depended on the show though if we actually did it or not.

I have worked an oil refinery that not only required hard hats, but you had to be clean shaven, no jewelry including piercings, safety glasses, ear protection, fire retardant coveralls, and metatarsals. Keep in mind that even if it was 100 degrees out... you still had to wear this. We had guys up in bucket trucks for hours at a time working in this gear. Now, that is uncomfortable... so.... it could be worse.

[Arez]

Originally Posted by Sean

Well...

You've ended up in the hospital, but are still skeptical about them?

You can get flashlight mounts/headlamps for hardhats.

--Sean

Yes and no, I had to wear one a few times but, it was more of a, "here's a hard hat, we're not going to say anything if you don't wear it, but if your head gets hit and you're not wearing it, don't blame us," situation. I wore them but it was more cumbersome than helpful to be honest (yanked on my hair way too much). Good to know they make flashlight/headlamp mounts for them though. Now if I bought a custom fit one, I would probably wear it, with the hope that it of course fit better then an off the shelf one.

[mstaylor]

I have worked in commercial construction over the years and had to wear hard hats many times. I could wear them for hours on end and it never bothered me. What did bother me was I hit my head more often because it sits obove your head quite a bit and you will forget it is there and bang. It has caused neck problems to a small extent.

[museav]

Since I'm often in theatres during construction or renovation, wearing a hard hat is typically required. On some sites so are work boots and rated eye protection. I do agree that you tend to forget about the extra height and hit your head more with them and the one time I did almost get hit by a wrench falling from overhead I was just walking through the room and did not have my hard hat on.

Every hard hat I've used is adjustable and you can get a variety of styles, suspensions, colors or semi-custom graphics. Even this, Product Details and this, Product Details.