Hard hats have come a long way since they were first invented in the ship building industry. Then, builders would cover their everyday hats in tar and let it cure. This offered limited protection against falling debris, but it was a measure that saved the skills of many a shipyard workers.

With a little ingenuity, hard-boiled hats came in. A few years later, a more effective helmet style was adopted from the military. Then, aluminum took over.

Aluminum hats protected the heads of construction workers across the country in the 1930s. So long as electrical work was not involved, these hats were the go-to design. Today, they are almost iconic and the hats we think of when we picture people working on classic industrial structures like the Golden Gate Bridge. It wasn’t until the 1950s that plastics took over hard hats.

The thermoplastic hats of the 1950s are strong, durable, safe, and still in use today. The industry has advanced, however.

Enter high-density polyethylene. Today’s workers trust this extremely durable, impact-resistant material with their lives. Helmets made of this advanced material, like the MK8 Evolution are designed to resist side impacts as well as overhead impacts. Moreover, they feature crown penetration protection, ratchet suspension, and universal accessory slots for complete work-level customization.