Regulations for Wearing a Hard Hat Liner

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) works to make regulations and protocols that enhance worker safety, allowing operations to work effectively while adhering to safety best practices. Often facilities and crews can become confused or even frustrated with following all the protocols; however worker safety is of the utmost importance, so keeping up on OSHA requirements are generally a positive thing all around. Some confusion often surrounds the use of a hard hat liner.

 

Many jobsites have a hard hat requirement. OSHA certainly requires it in many cases, but those in charge of factory workers, road crews, and others typically agree that this is a simple way to avoid a potentially devastating injury. A simple concept, right? Protecting the head is a given. Sure, but what about when the mercury drops and a hard hat liner enters the equation?

 

ANSI standards do not prohibit the addition of a hard hat liner during cold months. Hard hats are worn for basically three scenarios:

  • To protect the head from injuries resulting from impact with other objects
  • To protect the head from falling objects
  • To help defray the risk of electrical shock

Providing that the hard hat liner does not impede with the ANSI standards for the make-up and fit of the hard hat, there should be no problem. There are, however, a few regulations to keep in mind when you want to stay aligned with the best safety practices:

 

Material & Construction of the Hard Hat Liner: Liners should be made from fabric, plastic, or related material and any color should be fast-dyed. Water-resistance is allowed for the outer surface. No metal parts are allowed.

 

Designated Use: Any hard hat liner you choose to wear should be specifically made to be worn with a hard hat and constructed as such. Simply throwing on a hoodie or face mask, then adding the hard hat is not considered the best practice for safety.

 

Using a hard hat liner that has not been specifically designed for that use may actually interfere with the safety features inherent in the hard hat itself. It is up to foremen, crew leaders, and facility managers to ensure and inspect liners to ensure they are appropriate for use.

 

SafetyGear Online has OSHA approved hard hat liner options for any type of worker, as well as all the safety apparel you need to meet regulations and keep your crew safe.