Join AGC Austin -For a Comparative Review of the Type I vs Type II Hard Hats and Safety Helmets...

The History of the Hard Hat

(Portions Credited to David Kindy?Correspondent?February 21, 2020)

With some canvas, leather, shellac and black paint, inventor Edward Bullard helped America usher in a new era of workplace safety.

During World War I, death occurred on an apocalyptic scale in the killing fields of Europe. The advent of continuous-fire machine guns and modern artillery with high-explosive shells obliterated millions of lives in an era of bloody trench warfare.

One saving grace was the helmet. Countless soldiers were able to return home to their loved ones because of the protection provided by the heavy headgear. Bullets, shrapnel, and flying debris often glanced off this sturdy safeguard that shielded the head from harm.

A young lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s cavalry witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of the helmet and realized its potential in a postwar industrial world. In 1919,?Edward W. Bullard?came home to the family business in San Francisco and began developing a safety hat for peacetime workers.

Called the?Hard Boiled Hat, this canvas and leather headgear was the first commercially available head protection device. Now worn by millions of workers, Bullard’s hard hat revolutionized the safety-product industry, earning him a spot in the?National Inventors Hall of Fame.

?So, as we can see, we have come along way since 1915 and the Hard Boiled Hat, and yet we are not so far from the original idea.

Today we still use what is called a Class I Hard Hat in most job sites. But we are now seeing an update to the protection standards and use in the field.

Thus, the Class II Helmet is born.

So, what’s the difference? - ?It’s all in the testing, and protection provided.

Type I vs. Type II Helmets

Industrial protective helmets are classified by impact type and electrical class per ANSI Z89.1-2014*. All protective helmets are required to meet either Type I or Type II requirements. If hazard potential is for top impact, a Type I helmet should be considered. If hazards are present that can impact the front, back and sides, as well as the top of a helmet, use of a Type II helmet should be considered. If application hazards are present that may cause a helmet to dislodge from a user’s head, use of a chinstrap should be considered for additional safety and helmet retention.

Type I Helmets

Type I helmets are designed to reduce impact force as a result of a blow to only the top of the head. There are four specific performance requirements for Type I helmets:?

1. Flammability

a. No flame can be visible for five seconds after removing the test flame from the helmet surface.

2. Force transmission

a. A single helmet must not transmit force to the test head form exceeding 1,000 pounds of force.

b. Conditioned helmets (hot and cold) shall be averaged, and the average cannot exceed 850 pounds of force to the test head form.

3. Apex penetration

a. The penetrator cannot make contact with the top of the head form.

4. Electrical classification (Class G, Class E or Class C)

a. Class G and Class E helmets must meet appropriate performance requirements.

b. Class G to withstand 2,200 volts for one minute. Maximum leakage shall not exceed three milliamperes.

c. Class E to withstand 20,000 volts for three minutes after impact. Maximum leakage shall not exceed nine milliamperes.

d. Class C helmets are not tested for electrical insulation.

Type II Helmets

Type II helmets are designed to reduce impact force as a result of a blow to the top or sides of the head. In addition to the four performance requirements of a Type I helmet, Type II performance criterion contains three additional requirements:?

1. Flammability?

2. Force transmission?

3. Apex penetration?

4. Electrical classification (Class G, Class E or Class C)?

5. Impact energy attenuation

a. Helmet is dropped onto a spherical object at various angles around the helmet, above a designated test line.

6. Off-center penetration

a. A penetrator is dropped vertically, and the helmet is rotated at different angles above a designated test line. The penetrator cannot contact the head form.

7. Chinstrap retention (optional)

a. If a Type II helmet is provided with a chin strap, the chin strap must be tested for retention, must remain attached to the helmet and must not stretch beyond one inch in length.

Testing for Type I & Type II??????

Join us on March 6th 2023 for our monthly Safety Committee Meeting:

We are proud and thankful to have these manufacturers here to give us the details of their products.

Please welcome some of the industry leaders in this new initiative for head protection and safety:

·???????Miguel Leon with Milwaukee /

·???????Charlie Gertson with Kask /

·???????Austin Dean with Studson /

·???????Alex Rees with Wavecell /