Everyone who works in construction or the trades has one. They’re required on site. Even though you (probably) wear one regularly, we’re betting you didn’t know these facts about hard hats:
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The “Hard Boiled Hat”
The hard hat was invented by Edward W. Bullard in 1919 to protect miners from head injuries. The original hard hat was made out of steamed layers of glued canvas painted black.
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Hoover Dam
The first project in which hard hats were widely used, was the construction of the Hoover Dam.
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“Hard Hat Area”
The first project in which hard hats were required on site, was the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
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Aluminum
In the 1930’s, aluminum was the standard material for hard hats.
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Ventilated Hard Hats
Ventilated hard hats, designed to keep the wearer’s head cool, were introduced in 1998.
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Colours
While no particular colour of hard hat is recognized internationally, it’s widely accepted that certain colours are assigned to certain types of employees: yellow for labourers, blue for electrical workers, white for supervisors.
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Smart Hard Hats
Smart hard hats are being developed by Daqri to increase productivity, efficiency, and safety of wearers. Check them out here: http://daqri.com/home/product/daqri-smart-helmet/
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