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There is no shortage of risks in the oil and gas industry. Whether onshore or offshore, oil and gas workers are faced with a multitude of hazards every day, including falls, explosions, heat, splashes, leaks, vehicle collisions, blowouts and more. Recognizing these hazards and understanding the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) is imperative to taking precautions and protecting the industry’s most valuable assets – its workers.
Among other life-threatening hazards, heavy equipment collisions and falling objects pose a great threat to oil and gas workers and could have a detrimental effect on their wellbeing. Hard hats provide the oil and gas industry with a safer work environment and increased efficiency by reducing the impact on the head.
Rigorous Testing
Hard hats are tested in accordance with the ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014 standard that establishes the types and classes of head protection options that provide appropriate protection for hazards in specific workplaces. Performance requirements for Type I protection include force transmission, apex penetration and flammability (optional). Type II hard hats pass all the requirements necessary to pass Type I testing as well as additional testing methods that include side-impact energy attenuation, off-center penetration and chin strap retention (optional).
Type II hard hats are less common than Type I but provide additional, and in many applications, necessary protection. They are designed to reduce the force of impact on the crown of the head, which is included in Type I hard hats, as well as the impact from a blow that may be received off-center from the top of the head (laterally). Type II hats also have an additional reinforced lining in between the shell and suspension for more side impact protection.
Select the Right Features
Every hard hat comes with a suspension that sits just below the inner protective shell. 6-point suspensions distribute the transmitted force of an impactful blow to 6 suspension load bearing points whereas 4-point suspensions distribute weight to 4 suspension load bearing points. Aside from this, suspensions also play an important role in providing an effective fit on a worker’s head via adjustment ratchets. Four popular ratchets include wheel ratchet, swing ratchet, slip ratchet and pin-lock, with wheel ratchet being the most convenient. It requires only one hand to adjust and is least likely to loosen itself. Wheel ratchets also do not require the worker to remove gloves or the hat to adjust, thereby reducing the risk of injury. Chin straps provide assurance that head protection stays secure to a worker’s head in the event of a fall or blowout. Furthermore, additions such as cooling pads inside the hat help beat heat stress.
What Protection is Required for Your Hazard?
Type I or Type II protection depends on the application and surrounding environmental hazards. With new technologies, increased awareness, and a menu of options for head protection specific to the work environment, long-term disabilities and even death due to brain injuries can be avoided. Type II protection is especially important in the oil and gas industry where workers are constantly exposed to life-threatening dangers impacting the head and must be utilized.
For more information on Type II hard hats or to discover the right head protection for your needs, visit this website.
About Protective Industrial Products
Protective Industrial Products (PIP®) is a global PPE leader in worker safety with a diversified product line of 10,000+ products, including head-to-toe protection for the Oil and Gas, Industrial, Construction, Welding and Electrical Safety markets. PIP®, along with its recognized industry-leading brands: G-Tek®, Bouton®, Ironcat®, Assurance®, Kut-Gard®, CleanTeam®, QRP®, Ambi-Dex®, Dynamic®, NOVAX®, Caiman® and Boss®, are relied upon for personal protection by workers every day. Learn more at www.pipusa.com.
