One of the most important pieces of personal protective equipment on the job is a hard hat. Many workers have been saved from serious injury and even death because they were wearing hard hats when an accident happened. However, the effectiveness of a hard hat depends if it is properly worn, maintained and replaced when needed.

A hard hat consists of the shell and the suspension. Both have to be inspected during assembly and before each use. Look for cracks, dents, nicks, gouges, and any damage on the shell that may have been caused by impact, penetration, abrasions, or rough treatment. In addition, hard hats made of polyethylene or polycarbonate materials should be inspected for brittleness, stiffness, fading, dullness of color or a chalky appearance. If the shell does not pass inspection, replace it immediately for your own safety.