For a relatively small piece of personal protective equipment (PPE), construction hard hats have an immense responsibility for protecting workers:

• Deflecting blows to the head

• Resisting penetration

• Absorbing the force of impacts via a suspension system

• Preventing top-of-the-head impacts from traveling down the spine

• Insulating against electric shocks, when needed

• Providing water resistance

• Being fire-resistant

Before OSHA was formed in 1970, construction companies maintained their own requirements for protective gear. Now, Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR aka CFR Title 29) mandates specific rules for head protection that aim to create a work environment safe from known dangers or hazards:

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.135 governs safety helmet requirements for general industry workers.OSHA 29 CFR 1910.135 governs safety helmet requirements for general industry workers.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.100 governs head protection requirements for construction, demolition, and renovation workers.

As with many of its standards, OSHA mandates that construction companies follow the guidelines set forth by the American National Standards Institute to achieve compliance with head protection regulations. In other words, OSHA establishes the rules construction companies must follow, and ANSI Z89.1 details specific steps needed to comply.

The 2014 version of the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection(ANSI Z89.1-2014) details the most updated performance and testing requirements for construction helmets, considering improvements in technology, testing methods, materials, worker needs, and the use and application of products. The ANSI standard also establishes types and classifications for protective classes based on potential hazards, helping employers and users select hard hats that meet specific workplace needs.

The latest ANSI edition revised 2009 regulations. It was prepared by members of the Industrial Safety Equipment Association’s (ISEA's) Head Protection Group and approved by a consensus review panel of users, government agencies, and safety experts.

Key updates to the latest edition include:

• Requiring manufacturers to provide proof that accessories and replacement components won’t cause helmets to fail

• Clarification that useful service life doesn’t need to be explained by a set number of years

• Additional protections for users who work in hotter environments.

OSHA regulations also permit workers to use hard hats that adhere to 2009, 2003, or 1997 ANSI editions, however. They even allow construction helmets that don’t follow ANSI requirements as long as employers can demonstrate equal or better protection.

But keep this in mind: if a job exposes workers to hazards only addressed by the 2014 edition, older products may not comply. For instance, there are new, optional rules for preconditioning hard hats for testing at higher temperatures. These additions make sure the equipment performs in more extreme environments.

It’s also important to note that neither OSHA nor ANSI approves bump caps, which are designed to help wearers avoid bruises, scrapes, and abrasions caused by minor impacts with stationary objects. Bump caps are unsuitable for protection against falling or moving items. They are never intended for use when job site hazards demand ANSI Z89.1 hard hats.