| The importance of remaining safe in the | | | | Any job that involves manual labour and lifting can |
| workplace is often overlooked by employees, but | | | | ultimately be a hazardous vocation for an |
| it is a crucial consideration for employers looking | | | | employee, and the head can be the most |
| to protect their workforce. Whether that's | | | | vulnerable body part when it comes to knocks, |
| through minimising risk in the workplace or | | | | bumps and dropped weights. The hard hat is the |
| through providing appropriately safe workwear, | | | | first line of defence against head injuries of all |
| employers are legally committed to minimising | | | | sorts, and in a construction environment it can |
| accidents and protecting the staff to the best of | | | | often be particularly hard to predict where the |
| their abilities. Alongside sturdy boots and gloves, it | | | | next threat is going to come from. By ensuring |
| can often be essential to require quality hard hats | | | | you have a hard hat on at all times, you can help |
| to be worn at all times in the work environment. | | | | create a safer environment from the |
| To some, this may seem like a bizarre | | | | unpredictability that often makes this kind of work |
| requirement, particularly when there are no | | | | dangerous. |
| obvious risks, although it is in fact an essential | | | | Hard hats are also useful from a practical point of |
| requirement for protecting your head from a | | | | view for the employer. By ensuring all employees |
| number of unforeseen risks. In this article we will | | | | wear hard hats, the employer is not only covering |
| look at the importance of wearing hard hats in | | | | his own back in terms of the potential legal |
| hazardous environments, and why this issue in | | | | ramifications of health and safety failure but also |
| particular is of such concern to employers. | | | | allowing him to quickly identify staff for |
| Ask most people why they wear a hard hat in | | | | co-ordinating the construction process, or in times |
| the workplace and there answer would generally | | | | of emergency when it would be essential to |
| be along the lines of 'because I'm told to'. Actually, | | | | quickly distinguish between on-site staff and other |
| this is a good answer, given that there is a lot to | | | | employees. |
| lose for employers allowing their workmen to | | | | Hard hats might seem to get in the way at times, |
| work without adequate head protection – so | | | | but they are truly essential in preventing serious |
| much so, it is often drummed into employees as | | | | and potentially life threatening head injuries. By |
| a necessity that they must always wear hard | | | | ensuring you are equipped with a hard hat at all |
| hats. Employers recognise the dangers of working | | | | times, you can protect your head against the |
| in an environment without hard hats, and they | | | | dangers that surround you, whilst also helping to |
| understand that a protected and safe workforce | | | | add to the overall safety culture which can be of |
| is ultimately more productive. But what about | | | | critical importance in dangerous industries like |
| wearing hard hats when it seems as though there | | | | construction. |
| is no immediate risk? | | | | |