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A day in the life of a hard hat: celebrating electricians’ most important companions

Industrial electricians can be wearing their hard hats for up to – or sometimes over – eight hours a day. Around 2,000 hours a year. That’s a lot of time. And during it all, its job is to protect our most important asset and greatest tool – the brain.

A complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, and every process that regulates our body. It’s a pretty tough and important job. That’s why, at MSA Safety, we see hard hats as much more than merely a protective shell. We see them as an electrician’s companion – your companion. One that’s with you throughout most of the working day, five days a week, 12 months a year. And one that might just be a lifesaver.

In this article, we’ll walk you through a day in the life of an industrial electrician’s safety helmet. Why? Because we want to bring to life what hard hats withstand on a daily basis and reveal how quality head protection not only keeps electricians safe but contributes to increased confidence, wellbeing and greater productivity. It’s time to shine a light on your most important – yet lesser celebrated – companion.

9am: the workday begins

It may be the end of a long week, but your electrician helmet with an integrated arc-flash visor needs to show up and set about its job: being ready to save your life. It’s an important job. You need to feel confident that your hard hat can withstand whatever’s thrown its way. So, what are the characteristics of a quality helmet with an integrated full-face shield that makes it robust enough to do its job, day in, day out?

11:30am: almost lunchtime

By now you’ve been wearing your hard hat and visor almost continuously for two and a half hours. It’s almost lunchtime and you’ve had a busy morning installing a new electrical system. You’ve been on the move a lot, negotiating cramped spaces, ducking, crouching, working while looking up, and peering into tight spots. What’s more, it’s been a pretty complex and dangerous job that needed full focus.

With lesser-quality head and face protection, you may be feeling uncomfortable by now. You may feel that your helmet and visor aren’t quite balanced properly on your head. You may even feel a tension headache coming on. Or perhaps you’ve had difficulty handling your visor while wearing gloves. The visor itself may be too dark, be of poor optical quality, or be fogging to a point that makes it difficult for you to clearly distinguish the colours of electrical wires.

Any discomfort or inconvenience – besides making you feel lousy – can impact your focus and overall safety. After all, any of the above issues could tempt you to raise your visor or take your helmet off – and that’s potentially incredibly dangerous.

You need to be able to concentrate fully on the job at hand rather than worrying about your helmet and visor. Especially considering the potentially fatal risks you face, like contact with electricity or arc-flash. Did you know that between 2015 and 2020 (according to Health and Safety Executive statistics) three per cent of all workers died from contact with electricity and 1,122 workers suffered injuries?

Let’s look at how premium head and face protection keeps you comfortable, safe and unencumbered while you work.

1pm: lunchtime over, back to work

During your lunch break, you’ve pored over the plan for this afternoon’s job while your hard hat takes a well-earned rest. You need to carry out routine maintenance on some equipment. Straightforward enough. But the machinery is located in a confined space which you’ll need to be lowered into. Even though you’re being lowered below ground, this is still classed as working at height and that poses some unique challenges. Moreover, in the confined space you’re entering there’s a risk of explosion. Multiple potential risks like this can make what should be a routine job fairly complex. But your hard hat and integrated visor are up to the task. Here’s how.

5:30pm: your working day’s done

It’s been a busy day and you’ll be glad to get home. Fortunately, thanks to your hard hat (which you’ve stowed away in its premium textile storage and transport bag), you’ll be getting home to your family safe and sound. It’s been a taxing day, but the comfort and functionality of your hard hat has allowed you to concentrate fully on the job at hand. No surprise for a safety helmet that’s been developed for, and with, electricians.

An important reminder

All hard hats, regardless of their quality, should be checked before and after each use. Workers should visually inspect the shell for breakage, cracks, crazing, discolouration, a chalky appearance, or any other anomalies. These conditions can indicate a loss of impact, penetration, and/or electrical resistance. The suspension should also be checked for loss of flexibility. Check for cracks, breaks, frayed straps, and damaged stitching. And you should always check that the chinstrap is in good condition and that the face shield isn’t cracked or blemished.

Your most important above-the-neck safety companion

So, there you go. Throughout the day your humble safety helmet with its integrated full-face shield and extended arc-flash ear and neck flaps has been ready to protect you against a multitude of different – and potentially life-threatening – risks. And it has done all that while keeping you as comfortable as possible.

As we said in the beginning, a hard hat is more than the sum of its parts. It’s much more than a mere protective shell. It’s a companion and a potential lifesaver, so invest in the best. After all, it could be the difference between a worker returning home to their family at the end of a working day – or not.

Would you like to test this helmet in the field and compare it to the solution you’re using today? Click here to learn more.

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