Material Types Used To Make Hard Hats

by Industrial Safetygear Business Owner

Material Types Used To Make Hard Hats

Hard hats provide a helmet-like design used to protect a worker's head from impacts by blunt or sharp objects. They also deliver a protective layer that safeguards against falls.

Approximately 20 million people in the United States and millions more globally wear hard hats while working. When worn correctly, a properly constructed product delivers two protection types.

The hard shell provides resistance to penetration by sharp objects. Workers also benefit from the suspension system that lessens the pressure and impact of a localized blow by distributing the force.

Most hard hats use a network of straps that connect to a headband attached to the helmet to create the suspension effect. That design holds the hard hat's shell at least 1.25 inches (3 centimeters) away from the head.

Today's materials used for hard hats meet the current ANSI (American National Standards Institute) performance standards. When looking at older designs, you'll see that a wide variety of materials were used to create a safer working environment.

Past and Present Material Types Used for Hard Hats

Several different materials have been used to make hard hats over the past few decades. Here's a closer look at some of the most popular options.

1. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Most hard hats today are made from HDPE. That's because it is one of the best pound-for-pound plastics available for strength, durability, and environmental flexibility. [[1]]

HDPE was first made in the 1930s, and it was first used to create high-frequency radar cables. The material varies in flexibility, which is why hard hats use a high-density version to provide a protective shell.

It has excellent impact resistance ratings and performs well when exposed to chemicals.

The one issue you'll find with HDPE is that it can experience poor weathering with frequent use. That makes it a little sensitive to stress cracking. It's also not biodegradable, so it cannot be composted for natural recycling.
HDPE hard hats are among the most popular and least expensive hard hats sold today. Here are some examples:

2. ABS Plastic

ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. This material is the same foundational product that you'll find in toys, furniture, and many other items. If you purchase a thermoplastic hard hat, you're getting this material.

ABS is an amorphous and thermoplastic polymer. The name refers to the creation process where it becomes liquid at a specific temperature. Manufacturers can heat this material to its melting point, cool it, and repeat the process without significantly degrading its strength.

Since ABS plastics liquefy instead of burning at a high temperature, today's top hard hat brands can use injection molding manufacturing processes to create world-class products.

The benefits of using ABS plastic for a hard hat include its strong resistance to physical impacts and corrosive chemicals. It's quite easy to machine, and the lower melting temperature makes it useful for multiple processes.

When compared to other hard hat materials, ABS plastics are relatively inexpensive. Although polypropylene is a bit cheaper, it's not as expensive as other plastics.

There are no known carcinogens associated with ABS. It's structurally sturdy, stiff, and comfortable to wear with a well-designed suspension system.

Here are our most popular ABS plastic hard hats:

3. Fiberglass

Scientists began researching how fibers and resins could work together after Games Slayter, who worked at Owens-Illinois, accidentally sent a jet of compressed air at some molten glass. The fibers it produced were seen as a useful insulator. [[4]]

Fiberglass hard hats are the industry standard for mining or electrical workers. The material has a much higher temperature resistance while remaining light and durable.

If you're working in a welding foundry, you're likely putting a fiberglass hard hat on your head.

Since fiberglass can be molded into virtually any shape without an adverse impact on its mechanical strength, you can find hard hats with several different styles from today's top brands. It lasts a long time, provides workers with a low-maintenance experience, and has anti-magnetic properties.

Here's a good example of a fiberglass hard hat:

It has less rigidity than other materials, so the energy distribution from a forceful impact might not be as efficient. Most workers find fiberglass to be lighter than other options, which is helpful when managing a long shift in a physically demanding environment.

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