Heads up on safety helmet maintenance!

Heads up on safety helmet maintenance! – The head is the most vital body part an employee has and companies should go to great length to have an employee's protected. Personal Protective Equipment at many companies comes, automatically, with a hard hat. But when the helmet is not properly maintained, it can easily go 'soft'.

Helmets come in many sizes, shapes, colours and even fabrics but they are, ultimately, expected to perform the same task. While the helmets are designed to take a beating, they certainly can become the cause of problems when they are not properly maintained.

With humans losing most of their body heat through their head, it is no wonder that many employees wearing a helmet, often sweat. Therefore, hard hats should be regularly cleaned with warm water and soap and should be allowed to air-dry. Cleaning them with a germ-killing soap is advisable. Unclean helmets could contribute to cases of diseases from germs that accumulate in the equipment.

While the hard hats are designed and tested for handling the impact of many common objects, the continuous and long term exposure to sunlight can, ultimately, affect the quality of hat. Most protective helmets are made of plastic or plastic-based material. Extreme temperatures, heat and sunlight can weaken or damage helmets, making them unable to serve the purpose of protecting employees from hazards. As soon as employees end their shift they should, for that reason, make sure that they store head protection out of the sun away from extreme temperatures, and in a safe place, where they can't get knocked around and damaged.

Employers, on the other hand, should factor in that hard hats are replaced regularly even when they, optically, still seem to be in perfect order.

Helmets are made of a hard top to protect the head but it has some components also to ensure that is safe. Employees should check the headband before the beginning of every shift to make sure that it isn't stretched or worn out. Hats should fit comfortably on the head so the employee is secured from hazards. Any broken, loose or worn out parts of a helmet should be repairs or replaced immediately. After all, feeling comfortable at work is the first step towards having productive employees.

Straps used to secure helmets should be cleaned with a proper detergent regularly. This would help kill germs and ensure cleanliness. Because the strap comes in contact with the skin, employees should ensure that they are discreet with the kind of detergent they use to avoid the development of skin irritations and diseases.

Employees have the sole responsibility over the quality of their PPE. It is their duty to report any cracked, dented helmets as well as those that have taken a heavy blow.

PPE is sometimes the only barrier between employees and workplace hazards that can injure, maim, or kill. No employer would like to find themselves with the nightmare of dealing with the law for being non-compliant. The provision of PPE, where necessary, is a requirement of the law stipulated in the Act. PPE that isn't properly maintained is likely to become worn or damaged. PPE that isn't in good condition can't properly protect employees from any hazard.

A health and safety inspector observing employees walking around without a hard hat can easily 'lose his head'. Most of the times, he will issue a fine. An employee without a hard hat can easy 'lose his head' too. This will always lead to death!