This audio is automatically generated. Please let us know if you have any comments.
Between 2021 and 2022, American workers suffered 155,830 on-the-job head injuries that resulted in days absent from work, restricted activity or job transfer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The alarming numbers were the catalyst for a recent study by Neenah, Wis.-based business security consultancy JJ Keller & Associates Inc. and the International Security Equipment Association, which he discovered worrying levels of confusion and misunderstanding in respect of head protection equipment, including helmets and safety helmets.
“These misconceptions pose a significant hazard, contributing to inappropriate use and, consequently, an increased risk of workplace injuries and fatalities,” said Cam Mackey, president and CEO of ISEA, based in Arlington, Virginia.
The study looked at many factors, including comfort and fit, application challenges and heat-related concerns, which have become more prevalent in recent years due to record temperatures which cause many workers to remove their protection while at work.
“This disconnect often arises from variations in the stringency of employers’ PPE programs, inconsistencies between state and federal OSHA standards, and differing PPE requirements between owners, contractors and subcontractors,” said Ray Qureshi- Chishti, Senior Editor at JJ Keller.
Other factors, such as complacency or a lack of clear information contribute to confusion, which contributes to the gap between perceived knowledge and actual understanding, Qureshi-Chishti said.
ISEA’s main concern is that workers use the wrong type of head protection and suffer injury or death.
“One of the biggest scary statistics surrounding all of this is that when there is a fatal head injury on the job, 80 percent of the time it’s because a worker wasn’t wearing head protection,” Mackey said. “The biggest thing we want to get across is the importance of wearing head protection and finding out which one is right.”
ISEA realized that there was a lot of confusion across different sectors and different industries, including manufacturing, transport, utilities and mining.
“We realized this is a big issue and there’s a lot at stake,” Mackey said. “These are potential life or death decisions.”
Misunderstandings abound
The study found that while 72% of respondents believed they understood the differences in head protection types, there were significant misconceptions.
For example, 59% of study respondents incorrectly thought that hard hats provide more protection than hard hats, and 80% believed that only helmet-style protection could provide all-round impact resistance.
In reality, the type of protective equipment it provides varies by equipment.
Another big misunderstanding that ISEA discovered was the assumption that head protection is a one-size-fits-all solution, where just by looking at it, you understood the type of safety it would provide.
“Probably 10 or 15 years ago, that was true; you could look at a piece of head protection and pretty much do it right,” Mackey said. “The reality is, we live in a very different time now where you have to read the label. That label will tell you if that’s going to protect you against 20,000 volts or not, or whether it will provide you with protection or comfort if it’s hot. That was the biggest area of confusion we wanted to provide content about.”
While it may be more complicated now, the fact that there are more options ups the head protection game considerably.
“You can choose from a helmet to a climbing-style helmet, and either of those could have protection on the top of the head or on the side of the head, and there are optional chinstraps and other options, so this is all very exciting,” Mackey said. “It just creates a greater burden on the consumer, as well as the security professional, to know what to buy for the job at hand.”
For example, on a construction site, not all jobs require the same level of risk mitigation. Some workers may need a helmet that provides only superior head protection, while others need something much more robust.
Therefore, ISEA set out to call out the pain points and areas of misunderstanding and find solutions to educate workers and their employers to make the right decision.
Eliminate misinformation
To address these challenges, ISEA has launched a comprehensive online resource in the hope of reducing any misinformation and providing important guidance on headstock standards. Created with the American Society of Security Professionals, the site take a stand against fiction or myth busting approach
“If security professionals are challenged to understand all these rules and regulations, it’s even more difficult for workers,” Mackey said.
An ongoing dialogue will also lead to better comfort and fit for those wearing head protection because there are so many options out there (different brands, styles and materials) and this will increase the likelihood that workers will wear head protection and bring the correct one. type
“Change is a wonderful thing and every day brings us more options for head protection,” Mackey said.
