Hard hats with or without hard hat liners are used by people who work in areas where the chances of injuring themselves due to negligence or accidents are quite high and where weather conditions are not so favorable. Industries and companies, which follow strict safety standards, ensure that hard hats are as much a part of the personal protective equipment as any other safety gear. Hard hats have a rigid shell that helps protect the head from any form of impact and also help in shielding the face, neck, and shoulders against any kind of spills or splashes.
Hard hats are being modified by manufacturers to suit the various types of working conditions based on the specific type of industry. Hard hat liners are made to be worn inside hard hats to help keep workers warm even in sub-freezing temperatures and some also provide evaporative cooling. These are available in different styles and are made using a combination of materials that add to the warmth and comfort factor.
For workers who work in hot environments like furnaces etc, hard hats which come with cooling vents are recommended. Feedback indicates that workers find that small changes in work clothes and safety gear can make working conditions much more acceptable and comfortable. Hard hats can be modified to suit all types of working conditions like the addition of goggles or additional protection for the ears.
Hard hat liners come in different sizes, shapes, colors and designs. For the more fashion conscious, there are online stores, which offer designer liners as well. Some are made with cotton shells and some come with quilted nylon shells. Quilting works in as much the same way as your regular quilts at home. It helps to trap and retain natural body heat. Some liners also have a double foam layer in the middle with a fleece lining. The liners with nylon shells have the added advantage of being flame resistant. Hard hat winter liners are also made with removable mouthpieces and sometimes with zipper collars too. Some full-face hard hat liners fit quite snugly as they cover the full face and help keep almost all parts of the head warm.
Very often people who work in inclement weather find that just bare hard hats made usually of rigid plastic provide little or no protection against the weather although they are designed to protect against forceful impacts. Working under uncomfortable and unfavorable weather conditions can have quite an impact on employee morale and productivity. Employers who value employee welfare and contribution as much as their profits must consider ensuring that employees are able to work in comfort by paying attention to small things. Small things such as specifically designed protective gear like the hard hat liner, thereby taking care of not only the employee’s interests but in the long run the interest of the organization as well.