Don’t be that guy. The one whose partner lovingly gifts him lots of hardhat accessories to make sure he’s safe and warm on the job, but he leaves them in the original wrapper in his truck console, and is neither safe nor warm on the job. Sound familiar? Read on...
We know you deal with a lot already–the discomfort, the glasses fogging, the sweat. Safety helmets are designed to protect you against impact, not insulate you against the cold. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of ways to safely ensure your hard hat can do both, but these extra layers can affect the fit and comfort of your helmet if not properly adjusted. Here's a practical guide to ensure your helmet fits snugly and securely, even with cold-weather gear in place.
First, make sure the additional gear is compatible with your helmet. Not all liners are compatible with every type of hard hat. And don’t just opt for a simple beanie, as that can interfere with the safety and performance of your hard hat. Ideally, opt for abreathable thermal liner.
Position the liner inside the shell, aligning the brow pad of the liner with the front of the hard hat.
Most thermal liners have straps or velcro tabs that should be threaded through or over the suspension straps of the hardhat, snapping in place over the straps. Once that’s done, put the suspension back in place where it was, tucking the liner into the shell. (If you need a visual, check out this video and similar ones onYouTube.)
Put the hard hat on as you normally would, ensuring it sits level about an inch above your eyebrows.
Next, adjust the suspension system. For ratchet systems, turn the dial until it loosens a little and fits comfortably over the liner. For pin lock systems, adjust the position of the pins to give yourself a little extra space–then think about upgrading to a ratchet system to ensure a more precise fit.
Adjust your chin strap, then do a shake test to make sure the hat isn’t wobbly. Your head should feel snugly cradled without pressure points or gaps.
The few extra minutes spent insulating your hard hat will hopefully provide warmth and comfort on your next shift.
