Backward Hard Hats – Safety Engineering (SAFTENG)

I am not making any guarantees that this information is accurate. YOU MUST verify; I am just passing along info from other network subscribers.

Bryan,

MSA allows their V Gard hats to be worn reversed as long as you reverse the suspension. See the attached Q&A document. The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments: Shortcut to:

http://media.msanet.com/na/usa/headeyeface/vgardprotectivehelmets/vgardprotectivecapsandhats/0613_31faqs.pdf

(See attached file: MSA.hardhatTechInfo.pdf)(See attached file:hardhatmsa.pdf)

MSA has two documents…the one on right says UNIPRO suspension cannot be worn backwards, the one on the left says all but UNIPRO can be worn backward. I have not been able to find anything recent that retracts this…so assume these are still the only ones published by MSA.

Enforcement on such a thing is a nightmare. I gots too many peoples that know all these interpretations to just say DO IT! and only wear things forward. I get to let the plant safety team agonize on such things until they decide to clamp down. The path using them is a far better path but simple things like this become sticking points.

Bryan

Another Safety Helmet manufacturer that is in Australia constructs helmets from Kevlar and has various options to allow increased forward vision – and reduce the strain on the neck when looking in a above.

www.pacifichelmetsaust.com

For our height workers we have implemented a version of the attached — with a roof vent and extra holes for ventilation with ear muff clips. For remote areas or high temperature locations there is a cooling bladder that may be inserted in the crown of the helmet.

‘

Bryan,

Here is the address for MSA hardhats FAQ which says that they are allowed to be worn backwards as long as you turn the suspension system around with the nape strap in the rear.

http://media.msanet.com/na/usa/headeyeface/vgardprotectivehelmets/vgardprotectivecapsandhats/0613_31faqs.pdf

Bryan,

With regard to the question about wearing a hard hat backwards, SEI “Safety Equipment Institute . SEI is a private, non-profit organization established to administer non-governmental, third-party certification programs to test and certify a broad range of safety and protective products.” has a list of hard hat they have tested at http://www.seinet.org/CPL/ansi89_1_2003.htm. This list includes hard hat models that are “also certified to ANSI Z89.1-2003 when worn with the peak toward the back of the head”. This is not manufacturer certification and probably serves to further muck up the waters regarding the question about wearing the hard hat backwards.

Bryan,

Here is a list I received from a fellow attendee of an OSHA 503 class several years back. It is dated 1997, but I would presume similar information is available in whatever the most recent release of the Z89.1 standard.

HEAD PROTECTION MODELS – ANSI Z89.1 (1997 Edition)

* Model is also certified to ANSI Z89.1-1997 when worn with the peak toward the back of the head.

Company Name	Brand Name	Model	Type/Class

3M Company	3M Hard Hat 3M Omega II* 3M Omega II Ratchet* 3M Full Brim Ratchet*		Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Aearo Company	Aearo Aearo Aearo	FB-10 FB-20 LR-46A	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

American Allsafe Company	Cyco Cap™ Ratchet* Cyco Hat™ Ratchet RAM Cap™* RAM Cap™ Ratchet* Sentry III™* Sentry III™ Ratchet*	SN3 SN3	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C
	ASC / SC-6 SB-6 Cap		Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Erb Industries, Inc. Erb Safety Division	Americana Maverick* (production ceased) Maverick II Omega II Full Brim Omega II Full Brim Ratchet Omega II* Omega IIR*		Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Fibre-Metal^® Products Company, Inc.	Roughneck® Roughneck® Roughneck® Roughneck® Roughneck® Roughneck®	P-2W* P-2RW* P-2SW* P-2QW* P-2QRW* P-2QSW*	Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/C Type I/C Type I/C
	Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric® Superlectric®	E-1W* E-1RW* E-1SW* E-2QW* E-2QRW* E-2QSW* E-2W* E-2RW* E-2SW*	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Jackson Products, Inc.	ASC / SC-6 SB-6 Cap		Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C


Mine Safety Appliances Company	MSA Comfo Cap Skullgard Cap* Skullgard Miner’s Cap Skullgard Hat Skullgard Miner’s Hat Thermalgard Cap* Thermalgard Hat Topgard Cap* Topgard Hat		Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/C Type I/G&C Type I/C Type I/G&C Type I/G&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C
	V-Gard Cap* Advance V-Gard Cap*	10033991 10034018 10034036 10034027	Type I/G,E&C Type I/C
	Advance V-Gard Cap* (non-vented)	10034070 10034088 10034106 10034097	Type I/G
	V-Gard Hat V-Gard Hat w/UniPro Suspension	10017713	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C
	Vanguard Cap* Vanguard II Cap		Type II/G,E&C Type II/G,E&C

North Safety Products	Peak* Peak* Peak* Peak*	A69R A69 A79R A79	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C
	Peak*	A59*	Type I/G,E&C
	K2 Summit*	A29SPR A99R	Type I/G,E&C Type II/G,E&C

Vallen Safety Supply Company	Valiant Valiant Valiant Valiant	8700* 8700R* 9700 9700R	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Western Hardhat , Inc.	Western Hardhat	15257 15259 15261 15263 15444	Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C Type I/G,E&C

Hello Brian,

I truly enjoy your newsletters, keep up the great work! With regards to hard hats with Brim backwards, I do believe (but you will have to confirm) that Fibremetal has certification for their hats to be worn brim backwards.

Best Regards from Sunny British Columbia, Canada

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