FIBERGLASS HEAD PROTECTION IS NEEDED FOR EXTREME WORK ENVIRONMENTS

An Internet website, claiming to provide information on head protection, proclaims "No hard hats are made from fiberglass, just HDPE and polycarbonate." It is an example of how much misinformation is posted on the Internet. Fiberglass protective caps are not only available, they are being produced from advanced fiberglass/resin molding compounds that make them better then ever before.

Fiberglass is not just a hard hat alternative material, it has practical, functional application in specific industries and working conditions. The elevated radiant heat and harsh environments of outdoor construction sites, steel mills, shipyards, foundries, forges, fab shops and chemical plants make fibreglass caps the head protection of choice for those industries where thermoplastic caps might not hold up.

Quality fibreglass head protection is stronger, more durable, more heat resistant, more abrasion resistant, more chemical resistant and less affected by weathering than plastic hard hats. It provides a longer service life and better ROI in extreme working environments.

The leading brand on the market today, as it has been since it pioneered fiberglass head protection more than 60 years ago, is Fibre-Metal ROUGHNECK by Honeywell. The Fibre-Metal brand has moved through three generations of fiberglass/resin molding compounds over the years. They started with preformed fiberglass shells with resin added by hand; improved on that with premixed sheet molding compounds; and today they use an advanced, proprietary fiberglass filled resin that is injection moulded instead of the traditional compression molding process.

The result is a technically advanced, high performance protective cap that gives users more of the things they need in fiberglass head protection. The current Fibre-Metal ROUGHNECK by Honeywell cap is 37% stronger than prior models and more than eight times stronger than ordinary HDPE caps. The standard P-2N series provides protection at up to 325 degrees F and the P-2HN series provides protection at up to 500 degrees F.

While the material is new and improved, the Fibre-Metal ROUGHNECK by Honeywell retains the classic Fibre-Metal smooth crown design and includes the top performing Fibre-Metal by Honeywell SUPEREIGHT suspension and Impact Energy Control System. So anyone needing the added durability and extra heat protection of fibreglass caps can also enjoy the extraordinary comfort and protective performance that Fibre-Metal brand head protection delivers.

As always, if you need fibreglass head protection, do your due diligence. Look at all available brands. Compare them in terms of your needs. If you find something better than the Fibre-Metal ROUGHNECK by Honeywell brand, by all means use it. And let us know so that we can let others know.

But to respond to the head protection website that we referenced at the beginning, yes, there are fiberglass hard hats available, they are better than ever, and they satisfy the needs of a significant share of the head protection market.
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This blog post is for information only. It is not an endorsement of any product for any purpose. The information provided is the opinion and experience of the writer and is the latest and best information available at the time of posting. The selection of any PPE product for any purpose is the sole responsibility of on site, competent safety officials. All information presented here should be verified by the manufacturer as part of the evaluation process. Failure to do so could result in injury or death.

WHEN ORDERING PPE, BE WARY OF "OR EQUAL" CLAUSES

Today's PPE buying decision makers and influencers are usually safety, production, and human resources with purchasing not being involved until it becomes time to actually place an order. But it is at that point in the process that the good work of all of the people involved in selecting the best PPE  for the specific hazards of the workplace can be negated by just two little words - "or equal".

Even though the safety official may do his due diligence by following the OSHA suggested guidelines for evaluating and selecting PPE, and writes a tight requisition specifying the exact style,model and brand he wants, an "or equal" clause allows a supplier to substitute something they (the distributor) deems is equal. 

If you follow this blog you know that we have advised over and over that all PPE is not alike. There are differences, sometimes vast differences, in material, quality and performance among brands of PPE that, on the surface, may appear to be alike. A supplier cannot simply substitute one product for another just because they contain the same ANSI sticker or are the same type of product.

Because a substitute product usually lacks one or more important features (if it didn't it would have been selected) present in the PPE specified, an "or equal" clause may actually put the workforce at risk.

If "or equal" is part of the boiler plate text on company purchase orders, it should be eliminated from orders for PPE. If it is company policy to add it to purchase orders, PPE orders should be exempt. In fact, "or equal" should be replaced with a "no substitutes" clause on all PPE orders.

Even if purchasing is not part of the PPE buying decision process, the buying decision makers and influencers should make them aware of how and why a specific style, model and brand were selected and how important it is that they only get what they specified.

If a distributor tries to push a substitute product because they may not have what you want or because they get a better deal on another brand, switch distributors before you accept less than what you determined was the best PPE for your workforce. Because when it comes to protecting your workers, there are no "substitutes".

HAZARD SPECIFIC FACESHIELD WINDOWS EXTEND FACESHIELDS APPLICATION

Faceshields are the most under utilized major PPE group. It has been determined that the "utilization rate" (the number of workers wearing faceshields measured against the number who should be wearing faceshields according to OSHA) is less than 20%. Faceshields often get lost in the confusion about "primary" eye protection and "secondary" eye protection when PPE buying decision makers think that providing protective spectacles (primary eye protection) is all they have to or should do.

This blog has three earlier posts (May 29, 2011, March 28, 2010, and January 14, 2010) on faceshields but none of them focuses on the extensive number of hazard specific special windows that allow faceshields to be used in more and different applications. Most PPE buying decision makers are aware of clear windows that erect a protective barrier between the wearer and the hazards of the job. But they may not be as familiar with the array of hazard specific windows they could be using.

The special windows we will discuss are produced by the Fibre-Metal by Honeywell brand. To the best of our knowledge and experience, they provide the widest, deepest and highest quality selection of faceshield windows on the market today. As always, if there are other brands who meet the same standards, by all means include them in your decision choice set.

Specialty faceshield windows begin with tinted models. These models protect from glare both indoors and out. They come in green and gray in unique "wraparound" and "extended view" sizes that cover more exposed face area than ordinary sizes. The Fibre-Metal brand windows are .060" think (most brands are only .040" thick) for an extra margin of protection, yet they weigh no more than the lesser brands. WARNING: Tinted windows cannot be used for electric arc, OxyFuel welding or cutting and Plasma Arc cutting.

True-View gray windows protect from glare while allowing the wearer to see in natural color. That is vital to outdoor workers who must be able to see warning lights and signals and who may have to work with color coded wires or other materials.  WARNING: True-View gray windows cannot be used for electric arc, OxyFuel welding or cutting and Plasma Arc cutting.

IR/UV windows have become the preferred method of face and eye protection for Oxy-fuel welding and cutting and plasma arc cutting. The Fibre-Metal brand windows are molded from the best all around window base material and utilize the highest quality IR/UV absorber to produce consistent shade 3, 5 or 8 protection throughout the window with excellent optical qualities. Lesser brands use dyes that can fade and scratch off over time. WARNING: IR/UV windows cannot be used for electric arc welding. Shade 3 IR/UV windows are often used by welders helpers who work in proximity to electric arc welding but cannot be used to do electric arc welding.

Gold plated windows are used in high heat applications.   Gold coating deflects heat, keeps it from over heating the inside of the window. Blocking heat reduces the internal faceshield temperature by 50 degrees F or more.  Gold coating also helps maintain the dimensional stability of the window by keeping it from softening or becoming distorted. Unique gray base material reduces the glare common in lesser brands. Proprietary coating method produces a hard surface to reduce scratching or peeling. The widest selection of sizes and models in the industry.

Wire mesh screens provide a different kind or protection from high radiant or blasts of heat. They dissipate and absorb the heat while allowing air circulation and an unobstructed field of vision. Used primarily in steel mills and blast furnaces. The Fibre-Metal brand by Honeywell has a size and style for most applications. WARNING: Not a high impact protector. Should not be used where the risk of hazardous splash exsists.




There is really no reason why faceshields should not be used. Research has shown that eye and face injuries can be reduced significantly when faceshields are used in conjunction with protective spectacles. As the faceshield related posts in this blog have shown, there are vast differences in faceshield design, material, workmanship and quality. Our goal is not to endorse a brand, it is to make our readers aware of what is available so that they can make a more informed choice for their workers. Being aware of the availability of hazard specific speciality windows should help in utilizing more faceshields in your operation.


The selection of a specific faceshield should only be done by on site, qualified, responsible safety officials after a thorough hazard analysis. Read carefully and note all product information and markings information concerning ANSI Standards compliance including any special designations such as "High Impact Protector", ANSI Z87.1 +, etc. Always wear protective spectacles under faceshields. Failure to do so could result in serious injury.


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The writer relied on information available at the time of writing. The writer is not liable for the accuracy of the information and denies any implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose because the information and/or products discussed can change at any time without the writers knowledge or control. Before making any PPE decisions, always check with the manufacturer of any device being considered. Failure to do so could result in injury or death.

DO YOU REALLY GET ALL YOU "NEED" FROM YOUR PPE?

If you buy PPE for your employer, how often do you say "no thanks, I have everything I need" when a PPE sales person calls on you? But do you really have everything you need? It depends on how you define "need".

Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced the concept of a hierarchy of human needs. His hierarchy suggested that people are motivated to fulfill their basic needs before moving on to other levels of need.  Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a good analogy for what is really needed from PPE.

The most basic need for PPE is to erect a protective barrier between the wearer and the hazards of the job sufficient to comply with OSHA mandated standards. Just about every employer satisfies that basic PPE need. But instead of then moving on to recognizing and satisfying higher levels of need, they stop there. That is why our PPE Forum post of December 15, 2010 shows that approximately 78% of PPE purchases are a straight rebuy or modified rebuy of the products already being used. They see no need to change.

When in reality, there is a hierarchy of PPE needs that begins with basic protection and culminates when PPE is making a contribution to the success of the business. Many times the higher PPE "needs" are confused with "wants" .and satisfying them is looked at as an unnecessary extravagance. But if you look at the PPE hierarchy of needs, you will see that they are sequential and cumulative with the satisfaction of one leading to and supporting the next.

Once you have provided a basic level of protection consider the following hierarchy of PPE higher level needs:

OVERCOME BLS DICHOTOMY
The Bureau of Labor Statistics study of injured workers showed that 60% were not wearing the PPE provided to them and the other 40%'s PPE proved to be inadequate to prevent the injury. Every PPE buying decision maker has a need to over come that in terms of the role their buying decision plays in it. What it says is that whatever PPE you are using may not be the best choice for your job and your hazards. So you have a need to upgrade - to do something else. To go back to the drawing board and reevaluate your PPE due diligence and buying decision process.

COMFORT
Not just basic comfort, but exceptional, extraordinary comfort only available in the highest quality products. Why do you need that level of comfort? Because studies show that a very high percentage of injured workers were not wearing the PPE they were supplied. And a recent study showed the primary reason they were not wearing it was discomfort. So there is definitely a need for a higher level of comfort.

INJURY FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY MINIMIZATION
There is a need to go beyond just basic protection and accepting the results (on average about 4 injuries per 100 workers) to an upgraded level of PPE protection that can reduce and minimize both injury frequency and severity. Accepting the status quo gets you nothing. To reduce injury costs and lower workers comp rates you need to reduce your injury experience. Upgrading to the top quality, high performance PPE brands will help you do that.

REDUCE RISK
As a safety official, you have a responsibility and a need to eliminate or reduce as much risk as you can. To do that, you must look beyond the obvious risks to see the not as well known risks associated with PPE.  A basic tenet of PPE related risk reduction is you do not reduce one risk by introducing another. For example, you should not try to reduce the risk of a head injury by providing a hard hat with ribs, ridges and slots. That design introduces another type of head injury risk. You should never buy PPE that you have to assemble and assume the risk that the wearer assembles it wrong. Upgrading to top quality, well known brands help you satisfy the need to satisfy hidden risks.

ERGONOMICALLY CORRECT
Ergonomics looks at what kind of work is done, what tools are used to do it and the whole job environment. The aim is to find the best fit between a worker, his job, and his tools. PPE is seldom evaluated from an ergonomic standpoint but there really is a need to do so. The primary PPE ergonomic issues are weight, balance, stability, center of gravity, fit and feel.  Many workers complain their PPE is too "heavy". It is often not so much the actual weight of the PPE, it is how the weight is distributed, balance and how it feels while worn. There is a need to evaluate how any PPE you evaluate is ergonomically correct. High quality PPE just plain feels better when worn.

HELP IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY
Today's workers are pushed to work harder, faster, longer. Their PPE cannot get in their way. A common complaint is "I can't do my job wearing all of this stuff".  So there is a need for PPE that does not hinder, distract or fatigue its wearer. It must allow a high level of activity and a full range of motion. Everything from design, to adjustability, to comfort features and the availability of accessories can affect a wearers productivity. There is a definite need to make contribution to productivity a major factor in a PPE buying decision process.

LOWER OVERALL COST OF OPERATION
In addition to reducing direct injury costs, there is a need for PPE to help reduce the overall costs of the operation. If it is high performance, high quality PPE that reduces the frequency of injuries, it will also reduce the cost of Workers Comp and Health Insurance. If it is ergonomically correct and comfortable enough to reduce downtime (a major business cost) it helps reduce total cost. High quality PPE has a longer service life, a lower total cost of ownership which reduces costs and increases PPE return on investment. In todays cost conscious environment there definitely is a need for anything that can make a contribution.

ENHANCE QUALITY OF WORK LIFE
In today's downsized, rightsized, workforce, every worker is incrementally more important. When a worker leaves home in the morning, he expects to return home in the evening in the same condition as when he left. He expects the company to provide a safe, healthy work environment and the degree to which it does determines his frame of mind on the job. Each time he puts on his PPE it sends a message from the company about how important they think his personal safety is. If it is basic protection from the lowest bidder, it sends a message. If it is top quality, state-of-the-art PPE, it sends another message and enhances the quality of his work life. Which message do you need to send?

CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS
Is there a need for every person on the payroll to contribute to the success of the business? Is every decision they make expected to contribute to the success of the business?  If each of the prior higher level needs is taken into consideration and satisfied, PPE can be seen to contribute to the success of the business. In order for a business to be more successful it has to reduce costs and increase revenue. Upgrading to top performing PPE will reduce injury costs, workers comp costs, health insurance costs and downtime. On the revenue increasing side of the ledger, it will help increase productivity and and improve ROI.  That puts PPE on a par with any other cost reduction/revenue enhancement program a business may consider.

It is well documented that a well protected, happy, confident worker will stay on the job longer, produce more, with fewer injuries. Is there a "need" for that?

SEE THE DIFFERENCE QUALITY MAKES IN IR/UV FACESHIELD WINDOWS

IR/UV faceshield windows provide an alternative to goggles for OxyFuel welders and cutters, plasma arc cutting (up to 100 amps) and brazers. Faceshields provide full face protection while goggles just protect the eyes. An IR/UV faceshield with clear protective spectacles is becoming the PPE of choice for many in the OxyFuel and plasma arc trades.

But like all other PPE, there are differences in the quality of design, material and workmanship among the various IR/UV brands available. The quality difference begins with the material. The window base material should be propionate, long recognized as the best all around faceshield window material. Then a top quality "absorber" like IREX should be blended with the base material so that the absorption and filtration protection is molded into the window. Economy grade and most imports coate a clear window with an "inhibitor" which provides a degree of protection as long as it is not scratched off and fades over time

Design is important also. Facehield windows should be designed to be lightweight, comfortable and allow a full range of motion while an OxyFuel welder, cutter, plasma arc cutter or brazer goes about their daily tasks. The unique shape of the Fibre-Metal by Honeywell extended view IR/UV windows for example, provides maximum protection of the face, eyes and neck while not hindering the wearer by banging into his shoulders as he tries to turn his head. There are no other windows shaped like them that we are aware of.

Workmanship is another hallmark of quality. The IR/UV faceshield windows you select should be injection molded (rather than cut or stamped) and should be preformed at the factory to the exact curvature of the faceshield headgear. Molding produces a more dimensionally stable, optically correct window than the other processes. Optical clarity is vital for safety and productivity. Preforming is an often over looked feature when evaluating faceshields. When you take a flat, stamped or cut window, and have to forcibly bend it into a curve to mount it on a faceshield, you introduce stress where it bends and that stress could weaken the window. Bending a flat piece of plastic also results in optical distortions that are hazardous and distracting to the wearer.

The brands you consider should have a full range of shades for maximum application. The Fibre-Metal brand by Honeywell offers shade 3, shade 5 and shade 8. That is the broadest range that we know of. Shade 3 can be used for welders helpers and light OxyFuel cutting; shade 5 for medium OxyFuel welding and cutting, and shade 8 for heavy OxyFuel welding and plasma arc cutting (up to 100 amps). Usually if an operation needs one shade, they need the others. Standardizing on one brand offers many benefits and economies. (Approved protective spectacles should be worn under faceshields at ALL times)

The Fibre-Metal brand also offers unique design, size and material faceshield headgears to mount your IR/UV windows on. They offer the industries only full 7 inch faceshield crown protector that when combined with their IR/UV windows provides the most protective coverage of any industrial faceshield on the market.

IR/UV faceshields provide an alternative to goggles for OxyFuel welding and cutting, plasma arc cutting (up to 100 amps) and brazing. But see the difference quality makes in base materials, absorbers, manufacturing process, design, faceshield headgears and method of attachment (seal) to the faceshield. From our experience, the Fibre-Metal by Honeywell brand is head and shoulders above any other brand. But look around, do your due diligence. If you find something better - use it - and let us know so we can pass it on.
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The evaluation and selection of PPE for specific hazards and applications is the sole responsibility of on site Safety Officials and responsible welding application managers. The writer is not responsible for the accuracy of any information presented. It is based on the best information available to him at the time of writing. If there is any question about the appropriate shade for a specific application, check OSHA or AWS websites for the latest shade selection chart. Failure to do so could result in serious injury.

UPGRADE TO HEAD PROTECTION WITH A RATCHET HEADBAND

Many protective caps, perhaps the majority of protective caps, being used today contain a ratchet headband. Some just like the convenience of being able to dial the right size by simply turning a ratchet knob. But there was much more to the intended use and application of ratchet headbands when Fibre-Metal (now a brand of Honeywell Safety) introduced the product to the trade years ago.

The original intended application was to solve a problem of aerial workers, especially welders, PPE falling off of their heads because of high winds and extreme working positions. The problem was exacerbated when those workers had to wear head protection combined with a welding helmet or faceshield. A welding helmet adds about a pound of weight to the front of a hard hat. Nodding the helmet down into the work position often pulled the protective cap right off of the wearers head and sent both items falling to the ground many feet below. When the helmet was up in the up rest position, high winds flipped it backwards again tossing the PPE to the ground. Tab style hard hat headbands simply did not provide enough staying power to keep the helmet/cap on the wearers head.

Aerial construction workers and welders often have to work in extreme positions, sometimes almost completely upside down. (See actual job site picture above). Again, tab style headbands would not stay on and workers had to hold their caps on with one hand while trying to work with the other. That is extremely dangerous in aerial work. The ratchet headband solved all of that. The original design that Fibre-Metal introduced not only provided a ratchet adjustment, it was also offset to grip well down the back of the head. It stabilized, balanced, and secured whatever PPE was needed so that workers could work with both hands free.

As a worker moves from one work position to another he simply grasps the over sized adjustment knob, without having to remove his gloves, and dials exactly the amount of tension required to hold his PPE securely in place. Because his ratchet headband is the same design and quality as the renowned Fibre-Metal welding helmet headgear, he doesn't have to worry about the ratchet gears stripping, or the headband cracking like lesser brands.

PPE falling from heights is a real hazard to people working below. So the ratchet headband also reduces that risk. Workers falling from heights is a leading cause of injury and death. It is widely believed that lives could be saved and injuries lessened if the falling workers head protection stayed on his head during the fall. A properly adjusted ratchet headband can help in that regard.

Another intended application for the ratchet headband in protective caps was for high activity workers. Some jobs require repeat bending over, moving around, climbing on, in and under things. Prior to the ratchet band, many times a high activity workers hard hat would fall off and he wouldn't stop to put it back on until he was done with what he was doing. That put the worker at high risk of a severe head injury. After the ratchet headband was introduced, all a high activity worker has to do is reach back and tighten up without having to stop what he is doing. That helps reduce injuries and increase productivity.

Like all other PPE, there are differences in design, material and workmanship among different brands of protective cap ratchet headbands. Several of the top selling protective cap manufacturers don't produce their own welding helmets or faceshields, they have them made for them, so they do not manufacture their own ratchet headbands. PPE works best when all component parts are made by the same manufacturer to operate as a "system". Compiling various component parts from different sources just doesn't work with the same precision. Make sure you only consider a head protection system when you look at caps with ratchet headbands.

The natural progression for Fibre-Metal was to solve another problem for workers by modifying their ratchet headband to eliminate the need to have to remove, reverse and reinstall a hard hat suspension when a welding helmet or faceshield had to be mounted. The problem was solved by Fibre-Metal's patented SWINGSTRAP which functions as a regular ratchet headband during normal wear, and can be pivoted to the rear, without reversing the caps suspension, when a welding helmet or faceshield needs to be mounted and the cap has to be worn in the peak to the rear position.

The benefits of using the SWINGSTRAP version of the ratchet headband are the same as the regular ratchet headband, but there was an unintended, but very positive consequence that resulted in a whole new level of application. Workers soon discovered that the Fibre-Metal brand protective hats and caps with SWINGSTRAP also included the unique Fibre-Metal 360 degree, padded headband. So when they had to ratchet down the headgear, instead of having a hard, plastic headband pulled tighter on their head, they had a soft, padded headband pulled tighter on their heads for an extraordinary level of comfort.

Now workers who don't use combinations, and have no real need to reverse their head protection, buy SWINGSTRAP caps for the high level of comfort relative to their need for a ratchet headband. If you haven't ried it, it is something you should look into. Whether you work up high, or have a high activity level or not, a Fibre-Metal SWINGSTRAP hat or cap is the most sophisticated, comfortable, head protection system on the market.

As we always say, if you can find something better, by all means use it. But if not, you can upgrade your head protection program with these high quality, unique products.

PPE WITH THE LOWEST PRICE MAY WIND UP COSTING THE MOST

Nothing causes more confusion, or contributes to more bad buying decisions, than the role purchase price should play in the PPE buying decision process. This post will try to clear up some of the confusion but a little common sense will do the same thing.

Begin with what PPE does. It is called on to save lives and protect from serious injuries. Because of that, it is no place to look for bargain basement prices. If you required major surgery to save your life, would you shop for the cheapest surgeon? Or would you want the surgeon with the most experience and a track record of success regardless of what he charged? PPE is no different.

There is hardly anything that someone can't make a little cheaper and charge a little less for. The problem is they often don't appear to be any different than higher quality products on the surface. But very often the purchase price is the first indicator of quality. A $10.00 hard hat is worth $10.00 and a $20.00 hard hat is worth $20.00. Don't be fooled into thinking they are the same and you are getting a great deal on the $10.00 version. PPE is priced where it is priced for a reason and the price is a reflection of its value.

Your price is only too high if you can get an identical product for a lower price. You must learn enough about the PPE you are considering to see the differences among brands, understand the value of the differences and put the purchase prices in context. "You only get what you pay for" is just as true in PPE as it is with any other type of product. At the base level, you must appreciate that a safety budget is not a savings account. Safety performance is not judged on how much under budget you are; it is judged on fewer injuries and lower accident costs which are only possible with quality PPE.

With PPE, there is a price for non-performance:

1. The most expensive are those products that are so poorly designed ill-fitting or uncomfortable that they are not worn.

2. The next most expensive are products that are stripped of performance features to lower the price and fail when needed.

A safety official or PPE buying decision maker soon forgets what they paid for PPE when it meets expectations. But the consequences are severe when PPE is bought from the lowest bidder and is ineffective.

Actually, a company cannot save enough on the purchase price of PPE to offset the cost of even one lost time injury. Do the math - a company with 500 employees buys cheap head protection to save $5.00 a cap. That is a $2,500 savings on the purchase price. But a lost time injury that might have been prevented with better PPE, costs $50,000. Even a non-lost time injury costs about $7,000 today. So where is the savings?

Looked at in a positive light, investing an additional $5.00 per employee in top quality head protection, could prevent a $50,000 LTI, or a $7,000 NLTI producing an ROI many times greater than the higher investment. Five dollars an employee works out to  $0.025 cents a day in additional head protection. Worth it?

The proper perspective on purchase price is that it is really an investment in protection with an upside and ROI many times greater than the investment expense. In a survey of PPE buying decision makers, purchase price placed 7th out of 10 in importance.  When evaluating PPE, do your homework, find out all you can about what is available, select the most appropriate for your hazards and working conditions, and then, and only then, talk about the purchase price.