The History of the Hard Hat

The number one safety tool for construction workers is the hard hat. Head and face injuries can be one of the most traumatic and deadly injuries a person could experience. This is especially true on construction sites when loose materials are constantly in danger of falling, tipping or being dropped. Hard hats help to prevent injury by protecting the wearer from cuts, bumps, concussions, falling objects and even from dangers that could injure eyes, necks, ears or face.

Who Invented the Hard Hat?

The hard hat was invented by Edward W. Bullard. He was a young lieutenant in the U.S. Army during WW1. Before the war, he was exposed to the life and dangers of mining through his fathers’ company E.D Bullard Co. The company provided headlamps and mining equipment to miners in California, Arizona and Nevada. 

During the war, he witnessed firsthand the life-saving power of the helmet. Upon returning home from the war he was able to use his exposure to the world of laborers and his experience in the war to invent a head protection device that could be worn by peacetime workers in industrial industries. 

The Invention of the Hard Hat

There were three main things that Bullard had to consider when inventing the hard hat. He needed it to be affordable for the everyday worker, to provide protection to the head of the wearer and to be lightweight enough that it could be worn all day long. 

His first invention was created with miners in mind. Because his fathers’ company was focused on miners, it was a natural focus for him.

He steamed canvas and leather into the shape of a head, shellacking it in layers to harden the material to provide that exterior protection. These materials would be way more affordable than pure metal - much lighter, too. The helmet was called the “Hard Boiled Hat” because it used steam in the manufacturing process. It was painted black and had the same sort of suspension system inside of it that is seen in modern hard hats today. 

The year was 1919 and head protection would never be the same.

Wearing Hard Hat on the Job

At first, wearing a hard hat wasn’t necessary and was completely optional. The price of purchasing the Hard Boiled Hat was less than $3. However, $3 in the 1920s is equivalent to about $45 USD today. Today, most hard hats cost between $15 - $30. 

What Was the First Project that Required Hard Hats?

The very first major construction project that required hard hats was the construction of the Boulder Dam - now called the Hoover Dam - in 1931. Hard hats were also required during the 1933 construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The mandatory head protection for that project was actually instituted by Chief Engineer Joseph Strauss. A major part of the project was hammering hot rivets into steel to hold the bridge together. He was concerned about falling rivets which could injure workers below. Hard hats were naturally his go-to protection against this danger. Without Bullard’s invention in 1919, who knows how many workers would have been wounded or killed from head injuries on these projects. 

How Have Hard Hats Advanced Throughout Time?

From canvas and leather, hard hats have advanced considerably in the past 100 years. In 1938, Bullard released the first aluminum hard hat. Although it was much lighter, the metal was a great conductor for electricity - not really a selling point for a type of head protection. In the 1940s, fiberglass hard hats came out, closely followed in the 50s and 60s with thermoplastics. 

Thermoplastic hard hats are still the standard material used today. In 1982 Bullard released a nonslip ratchet suspension system for the interior of the hard hat, including the adjustment knob at the back. This was the first time that the suspension system could be customized to fit the wearer perfectly. 

What do the Colours of Hard Hats Mean?

You can get hard hats in a variety of colors. While some contractors simply have a preference, these colors actually do play a role. 

The bright yellow of most modern hard hats is to make contractors visible and easily recognizable in dim light or in the event of an emergency. At night time, the bright yellow is reflective and makes sure that the wearer can be seen. 

There is also a common color code for how to recognize people and their roles on site. Yellow is used for general laborers and contractors. White (or sometimes black) signals for supervisors and managers. Inspectors and new workers wear green hard hats and visitors are often given blue ones. 

Because construction sites are usually quite large, it can be hard to locate a single person by recognizing their face. By “color coding” people in this way, it makes it easy to recognize people from a distance. It aids communication and even safety by giving everyone on-site the ability to point out the new hire who may need some help or the site super if you have a question. 

Modern Technology in Hard Hats Today

While the look and materials of a hard hat haven’t changed much since the 80s, the technology within the PPE has. Sensors to predict and signal falls, a thermometer to track working temperatures and warn of heatstroke, IOT technology to measure a workers’ time on site or movement and even cameras to help capture site progress images can all be found on modern hard hats. There are also a number of hard hat accessories and add-ons that have been created to help keep them in tip-top shape as well as for keeping the wearer comfortable all year long. 

The biggest advancements in hard hat technology are focused on safety. Fall sensors, for example, can alert site supervisors if a contractor does fall, reducing response time and getting them help quicker. Bluetooth and wireless technology make communication easier without needing to fumble for phones while in the middle of a project. It’s doubtful that Bullard would have ever thought his humble canvas and leather helmet would become a leader in construction safety in the future. 

Hard Hats: An Invention that Changed History

From humble beginnings, hard hats are iconic in the construction industry for a reason. They are common PPE for all contractors because they work. Today, Edward W. Bullard is included in the United States National Inventors Hall of Fame. Over 6 million hard hats are sold every year in the USA.