The Hard Hat

A hard hat is a strong helmet worn on construction sites. It protects your head from things that might fall from above. Workers building bridges, buildings, and roads all wear hard hats.

The History of the Hard Hat

Before hard hats, construction workers had no head protection. Many workers were hurt by falling tools and materials. The first hard hats were made in the early 1900s from steamed canvas and glue.

During the building of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s, workers started wearing hard hats regularly. It became clear that hard hats saved lives. Today, hard hats are required on almost every construction site.

How Hard Hats Protect You

A hard hat has a tough outer shell made of strong plastic. Inside, there is a suspension system of straps that keeps the shell away from your head. If something falls on the hat, the straps absorb the shock.

Hard hats come in different colors. On some job sites, the color of your hard hat shows your job. White might mean a supervisor, yellow for a regular worker, and green for a new worker.

Fun Facts

• Hard hat colors can show what job a worker does on a construction site.
• The first hard hats were made from steamed canvas covered in black paint.
• Hard hats should be replaced every five years because the plastic can weaken over time.

Did You Know?

The Hoover Dam was one of the first construction sites to require all workers to wear hard hats.