Head Protection - Proper Fit

• The OSHA handbook Personal Protective Equipment provides useful guidelines for head protection. Its reminders and requirements include the following:
• If head protection is too large or too small, it is inappropriate for use.
• Protective headgear must fit appropriately on the body and for the head size of each individual.
• Most protective headgear comes in a variety of sizes with adjustable headbands to ensure a proper fit (many adjust in 1/8-inch increments). A proper fit should allow sufficient clearance between the shell and the suspension system for ventilation and distribution of an impact. The hat should not bind, slip, fall off, or irritate the skin.
• Some protective headgear allows for the use of various accessories to help employees deal with changing environmental conditions, such as slots for earmuffs, safety glasses, face shields, and mounted lights.
• Optional brims may provide additional protection from the sun, and some hats have channels that guide rainwater away from the face.
• Protective headgear accessories must not compromise the safety elements of the equipment.

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