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RE: Hard Hat Policy

drtyh2o — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 22:25:18 GMT

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated! Any other comments welcome.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

Jeff Naumann — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:43:43 GMT

Steel toe boots - YES. Hard hats during normal operational duties - NO. If construction activity is occurring at the plant, we'll make the ops wear hard hats when near the activity. Making operators wear hard hats during normal operational duties is nuts. What's next, wearing a hard hat when we use the copy machine? My suggestion is to get rid of all the lawyers in this country who file stupid lawsuits like suing the paper company because someone got a paper cut while loading their printer.

Right on! I've personally seen several people injured by hardhats; one, when a hardhat flew off someone's head during high winds and split another person's lip. Plus, the typical hardhat's brim blocks vision from above, which leads to bonking your head on piping that you would normally see without the hat.
I'm for having every head dipped in hard plastic at birth.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

ReclaimRanger — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:14:12 GMT

RE: Hard Hat Policy

Bill H — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:39:33 GMT

Hard hats shall be worn when there is possible danger of head injuries from impact, flying or falling objects (such as from overhead work or backhoe operations) or electrical shock and burns. This is our policy.
We do not require operators to wear hard hats during normal operating duties. If there is construction in the area or equipment removal by hoist, crane or other means you must wear a hard hat in and around the area of concern. This should be a part of your Personal Protective Equipment policy. Part of the work place evaluation. The following is the State of Washingtons code.

WAC 296-155-205 Head protection.

(1) All employees on any construction site shall be provided an individual hard hat which meets all requirements of (a) and (b) of this subsection. Employers shall provide individual hard hats at no cost to the employees.

(a) Hard hats for the protection of employees against impact and/or penetration of falling and flying objects shall meet the specifications contained in American National Standards Institute, Z89.1-1969, Safety Requirements for Industrial Head Protection.
(b) Hard hats for the head protection of employees exposed to high voltage electrical shock and burns shall meet the specifications contained in American National Standards Institute, Z89.2-1971.

(2) All employees must have their individual hard hats on site and readily available at all times.

(3) All employees shall wear a hard hat on any construction site whenever there is a potential exposure to danger of flying or falling objects to persons working or occupying the area.

Note: The hard hat may be removed whenever there is no potential exposure to a hazard.

(4) (a) Employees working on asphalt paving crews exposed to extreme temperatures from hot mix and not exposed to falling objects do not have to wear protective hard hats.

(b) Flaggers working with asphalt paving operations must comply with the requirements of WAC 296-155-305.

(5) Caps with metal buttons or metal visors shall not be worn around electrical hazards.

(6) Employees working near moving machinery or in locations which present a hair-catching or fire hazard shall wear caps, nets or other head and face protection that will completely contain the hair.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

Sabir — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 01:29:44 GMT

A policy that hard hats must be worn when working in the vicinity is the hard hat policy, this is in accordance with; CCR Title 8, Section 3380, Personal Protective Devices Labor Code Section 142.3 (d). Most of the plants have a firm policy that all persons on site must wear a hardhat, safety glasses and steel-toe work boots. On wastewater plant sites which include tertiary treatment, use of a number of corrosive chemicals and some areas of the plant might have low hanging bars or other obstructions. In other areas the operator can be exposed to something falling from the height. It looks strange some time and worker at site think why I should wear it ? I am not exposed to such hazard, but it is a lot easier and more reliable to require hardhats to be worn in all area at all times, than designating selective areas or situation. Thus it is a policy of using ‘head’ to ensure safety at work place.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

drtyh2o — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 00:31:28 GMT

Ack!

RE: Hard Hat Policy

Jerry — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:41:20 GMT

Wait until you get the moonsuits.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

drtyh2o — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:46:01 GMT

lol Yep, that's what we're hoping with this new hard hat inaneness. The steel toed boots came in years ago, and I can just live with that, but walking out in the open to the chlorine hut with nothing more dangerous than bird droppings endangering my health, wearing a hard hat seems a tad overdoing the issue.

RE: Hard Hat Policy

J.W.Koch — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 08:37:14 GMT

It was an unwritten policy that was verbally enforced without success for hard hats and steel toe boots. Which of course has been since forgotten.

Hard Hat Policy

drtyh2o — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:54:53 GMT

If anyone here working at a wastewater plant in any capacity has a hard hat policy, could you please tell me what it is? I would like to know if and when you are required to wear them due to individual plant policy. Actually, if you don't have one I'd like to know that too. Thanks!