We all know that hard-hats are an integral part of a worksite and making sure they are in the best condition is paramount to their objective, but did you know they have expiry dates?
Hard Hat Expiry Date
This expiry date is not like food, but more a ‘maximum lifespan’ is crucial to pay attention to.
If hard harts have not been damaged and only used in good working conditions, they have a lifespan of 3-5 years.
There are numerous obvious signs that your hard hat needs replacing, even before the three-year lifespan. This isn’t just when the hat has suffered impact in some way but also when there are visible dents, scratches, and cracks. However, when there are minor imperfections such as scores or scuffs, it could be advised to replace the hard hat then.
When looking for imperfections, it is not just the outside of the hat you should be looking at, but also the inner shell. You want to look for things such as marks, deformations, or missing parts, if any of these are present then a new hard hat is needed.
Another indication that a hard hat needs replacing is when its glossy finish has faded. The gloss finish isn’t just for looks, once it fades and becomes chalky, this demonstrates that the strength of the hat has deteriorated. This could be due to UV radiation or exposure to chemicals, meaning it is time to replace.
Your hard hats need regular weekly checks to test for issues such as cracks or dents which may not be visible to the eye. One way to check is by squeezing the hat, which allows you to hear any cracks that are hidden.
It is also not just the outer shell that needs checks but also the inside lining and straps. The ‘cradle’ which is the inner protective layer needs to be checked for signs of wear and any deformation of plastic pieces. The straps also need to be checked for any wear or burns, and that the adjustment function is working properly on them.
A hard hat’s comfort foam is another key safety component that can wear out from use. It needs to be inspected for things such as missing chunks or flakiness. If any damage is present, then it should be replaced. However, if the material is dirty or looks crusty then it may just need a wash and then re-examined when clean.
Many companies like to have personalised branding on their hard hats. However, some manufacturers suggest that using paints, solvents, and adhesives on a hard hat can lessen the protection from impacts and penetration so avoiding them is recommended. At Storm, we understand how vital hard-hat safety is. Therefore, to maximise safety, we use stickers to personalise but not cause any damage to the hat.
So, you now know when a hard hat needs to be replaced and how to check signs that it does, but how do you know when the official ‘expiry date’ of the hat is?
To work out the expiry date of the hat, we need to know when it was manufactured. On the hat, there is an embossed stamp that indicates the date of manufacture. The stamp usually resembles a clock with numbers one through to 12 which indicate the months of the year.
Inside the circle is also a digit on either side of an arrow. The number on either side of the arrow displays the year of manufacture and the arrow points to a number indicating the month it was manufactured.
From the image above we can see the number in the middle is 13 and the arrow points to the number five. Therefore, we know that this hat was manufactured in May 2013
With this stamp, you can then go on to calculate the expiry date of the hat depending on whether the manufacturer has given the hat a 3- or 5-year lifespan.
You might think a hard hat that hasn’t even been unboxed is still ok to use after the expiry date as it hasn’t been touched, this is not the case. As the hats are made of plastic, it deteriorates over time making the hat brittle and therefore losing its resistance to impact.
It is also dependent on working conditions. A general guideline is that most hard hats need replacing every five years regardless of appearances. But if working conditions are extreme, such as high temperature, constant sunlight, and exposure to chemicals, then it should be replaced every two years. This is due to different conditions affecting the strength and performance of a hard hat.
So regardless of how good the condition of the hat appears to be, once the expiry date has been exceeded, it needs to be replaced.
In addition to replacing the shell of the hat, most manufacturers also recommend replacing the suspension (the straps which hold your head in place) at least once a year.
If you require new PPE equipment, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our team at StormRFQ@storm-procurement.com
