The BLS survey clearly showed that in most instances where head injuries occur employers had not required their employees to wear head protection. Further, in almost half of the accidents involving head injuries, employees knew of no action(s) taken by employers to prevent such injuries from recurring!

The BLS survey noted that more than one-half of the workers were struck on the head while they were looking down and almost three-tenths were looking straight ahead. While one third of the unprotected workers were injured when bumping into stationary objects, such actions injured only one-eighth of hard hat wearers.

Of those workers wearing hard hats, all but five percent indicated that they were required by their employers to wear them. It was also reported that the vast majority of those who wore hard hats all or most of the time at work believed that hard hats were practical for their jobs.

It is difficult to anticipate every potential hazard or condition that may result in a head injury. Where potentially hazardous conditions exist that may cause a head injury, head protection must be worn. Prevention of head injuries is an important factor in every safety program. A single injury can handicap an employee for life, or it can be fatal.