# Hard Hats :love them or hate them?



## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

Personally I can't stand them,just wondering if you wear one or kick up a fuss if they tell you to wear one .Here in Ontario, Can. our safety board (wsib) has a motto of "there's no such thing as a accident !" and zero tolerance for no hard hats (ticket/money grab!!!) Then a safety guy tells me if something is not UNDER construction you do not need to wear one, but with zero tolerance going on....So, the drywall hanger had to wear one but a taper technically didn't ,Gee who has it worse wearing hard a hat ,Taper or hanger..... opps another thread lol
footnote:yes wear one if you leave work area on commercial site,have one on site just in case, or for certain situations, yes to safety boots/shoes or equipment...........COMMON SENSE 
so do you wear one or not ,give reasons plz


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

I just agree to the safety guy when he comes around and have everything on site required for safety.

I've been in construction way too long with out a single safety issue and always consider safety first and they all know that. So when they see my vehicle on the sites they don't even stop in and say hi cause they know that Ive had no issues with them and that I don't disagree with any of them and I've had no problems or fines to date. 

I wear the hat where its required by the rules :innocent:

The most important guy on the site is the safety guy :brows:


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

new here ,think I'm beginning to learn who this sites smart a** /sh*t disturber is ,had a feeling you would be the first one to reply 
glad too hear your a good good boy,now finish your beer and get back on your stilts mudstar


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## PrairrieDogExpress (Jan 29, 2010)

I hate all the "safety" precautions these days. I only do residential and very rarely see any inspectors so I consider myself lucky. (knock on wood) I have a hat, fire extinguisher, first aid and safety manual in my truck and thats generally where it stays.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

I hate em. Always have. I've quit alot of jobs over the years cause of em. However, I am an ole goat that grew up in a free country, and consequentially felt that it was up to me, not the government. Don't how how I would deal with it if I was young and had a family to raise today, guess I would have to deal with it. But I'm tired of changing, and I ain't gonna chage anymore, they can go F themselves.

>>>>>>Capt, hobbling back to his recliner now


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## rebel20 (Jun 4, 2009)

Hard hats are a pain I get a headache everytime I put one on, got em always with me but hardly use em.


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## joepro0000 (Jun 14, 2008)

hard hats lead to baldness`


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

They say--the more hair you lose,the more head you get!!!


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## d-rock (Oct 21, 2009)

i appreciate them as long as it's not too hot. They've certainly prevented me from getting a few lumps.


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## evolve991 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hate'em.


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## leadarrows (Jan 7, 2008)

When I carry scrap drywall to the truck I carry it over my head to keep the load centered on my back. If I carry holding the scraps out in front of me it kills my back. A hard hat makes that difficult to say the least. So on hard hat jobs I am forced to hurt my back. 
Just one more example of the government thinking it knows whats best for me when in reality they have no clue.


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## Checkers (Jun 25, 2010)

Don't mind them one bit for hanging!
Taping on the other hand, I wear it when I exit the building, but when I'm in my territory, I don't wear one.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

I wear my hard hat into the bedroom so my wife thinks I'm a construction worker.

Rules around here generally state that we don't have to wear them after grid is up in commercial work....lotta good that does a taper! What's worse is safety glasses....sanding with halogens while wearing safety glasses? 

"Sure, it's a perfect smooth wall!......I think!":mellow:


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## Board'em (Oct 11, 2010)

Hard hats are a pain in the ass!

As a finishing trade, we dont need them. Alot of the time I'm in an office environment where I'm the only one in full safety attire. I think its some tree huggin lesbian makin up all the rules!


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## MercuryArc (Mar 30, 2010)

Used to not like them, but last year when work was slow I did a bunch of tree work and got used to them. They don't bother me anymore.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

MercuryArc said:


> Used to not like them, but last year when work was slow I did a bunch of tree work and got used to them. They don't bother me anymore.


were you drywalling and taping out a bunch of tree houses or something:jester:
had to say that
I hear you,if your working in a unsafe environment,yeah,wear one,just like if you pick up a hooker,guess what else you should wear.
but to wear one when taping a house,or wear that other piece of protection when you have been screwing the same piece of beaver for the past 30 years ?????
I don't need the government to protect me from me,,I have common sense :furious:


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## MercuryArc (Mar 30, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> were you drywalling and taping out a bunch of tree houses or something:jester:
> had to say that
> :yes::thumbup:
> No.....but that's a good one. A friend of mine owned a tree service. There was a two day ice storm in this area and he was booked out 6 months and needed help and he paid me very well.


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## nim (Oct 30, 2010)

been finishing and painting for 10 years, never have i worn one. and never have i had any saftey agency ask about them.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

I try not to wear them every chance I get.

One company owner tried again yesterday to sell me on the idea that they're cooler than eg. baseball caps. I told him that might be true, if you drilled holes in the top of them.


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## kona1000 (Apr 15, 2011)

used to it by now- 25 years later!


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## E.K Taper (Jun 15, 2011)

Hate them but we dont need to wear them inside the houses, just on the actual site. Steel toecap boots and hi vis vests are essential at all times and thats fair enough with me.
Worked on a new hospital unit a few years back and my buddy Paul was on his final final final warning cos he point blank refused to wear his h/hat inside. We had to as the pipe fitters were working above us in the corridors.
Health and safety inspectors paid a visit and Paul walked out of a room with the h/hat on his shoulder.
"PAUL!" the agent shouted. "Get your hat on your head!"
"F*cking no chance" He said, " Last time I did that a spanner hit me on the f*cking shoulder, I'm not taking the chance again"
Funny
"Get your tools get in your van and get to f*ck off this site"
Not so funny


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## Brian S (Apr 17, 2011)

EK had the same thing in a hospital down here, we were putting up a suspended ceiling in a room off a corridor, no hat needed, step out in the corridor, *with* Drs, Nurses, and the public, walking around, had to have a hat on:hammer:

Most jobs we do these days we don't need hats, only where there may be a danger:thumbsup:


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

The enforcement of hard hat wearing has become more political than purposeful.


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## screwyardwork (Jan 26, 2011)

Do all goverment work. Hard hats, reflective vests,steeltoe boots,safty glasses and even gloves on some jobs. But its ok,like working for the people that print the money.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

I have never wore a hard hat .

But one of these days when I get to the top of the scaffold,, my foots gonna slip, and I'll wish I had protection for something elseinch:inch:..


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

I like all this safety stuff least you live another day


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

I figured out the one circumstance where I am happy to wear a hard hat....top out hanging/firetaping when there's a lot of stuff up there. It gets in the way occasionally, but there's a lot of sharp hard stuff to bump your head on too.

It's been a long time since I've had to wear one, and I'm not complaining.


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## Zendik (Sep 14, 2011)

I don't see the importance wearing a hard hat on a residential job.

I do see the importance of wearing one on a commercial job though.
All I have to do is look at mine and the gashes in it from all thread and unistrut, etc, etc...


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Zendik said:


> I don't see the importance wearing a hard hat on a residential job.
> 
> I do see the importance of wearing one on a commercial job though.
> All I have to do is look at mine and the gashes in it from all thread and unistrut, etc, etc...


Its those damn sprinkler heads that get me - haha


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

Zendik said:


> I don't see the importance wearing a hard hat on a residential job.
> 
> I do see the importance of wearing one on a commercial job though.
> All I have to do is look at mine and the gashes in it from all thread and unistrut, etc, etc...


Agreed !!!!!

Some areas on commercial sites, you wanted the damn thing on your head, but mainly when you were not in areas where you were working, where other trades were around. When working in high rise condo's for example, and your doing units that are almost like houses, They use to be fine without you wearing one, till you left your work area, was fine with that.

With houses (resi) your the only one there, maybe the odd brickie out side, or some times the odd tin banger down stairs. But the majority of the time, your the only one there. The only thing deemed dangerous to fall on your head, would be the drywall your working on. If that were the case, the job should be classified as unsafe, till that is corrected.

Money grab is all it is, pure money grab

And if you voice a true safety concern, kiss your job good -bye:furious:


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## MUDBONE (Dec 26, 2011)

my father use to wear a motorcycle helmet to help hang ceilings. thats what you call using your head. Born to be Wild.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

MUDBONE said:


> my father use to wear a motorcycle helmet to help hang ceilings. thats what you call using your head. Born to be Wild.


I did the same thing with a snowboard helmet for a while. It's really easy to spin your head around to hit the other side.....and no sore/bald spot!:thumbsup:

Speaking of hard hats.....you gotta love an article of PPE that can function as a commode when needed


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

MUDBONE said:


> my father use to wear a motorcycle helmet to help hang ceilings. thats what you call using your head. Born to be Wild.


A good idea - I think it would be easier on your head when hanging the lids than a regular hard hat.


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## evolve991 (Jan 24, 2008)

They need a "chewing up a hardhat" icon on here. I've never liked them for hanging and when I did road construction I had mine on when a cable loop jumped off a bucket hook(moving jersey walls) and hit me JUST UNDER the hardhat ,right in the forehead, and sent me sailing down the block....worthless pos.....


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## DLSdrywall (May 22, 2012)

As being a residential taper i just bring it into the house save a fight and bull but i never wear it. But i do agree with slim firetaping is friggin dangerous with stray nails and metal beams i've lost enough brain cells taping, no need to loose anymore smacking a beam, truss or nails :yes: Commercial is strict i wear it all the time but i can tape slow enough so it dosen't fall off:jester:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

There are times on some of the larger jobs where not only is a hard hat compulsory, but also adviseable.

Latest I heard a group of senior Curlers in Canada are trying to make hard hats compulsory for curling. :blink:


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> There are times on some of the larger jobs where not only is a hard hat compulsory, but also adviseable.
> 
> Latest I heard a group of senior Curlers in Canada are trying to make hard hats compulsory for curling. :blink:


:lol:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Safety First


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## gordie (Nov 6, 2012)

we have to were them to get into our units and i've veared away commercial work "big steal builds" because of the safety crap.

I used to hang off buildings with safety harness and test my courage brag about how i was doing the craziest crap. but i find i just make more money not dealing with those big jobs don't get to frame as much anymore but don't care would never get to tape on one of those jobs either.

out here for what ever reason they don't scaffold the building and get you to work off lift trucks sooo slow.

I hate working with a hard hat boarding you can hold board on your head but not worth it i think they get in my way and tapers don't like the dimples that the hat can cause just slam it up with my arms and keep the hat by the door so safety don't get mad.


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