Aluminum Hard Hats
Aluminum hard hats were one of the earliest types of hard hats worn by workers.
Invented in 1938, they replaced the original hard boiled hard hat of the 1920s, which were made out of steamed canvas, glue and black paint. They were the first hard hats that offered substantial protection against blows to the head.
However, they had one major flaw. That is, they were highly electroconductive, which placed onto the wearer a large risk of injury or death caused by electric shock, as they often had to work with or near electrical sources such as wiring, machinery, rail systems, and lightning.
With advances in hard hat manufacturing techniques and stricter ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards, the aluminum hard hat became obsolete, making way for the polycarbonate hard hat and polyethylene hard hat in the 1950s, and today the carbon fiber hard hat. These newer types of hard hats offered both impact resistance and protection from electrical shock, as well as heat. To this day, they remain the standard hard hat type for much of the industrial world.
Although they are now primarily purchased as memorabilia and collectors items, aluminum hard hats are still used today in some industries, namely related to forest, oil-gas drilling, demolition, and logging services. So only a few companies produce them now, with updated designs to better conform to ANSI standards, however they are still not approved for work around electrical hazards.
If you are interested in purchasing an aluminum hard hat, the most notable brand in this specialty niche today is Skull Bucket, which at the time of this writing was produced by Cri Corp. The Skull Bucket meets all ANSI Z89.1-2003 standards for a class C helmet.
Model FBAH is very popular. This is a full brim hard hat that offers 360 degree coverage from the sun and flying debris to all sides of the head.
The hard shell is constructed out of heavy gauge aluminum so it is highly resistant to cracking on impact. Furthermore, it has a reinforcement place riveted to the inside walls, also making it resistant to denting on impact and thus providing a second layer of protection to the wearer.
It is equipped with a four point ratchet suspension system that features a dial at the rear which the wearer can turn to precisely adjust the fit. Not only does this allow for a more secure and comfortable fit, but it makes adjusting the fit intuitive, so the wearer can make the necessary adjustments without having to take off his hard hat while he is working. This helps to make sure that the head fully shielded at all times, and never exposed to any unexpected accidents.
The Skull Bucket Aluminum Full Brim Hard Hat usually sells for about $65. It is available in a number of different colors, such as white, silver, red, and pink, and orange.
If you are not a fan of full brim hard hats, the company also produces model CBAH, which is a cap style aluminum hard hat that features only a front brim. It will also usually sell for about $65.
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