There’s a new hard hat in town, and “it’s not your father’s Oldsmobile.” Translation – don’t confuse it with the hard hat you know. Engineering News Record explains it as well as we could in their October article, but in essence, you may start seeing hard hats equipped with Multidirectional Impact Protection Systems (MIPS).
What exactly is MIPS? It is a system designed to isolate the brain better from shocks associated with falls and collisions. One such design, now available in the United States, uses an isolated inner frame that moves independently of the outer casing. This is intended to reduce the rotational energy that can cause brain shear. Yeah, brain shear – it’s as gross as it sounds. Brain shear, or diffuse axonal injury, is the tearing of the brain’s long connecting fibers when it suddenly shifts and rotates in the skull.
Traditional hard hats, of course, have been around since 1919, when Edward Bullard was inspired by the steel helmet that protected him in World War I. They were designed to ward off falling objects, such as rivets or bricks or small chunks of metal falling from above and they have served us pretty well, when we were smart enough to wear them. However, falling objects are only a small percentage of construction injuries, whereas falls are much more common. In a fall accident, there is a good likelihood of striking your head and that’s where MIPS comes in.
Not surprisingly, these new hard hats will cost considerably more than traditional hard hats and what’s worse, there seems to be a lot of pressure to call them helmets, so make sure you get that right. Are they worth the extra cost? Well, that depends upon the kind of work you engage in. If there is potential for falls or side strikes of the head, you might ask yourself how much a new head costs.
MIPS aside, hard hats have evolved from the one size fits all and one style suits all needs model that existed for a long time. Just as with other personal protective equipment (PPE), hard hat design has evolved into numerous models specifically suited to a job hazard and/or a particular work aspect. So, maybe it’s time to talk with your PPE provider and learn more about options available to you for head protection so you can be ahead of the game for occupational safety.
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