Have you ever been to construction sites and wondered why their hard hats vary in colour? You may see workers wearing white, orange, black, or blue hats, and chances are, you’re wearing a blue one for your site visit. Safety helmets are mandatory safety equipment when working in construction sites or similar environments which may pose physical dangers. Hard hats help protect the head from flying debris or when falling from great heights. That is why it is a must when working in these areas.
What does the colour signify?
If you look closely, there is no distinct difference between the physical features of each hat. That is because the colours are meant to differentiate various workers and their skillsets and qualifications. Under the Health & Safety Section of Build UK, a standardised colour code for these hats was published to establish a consensus across the industry. Setting this standard will help tell each worker apart for both safety and efficiency purposes. Here is a summary of the colour codes and how they can help you.
Black hats
These are worn by supervisors or foremen. If you are in need of any assistance or have issues or concerns, you can look for a worker with a black hard hat on and they’ll be sure to know how to best handle your situation.
White hats
Site managers, competent operatives, and vehicle marshals are assigned this colour. They may seem to vary in terms of work, but they are typically the most skilled in their fields. If you have trouble telling them apart, a site manager would usually wear more formal clothes, unlike other workers.
Orange hats
If you need help with lifting objects on site, you may look for the workers with orange hats. They are slinger signallers, the people who are in charge of directing crane operators (or other lifting machinery operators) as they serve as their eyes and ears on the ground.
Blue hats
These are worn by people who do not bear the responsibilities above. These may be apprentices, site visitors, etc. If you see someone with a blue hat on their own, or if you yourself find yourself alone wearing your blue hat, it is best to find someone who can accompany you through your visit.
Red or green stickers
Some hats may have red or green stickers with a white cross in the middle. These are for quick responders such as trained fire marshals (red) and first raiders (green). They may also be wearing a hat of the same colour, red or green, for better visibility.
Why is the colour important?
It is important for everyone to know how to easily identify people and their qualifications, to efficiently handle situations within the site. This is important especially when safety is concerned. From a business perspective, construction projects can be stopped if they do not follow this regulation.
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