From the Hard-Boiled Hat to Today's Skull Bucket: A History of Hard Hats
By Leslie Hoppe
When were the first hard hats manufactured? How has the design changed through the years? Who manufactures the six million "skull buckets" sold each year to protect workers' heads?
The hard hat concept comes from Bullard, a hundred-year-old, family-owned manufacturer of personal protective equipment, specializing in industrial head protection, including hard hats, firefighter head protection and supplied-air respiratory protection.
History of the Hard Hat
A hundred years ago, the hard hat didn't exist. And fifty years ago, head protection wasn't widely required for workers. But, thanks to advances in safety, the hard hat has evolved over the decades.
Established in San Francisco in 1898, Bullard sold carbide lamps and mining equipment to gold and copper miners. "The miners used to wear a soft derby, similar to a baseball cap. It had a small, hard-leather and shellac brim," said Edward D. "Jed" Bullard, the company's fourth-generation president and chief executive officer. 
"In 1915, my grandfather began work on a helmet that could protect miners from falling objects. He based it on the doughboy, a helmet he'd worn as 
a soldier in World War I. The 'Hard-Boiled Hat', patented in 1919, was so called because of the steam used in the manufacturing process," said Bullard.
"The original 'Hard-Boiled hat' was manufactured out of steamed canvas, glue and black paint. My grandfather built a suspension device into what became the worlds' first, commercially-available, industrial head-protection device."
First Designated 'Hard Hat Area'
America's first designated "Hard Hat Area" was set up at the San Francisco 
Golden Gate Bridge construction site. "The project's chief engineer, Joseph B. Strauss, shared a vision with my grandfather that the workplace could be a safer environment for the worker. One problem the bridge project faced was falling rivets, which could cause serious injury," said Bullard. "My grandfather transformed the mining helmet into a durable industrial hard hat."
"The project faced a second problem with the steel coming by train from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-it oxidized, and needed to be sand blasted before being painted. My grandfather designed a simple sand-blast respirator helmet-basically a hard hat with a bag over it. There was a window to see through, and fresh air pumped into it. That was the beginning of our respiratory-protection business."
In 1938, Bullard designed and manufactured the first aluminum hard hat, which was considered very durable and reasonably lightweight for the time. "Even today, a few clients still have their 25-year-old aluminum hard hat," said Bullard. "These hats have one serious drawback-aluminum is a great conductor of electricity."
Bullard's distinctive three-rib, heat resistant fiberglass hard hat was developed in the 1940's. In the 1950's and 1960's, thermoplastics replaced fiberglass because the newer material was less costly and better suited for the applications. Bullard was one of the first manufacturers to inject thermoplastic into a mold to produce a hard hat.
In 1982, the standard hard hat changed again. The director of safety at Bechtel Corporation, one of Bullard's major clients, felt that hard hats didn't have the proper suspension for field work. In response, Bullard introduced a revolutionary new industrial helmet, marking the beginning of a new era in head protection safety and standards.
Today's Yellow Hard Hat
The new design incorporated a non-slip ratchet-suspension helmet, with a knob in the back for simple sizing. Within the industry, the hat has become known as the "3000 R"-today's standard yellow hard hat.
Bechtel, alone, purchases thousands each year through their global supplier, Wyatt Safety Supply.
The 3000 R is produced from polyethylene plastic-making it lightweight, durable, easy to mold and non-conductive to electricity.
The plastic is treated with an ultra-violet inhibitor which helps the hats weather the outdoor environment.
Unprecedented changes have occurred in the last ten years. "A great deal of our knowledge comes from designing firefighter helmets," said Bullard. "We've been able to apply research on applied energy absorption to the industrial setting."
Two new hard hats have evolved: the ADVENT and the VECTOR. At 25 ounces (709g) the ADVENT is half the weight of conventional firefighter helmets and is, in fact, the same weight as many climbing helmets. The Advent is the only protective helmet designed specifically for emergency response services.
The compact design is unique. "Not having a rear brim improves freedom of movement both in and out of emergency vehicles and confined spaces," said Bullard. "A crown pad, and a soft, replaceable, foam-backed vinyl brow pad provide extra comfort. It costs less than half the price of conventional fire helmets, and can be equipped with a variety of accessories, including face shields, ear/neck protectors, hearing protectors and attachments for lamps."
The VECTOR is the off shoot of the Advent. "The Vector provides impact protection for the top, front, back and side of the head," said Bullard. "It uses a full inner shock liner to absorb impacts." The VECTOR can come with a brow pad, comfortable suspension, built-in goggle strap and retaining slots. The VECTOR, along with the ADVENT, are the first caps to meet the newest ANSI standard for industrial head protection.
Future hard hats may be ventilated. "The standard complaint we hear about hard hats are they're too hot," says Bullard. "In the United States, no one yet makes a ventilated hard hat, but our German subsidiary, Bullard GmbH does. Within a few months, the first ventilated hard hat, the Atlas, will be selling in America."