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Are Bump Caps Allowed On Building Sites?

The short answer is yes; the long answer to this is that it's complicated. When working indoors on a construction site in a finished building where the risk of “object generated impacts” (things falling from a height) is removed, there is no physical reason you could not wear a bump cap to protect yourself.

However, most construction sites will mandate that you wear a hard hat regardless to make the overall site safer and easier to manage. There is also a risk that you may forget to switch to a safety helmet that offers protection from falling objects if you venture outside. You must always check what PPE you need to wear before going to site and obey the site rules.

What Are Bump Caps Used For?

Safety bump caps are used to protect the wearer's head from any stationary object they may hit their head on. Some common scenarios include hitting your head on the underside of a staircase in a warehouse environment, the corner of a kitchen cupboard while accessing a domestic fuse box, or a balljoint thread on the underside of a car while carrying out servicing.

What is the best bump cap?

There are several designs on the market, and depending on your bump cap safety requirement, your needs may vary as to which design you settle on. Differences include the ability to withstand side impacts, added ventilation, the inclusion of a hair net, or just the colour.

Is a bump cap the same as a hard hat?

No, they are indeed both forms of head protection and are designed to protect the wearer from harm, but that is where the similarities end.

Hard Hats are designed to protect you from injuries caused by falling or flying objects, such as those dropped from scaffolding or flung from a machine. They can take a higher force of impact and are also suitable for wearing should you be the falling object.

You should only wear Bump Caps to protect yourself from stationary things. For example, they are ideal for protecting you if you walk into a low girder on a mezzanine floor or hit your head on the underside of a piece of machinery. They will prevent cuts and grazes and even mitigate a concussion, but that is where their use ends.

What Standards Do Bump Caps Have To Conform With?

All our bump caps comply with EN812, which specifies that a cap is tested to confirm its impact resistance. The test is carried out by dropping a 5kg flat striker from 25cm above the cap's crown four times.

Industrial bump cap standard EN 812 also requires that bump caps protect the wearer's head from sharp corners without being penetrated. This is tested by dropping a pointed, cone-shaped striker against the helmet with a force of 2.5 joules.