Purpose of This Training Module

You may use this slide presentation to comply with the training requirements of the WISHA regulations on head protection (WAC 296-800-16055). You can read the training requirements in the rule at the end of this guide.

The topics covered in this module are those required in the rule. However, you may use different materials that cover these topics if you believe that they will be more effective.

Getting Ready

1. Resources and materials you will need:
• A quiet room with basic accommodations for comfort of participants
• A copy of the presentation (computer slide show, overheads, or handouts)
• Overhead projector or computer and projector for Powerpoint presentation
• Copies of the handouts (required)
• Personal protection used at your worksite (recommended)
• Certificates to hand out to the class as proof of attendance (optional)
• A training roster to pass around for your records (recommended)
2. Review the presentation materials.
   • Take the time to look through each of the slides and read the instructor's notes that come with each slide. If you have any questions after looking through these materials, you can contact your local L&I office (see page 3) for assistance before you give your first presentation.
3. Customizing the presentation.
   • The information contained in this module applies to all workplaces. However, you are also required to include information about conditions that exist at your workplace. Slides # 10 provide a place to include that information. Just using the training module without the workplace-specific information will not satisfy all training requirements.
• If you have PowerPoint on your computer, additional information is easily added to the PowerPoint version after downloading. The PowerPoint version can be modified, but modification that changes the essential meaning or deletes information may not meet the training requirements.
• If you use the PDF version, the slides cannot be changed, but you can provide the workplace specific information orally, on overhead transparencies or as paper handouts.
4. Prepare the materials and schedule the class
   • If you have a computer video projection system, all you need to do is check to make sure the presentation works and make copies of the handouts.
   • If you plan to use an overhead projector, print the slides out on transparencies. The PDF version will print quicker and use less printer memory. The slides will be clearer if they are printed in color. If you don't have a color printer, your local print or copy store can print out color transparencies for you.
   • Schedule the class for a date and time convenient to most people. If you want many employees and supervisors to participate, try not to make groups larger then 15 attendees.

Presenting the Training

Give the presentation
You can use your own words rather than just reading from the script. You can also make three-slide-per-page handouts of the training.

Ask for participation
It also helps to involve the audience as much as possible by asking them questions and getting them to talk about their own jobs, and the hard hats they wear.

Questions and answers
Answer any questions the best that you can especially on your company’s hard hat policies. If any questions on hard hats or other personal protective equipment are asked that you need help answering, you can contact your local L&I office listed on the following page.

Follow-up
Within a week or two of giving the training, you might want to take a few minutes to talk to some of the employees and supervisors to make sure they understood what was presented and how it applies to them.

Getting help
If you have questions while preparing to give this presentation, or if questions come up during the presentation that you need help in answering, contact your local L&I office listed below for assistance:

Training Requirements on Head Protection

WAC 296-800-16055

Make sure your employees use appropriate head protection

You must:

(1) Make sure employees wear appropriate protective helmets:

• Where employees are exposed to hazards that could cause a head injury. Examples of this type of hazard include:
• Flying or propelled objects.
• Falling objects or materials.
• Where employees are working around or under scaffolds or other overhead structures.
• That helmets meet the following specific ANSI standards (most commercially available PPE is marked with specific ANSI requirements):
  • Protective helmets bought before February 20, 1995, must meet ANSI standard Z89.1-1969.
  • Protective helmets bought after February 20, 1995, must meet ANSI standard Z89.1-1986.
  • If you use protective helmets that do not meet these ANSI standards, you must show they are equally effective.

(2) Make sure employees working near exposed electrical conductors that could contact their head wear a protective helmet designed (that meet the above ANSI standards) to reduce electrical shock hazard.

• Caps with metal buttons or metal visors must not be worn around electrical hazards.

(3) Make sure employees working around machinery or in locations that present a hair-catching or fire hazard wear caps or head coverings that completely cover their hair.

• Employees must wear a hair net that controls all loose ends when:
  • Hair is as long as the radius of pressure rolls with exposed in-running nip points.
  • Hair is twice as long as the circumference of exposed revolving shafts or tools in fixed machines.
• Employees must wear a hair covering of solid material when:
  • The employee is exposed to an ignition source and may run into an area containing class-1 flammable liquids, such as ether, benzene, or combustible atmospheres if their hair is on fire.