A typical hard hat consists of a plastic outer shell with an inner suspension system made from webbing. Some models include foam padding on the sides and a chin strap.

As one reader with construction industry experience told us, "The suspension holding up the hard hat is clearly backwards and would be a violation to a job site if OSHA were to inspect." ...

A company started by two scientists has developed a hard hat that will do a better job protecting workers from on-the-job brain injuries. (Story aired on All Things Considered on Sept. 9, 2022.) ...

Updates to the traditional, 4-point suspension hard hats include no logo on the shell and an updated even more durable ratchet design. Milwaukee Tool Corp. Milwaukee Tool Corp.

He designed the first-ever hard hat in 1915, which was made from layers of canvas that were steamed together with glue, a featured a leather brim, and a shock-absorbing suspension device inside.

Edward W. Bullard invented the hard hat in 1919, then patented it in 1929. It's credited with saving lives on job sites while also becoming a symbol of working-class America.