How a new hard hat technology can protect workers better from concussion
The latest generation of hard hats are designed to cushion the brain during an impact by absorbing forces that cause the head to spin.
A new generation of hard hats is promising better protection against on-the-job concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries.
These hard hats incorporate technology that not only protects the head from a direct impact, but also from a glancing blow that causes the head to rotate suddenly – a major cause of concussions.
"The human brain is readily injured by a rotational force," says , director of the Legacy Biomechanics Lab in Portland, Ore. For example, he says,
