Hard Hat Colour Codes: What Colour Should You Wear?

Build UK, the leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry, revised the colour coding system for hard hats. The new colour scheme went into effect in January 2017 and is designed to make identifying every construction worker’s role and level of expertise easier. 

All on-site construction workers are required to wear construction helmets according to Build UK’s colour code. The only exception is Network Rail, which has its own hard hat colour system: white for general use and blue for visitors and inexperienced people.

New Mandated Hard Hat Colour Code

• Black — For supervisors and foremen
• White — For site managers, competent operatives or those who are skilled in their trade, and vehicle marshals
• Blue — For anyone who shouldn’t be left unsupervised on the site, including apprentices, architects and visitors
• Orange — For those trained to sling and signal to crane operators, although they could also be electricians, brickies and other professions
• Green — For first aiders 

Old Hard Hat Colour Code 

Before January 2017, hard hats came in more colours, which could be confusing for some workers.

• White — for supervisors, foremen and engineers
• Yellow — for general labourers and earth-moving operators
• Blue — for electricians, carpenters and other technical operators
• Orange — for road crews, such as crane operators
• Green — for new workers and safety inspectors
• Brown — for those who work with high heat applicants, such as welders
• Grey — for site visitors

What happens if you don’t follow the colour safety rules?

Proper PPE use is included in construction health and safety regulations, which means not wearing the right colour of hard hats may warrant some form of consequence. This happened to Aberdeen in 2008. The construction of the £285 million shopping and leisure centre ground to a halt because the builders were wearing white instead of blue construction hats.

Can you add your logo to a hard hat?

The British Standard BS EN 397 dictates that industrial helmets must be identifiable, meaning you can print your logo onto a hard hat as long as the colour is still easily recognisable. So make sure to have your logo printed by a supplier who understands these construction health and safety regulations.

Other than the colour, the following information must also be seen on the shell of your construction helmet:

• Year of manufacture
• Materials used
• Size

Do hard hats have an ‘expiration date’? 

Technically, hard hats don’t. They do, however, have recommendations on lifespans. Manufacturers recommend that hard construction hats not used longer than five years. This is why the date of manufacture needs to be stamped onto the shell of the hat: so you know when you need to replace yours.

Depending on the environment and frequency of use, you may need to replace your safety helmet more often than every five years.   

As always, source your hard hats and other construction PPE from a reputable supplier. This way, you can be sure of their quality and longevity, keeping you sufficiently protected while on the job.

Helmets and Protective Workwear for Construction Workers

Bryson stocks a wide range of durable PPE and workwear products designed to protect construction workers on site. We provide safety helmets, ear and eye protection, masks, gloves, high-visibility clothing and safety footwear.

We also offer custom branding services, so you can have your logo printed onto your PPE according to safety standards. 

View our line of safety helmets online today.