Hard hats are made up of two primary parts. The shell is the outer part made of plastic or fiberglas. It provides the impact protection required by ANSI. It also serves as the visible sign that the worker is protected. Colors identify the type of worker on the job as well. The other part that makes up a hard hat is the headgear. Also known as the s

Defined as electrical hard hats, these are designed to reduce exposure to high voltage conductors and offer dielectric protection up to 20,000 volts. This protection does not extend past the head, however, so additional PPE must be worn to protect the rest of the body from electrical hazards.

These are general hard hats constructed to lessen exposure to low voltage conductors and offer dielectric protection up to 2,200 volts. The same goes for Class G hard hats as Class E hard hats: additional PPE must be worn to protect the worker below the head.