August at the top of the construction and it's hot. (Photo: Jan Thomas)

One of several now available. (Sun Shield for Omega II Full Brim Hard Hats)

I’m just back from ASSE’s Professional Development Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.  I’ve been going to these for over 25 years and have even presented at a number of them.  Every year I have attended I’ve come back with new information from the educational sessions as well as from chats with professional colleagues.  And, let’s admit it, we all love and learn from the vendor displays. 

I almost always find one new “safety gadget” that causes me to say to myself “darn, if I only patented that idea when I first thought about it.”  This year it came when I saw at several booths the “sun shield” for hard hats. 

Yes, that patent would have been nice to tuck into my professional portfolio but it really belongs to the worker I photographed 3 summers ago on the top of a building.

I acknowledge that he has “modified” his hard hat and he may be out of compliance with 29CFR1926.100 (b) or ANSI Z89.1-1969, Safety Requirements for Industrial Head Protection but I have to admit that he had a good idea!

Keep cool and safe out there.  Jan