Rank: Forum user 
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Could anybody advise what the general life span of a looked after, sticker/paint free, outdoor (exposed to elements & UV) “construction” hard hat is please?
From research across the web some are saying 10 years if it’s had an “easy life”, and other pages recommend changing every 3 years from the date stated within the hard hat regardless of how it’s been treated and used. I suppose it does come back to manufactures recommendations, but I was under the impression that there were time scales with different types of HH with military and emergency services having the tougher grades lasting 10 years, myth?
Thanks in advanced for the help.
Jon
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Rank: Forum user
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Jon,
There is always an expiry date on the helmet itself. As you surmised it is as per the manufacture's instructions
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Most have their date of manufacture stamped into them, not their date of expiry. Date of expiry can change dependent on storage and use.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I have never seen an expiry date on a hardhat.
There is always a manufacture date (though it might only be to the nearest quarter).
It is down to manufacturer recommendations. Centurion (the manufacturer we get our hats from) recommend 5 years from first use, 10 years from manufacture (whichever is sooner), assuming that the storage between manufacture and first use is in the dark and within their temperature regime.
In fact, because helmets are cheap, and don't get treated as they should, we dispose of after three years use, unless the helmet in question is known to have had an easy life (worn once or twice a year, stored properly). Note that 'kicking around in the boot of the car' doesn't count as stored properly, nor does 'sat on the parcel shelf of the car'
Also, of course, discard immediately if shell is badly scratched, dented, scored or otherwise visibly damaged or if straps / webbing inside are cut, frayed or seams are coming undone.
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Rank: Super forum user
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As a wry observation, "outdoors" should include hard hats which are exposed to heat and UV when visibly stored inside vehicles.
At one time it seemed to be the norm for car-driving people who intermittently needed to wear helmets in their work to store them on their car rear parcel shelves - perhaps as an indicator to others that they had a macho occupation. However, this phenomenon seems less common nowadays: Either 1) I'm becoming less observant, 2) fewer people are engaged in work activities which need helmets because of the current economic situation or 3) hopefully, the message about appropriate storage of helmets in vehicles has become more effective!
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Rank: Forum user
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Safety Smurf wrote:Most have their date of manufacture stamped into them, not their date of expiry. Date of expiry can change dependent on storage and use. Sorry date of manufature, thats what I meant. Although Saipem have the expiry date marked on theirs, and their safety helmets are shaped like baseball caps. Thats the Italians for you, even their PPE is designer
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Rank: Super forum user
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Graham
May be the message got around that when the overstretched contracts manager was driving down the motorway at more than the speed limit and needed to apply the brakes hard, his (possibly her) hard hat hit him very hard in the back of the head.
Many years ago I visited two separate roofing contractors on the same day to advise that I was submitting prosecution reports against.
In the afternoon I explained that I wasn't targeting single contractor and that I had visited an unnamed competitor to deliver same message in the morning. When I explained that the CM was apparently apt to drive down the M74 at 120mph, the director I was talking to knew exactly who this CM was!
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Rank: Super forum user 
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In a previous life we used to change them all every three years, & also have a different colour so that any possible "rogue" ones could be easily identified.
We also managed to have them sent away for recycling so that we were also doing our bit for the environment & managed to recoup a small amount into the bargain!
Zyggy
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Rank: Super forum user
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Most helmets have a abel in them which you can record the date of issue. We work on 5 years from date of issue, not date of manufacture.
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Rank: Super forum user
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