OSHA Says Helmets Must Match Head Hazards and Explains Lock Labels for Electrical Work
Top-only helmets may fall short when an assessment finds side-of-head risks, and a labeled lock works if the label is readable, according to two OSHA letters summarized by AIHA.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Oct 26, 2026
Employers don't have to use one particular ANSI helmet type to meet OSHA's head protection standard. The agency explained this in a letter of interpretation, AIHA reported.
Helmets that guard only the top of the head may not be enough if a hazard assessment finds risks of blows to the top or side of the head. In that case, OSHA will require employers to give affected workers PPE that protects against the specific hazards the assessment found, the agency said. It named Type II helmets as one example.
The general industry head protection standard is 29 CFR 1910.135. It incorporates by reference three editions of ANSI Z89.1, which covers industrial head protection: the 2009, 2003 and 1997 versions.
OSHA's general industry PPE standard requires employers to check their workplaces for hazards that call for PPE. They must then pick PPE that protects workers from those hazards and make sure workers use it.
OSHA's 2024 safety and health information bulletin on safety helmets is advisory and adds no new legal requirements, the letter said.
In a second letter, OSHA said a lock with a readable, permanently attached label would satisfy its selection and use of work practices standard for electrical work. The label in question says no one may operate the disconnecting means or remove the lock without authorization.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.