Jobsite Head Protection Trends: Ratings, Training, and the Future of PPE

Head protection is evolving across the trades, and the conversation is shifting beyond compliance to real-world impact on worker safety. In this episode, Zach Richman, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing for Personal Protective Equipment at Milwaukee Tool, sits down with Joe Whiteman, Director of Safety at American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), to discuss how head protection is changing on today’s jobsites. 

Joe shares his background in the trades and his involvement with industry organizations, along with what he’s seeing firsthand as more contractors evaluate the differences between Type 1 hard hats and Type 2 safety helmets. The discussion covers how features like chin straps and helmet design are influencing adoption, and why more teams are rethinking what “standard” protection looks like. 

The conversation also explores how safety culture plays a role in these decisions, particularly when it comes to preventing traumatic brain injuries and improving long-term outcomes for workers. Joe breaks down insights from the Virginia Tech helmet ratings, including how research is helping safety leaders better understand impact ratings and communicate those findings across their teams. 

Beyond the equipment itself, the episode looks at how education, storytelling, and training are helping drive awareness and shift perceptions on the jobsite. Zach and Joe also touch on what’s ahead, including the role of emerging technology like sensors and heat stress monitoring, and how those innovations could shape the next generation of head protection. 

This episode offers a grounded look at how safety decisions are made in the field and why they continue to evolve alongside the work. 

Follow American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) for more insight: 

• Facebook: American Society of Concrete Contractors | St. Louis MO | Facebook
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• YouTube: American Society of Concrete Contractors - YouTube
• LinkedIn: (7) American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC): Overview | LinkedIn 

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