Learn more about hard hat awareness Week

Construction sites without the correct protection can potentially be very dangerous places, especially when it comes to head injuries. This is why brain injury charity Headway and leading safety manufacturer Centurion are working together to raise awareness of using and maintaining hard hats while on site.

Brain injury is more common than you think. Every year, almost 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with a brain injury related diagnosis. In 2016/17, there were 155,919 admissions for head injury alone – that equates to 427 every day, or one every three minutes.

The impact of brain injury can be life-changing for both the individual hurt but also their wider family. Common effects include memory problems, fatigue, headaches, problems with thinking, mobility, speech and language problems, depression, sexual problems and problems with attention and concentration. These issues can also impact on relationships, employment, education and driving ability.

The more severe the brain injury, the more pronounced the long-term effects are likely to be. However, even after a minor head injury, brain function can be temporarily impaired, and this is sometimes referred to as concussion.

Ensuring your head protection is worn and cared for correctly is key to remaining safe.

The partnership between Centurion and Headway kick-starts a year of activity to promote head safety as Centurion celebrates its 140-year anniversary. The main focus will be Hard Hat Awareness Week which will run from 8th – 14th June and will see a series of activities designed to drive awareness of brain injury and encourage best practice around safety equipment.

If you work on a building site, are passionate about safety and interested in sharing your experiences, Headway would love to hear from you! An online survey is running until 30th April which aims to find out about people’s experiences of head injuries and safety in the construction industry. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and entering gives you the chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher.

• For more information, or to enter the survey, visit the Headway website
• Written by Tamsin Keyes