How to Choose a Hard Hat: A 6-Step Checklist (Bullard C33, Type 1 vs Type 2 & Liners)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you’re ordering head protection for a crew of 5 or a fleet of 500, and you’ve ever stared at a screen wondering Type 1 or Type 2? Plastic or fiberglass? Liner or no liner? — this guide is for you.

I’m a procurement specialist who’s handled safety equipment orders for industrial sites since 2018. I’ve personally made (and documented) nine significant ordering mistakes, totaling roughly $12,000 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team’s checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors.

Here are the six steps I use every time I spec a hard hat order.

Step 1: Determine Type 1 vs Type 2 Hard Hat

This is the single most overlooked decision. I once ordered 150 Type 1 hard hats for a facility where overhead clearance was tight and side impacts were a real risk. We caught the error when the safety director asked why the hats didn’t pass their lateral impact test. $3,400 wasted, plus a 2-week delay. Lesson learned: verify your worksite’s impact exposure first.

Type 1 hard hats protect against blows to the top of the head (vertical impact). Type 2 hard hats protect against both vertical and lateral (side) impacts. (Should mention: Type 2 also typically includes chin straps and a more secure fit.)

According to OSHA (osha.gov) and ANSI Z89.1-2019, Type 2 is required when there’s risk of side impact, such as working near moving equipment or in confined spaces with protrusions.

If you’re unsure, ask your site safety manager for the exposure assessment. “It’s always been Type 1” isn’t a good enough reason. At least, that’s been my experience in the construction and oil & gas sectors.

Step 2: Choose the Right Shell Material

The Bullard C33 series, for example, comes in both high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and fiberglass. HDPE is lighter and more affordable; fiberglass handles heat and chemical exposure better.

Consider the environment:

• Standard construction / warehousing – HDPE works fine. We’ve ordered Bullard C33 HDPE for general contracting crews for years with no issues.
• High-heat areas (foundries, welding) – Fiberglass. The HDPE can deform above 200°F. I learned this the hard way when a batch of HDPE hats on a roof job softened and lost shape. $1,200 in replacements.
• Electrical work – Look for the ANSI Class E (electrical) rating. The Bullard C33 is available in Class E HDPE and Class G (general) fiberglass.

Don’t assume material is just a preference. It affects both protection and lifespan.

Step 3: Don’t Skip the Hard Hat Liner

A Bullard hard hat liner isn’t optional – it’s the suspension system that keeps the shell off your head. I once ordered hats without liners (thought we’d save a few dollars and reuse old ones). The old liners were worn out, and within two months three hats failed a drop test because the suspension had stretched. Reorder cost: $800 plus embarrassment during a safety audit.

Always buy liners with the hat, and replace them every 12 months – or sooner if there’s visible wear, heat exposure, or the fit becomes loose. Bullard offers CrownTrac and Ratchet liners. Ratchet is easier to adjust for multiple workers sharing hats.

Step 4: Verify ANSI / OSHA Compliance (and Check the Inspection Tags)

Every hard hat should have an ANSI Z89.1 label inside showing type, class, and manufacture date. I also check that fire extinguisher inspection tags are compatible with the accessories we mount (face shields, ear muffs). Some hard hats have accessory slots that interfere with the tag’s placement on the shell. We had to drill new holes on 40 hats once because the tags we already ordered didn’t fit the Bullard C33 bracket slots. That cost $200 in labor and a weekend of overtime.

Oh, and don’t forget: the inspection tags themselves need to be ANSI-compliant for your fire extinguisher program. I’d recommend ordering tags from the same supplier as your extinguishers to ensure compatibility. (Should mention: verify with your AHJ – Authority Having Jurisdiction – because local codes can vary.)

Step 5: Account for the Work Environment – Even Unusual Ones

Whether you’re installing mexican fence post cactus in a desert landscaping project or managing a petrochemical plant, head protection is critical. I’m not a landscape safety expert, but from a procurement perspective, I’ve learned that outdoor workers in hot climates benefit from Bullard C33 hard hats with cooling liners and UV-resistant shells. The standard HDPE can degrade faster under constant sun. We switched to the Bullard C33 with UV stabilizers for our Southwest crews and reduced replacement cycles from 18 months to 24 months.

If you’re in an environment with falling debris (like cactus spines or loose rocks), a full brim (instead of cap-style) gives better neck and shoulder protection. Bullard offers both.

Step 6: Build Your Order Checklist and Verify Before You Buy

After the third rejection in Q1 2024, I created a pre-check list that I run before every order:

1. Type – Type 1 or 2? Confirmed with site safety?
   2. Material – HDPE or fiberglass? Class G/E?
   3. Liner – Ordered with hat? Ratchet or pin-lock?
   4. Compliance – ANSI label present? Fire extinguisher inspection tags fit?
   5. Environment – UV, heat, chemical exposure accounted for?
   6. Accessories – Face shields, earmuffs, chin straps needed? Compatible with shell?

We’ve caught 47 potential errors using this checklist in the past 18 months. The most common one: forgetting to verify Type 2 requirements. That alone saved us from a $5,000 mistake on a large order back in June 2024.

Common Mistakes & Pitfalls

“It’s cheaper to buy generic.” I went back and forth between Bullard and a no-name brand. Bullard offered reliability (invented the hard hat in 1919, NIOSH-approved PAPR systems). The generic was 30% cheaper. But on paper, the generic lacked the same liner adjustment options and didn’t have the same heat tolerance. The upside was $400 savings. The risk was worker comfort and potential compliance issues. I kept asking myself: is $400 worth potentially having to reorder in six months? We chose Bullard. That was the right call.

Skipping the liner replacement. As I mentioned, that was my first-year mistake in 2017. The cost: $890 in redo plus a 1-week delay.

Assuming all hard hats are the same. They aren’t. The Bullard C33 has a six-point suspension; some cheaper hats have only four. The difference in comfort is noticeable after 8 hours. If you ask me, the extra $2-3 per hat is worth it.

Fire extinguisher inspection tag placement. Order tags designed for hard hat mounting, or confirm the slot on the shell before you buy. We learned that one the hard way.

Prices as of Q2 2025; verify current rates with your distributor.