I've Wasted $14,000 on Hard Hats: The Bullard Type 2 Hard Hat Buying Checklist

If you're the person who gets asked "what hard hat should we order?"—this checklist is for you. I've been handling PPE orders for industrial and construction sites for six years, and I've made 12 significant buying mistakes in that time. Roughly $14,000 in wasted budget. I keep a running document of those errors so nobody on our team repeats them.

Below is the 8-step checklist I now use for every Bullard Type 2 hard hat and Bullard hard hat visor purchase. If you're buying bump caps for light-duty areas, some of this won't apply—I'll point those out as we go.

Step 1: Confirm You Actually Need Type 2 Protection

Everything I'd read told me Type 2 is always better. It protects against lateral impacts, not just top impacts—so why would you ever buy Type 1? In practice, I've learned that "better protection" doesn't always mean the right choice for your site.

Type 2 hard hats are heavier and more expensive. If your crew works in open areas with no falling-object hazards and no lateral impact exposures, a Type 1 hat passes OSHA just fine. I once ordered 60 Type 2 Bullard hats because I assumed it was the safe default. The site safety manager asked why we spent the extra money. And honestly, he was right.

Your check: pull up your hazard assessment. Lateral impact risks include swinging loads, confined spaces, and moving equipment. If those aren't present, Type 1 is a legitimate choice.

Step 2: Match the ANSI Class to Your Electrical Risks

It's tempting to think any Type 2 hard hat is the same. It isn't. Under ANSI Z89.1-2014—the standard OSHA's head protection rules (29 CFR 1910.135) reference for hard hat performance—Type 2 hats come in Class C (conductive), Class G (general, rated to 2,200 volts), and Class E (electrical, rated to 20,000 volts).

Here's where I got burned. In September 2022, I placed a $3,200 order for a Bullard Type 2 model I'd used before, but I didn't verify the class rating on the new listing. The page said "Type 2" and I assumed it matched the electrical spec of our previous hats. It didn't—the new ones were Class C, which is conductive and absolutely not allowed near live circuits. We caught it before shipment. (Should mention: the vendor caught it, not me. I was embarrassed enough to start this checklist.)

Your check: write down the ANSI class your site requires and put it on the purchase order. Don't rely on the "Type 2" label.

Step 3: Verify Bullard Hard Hat Visor Compatibility Before Ordering

This is the mistake that stung the most. Bullard hard hat visors are not universal across Bullard helmet models. Sounds obvious. But I once ordered 40 replacement visors for a specific Bullard Type 2 hat on site, and they didn't fit the visor mounting system on that model. $680 of visors went into a storage bin where they've sat for three years.

Put another way: I skipped a ten-second compatibility check and wasted almost $700.

Your check: get the exact model number from the hats your crew wears. When ordering visors, confirm the part number is listed as compatible with that specific model. If your supplier can't confirm it, that's a red flag.

Step 4: Don't Ignore Weight and Balance

Most buyers focus on the shell and completely miss the weight distribution. A Type 2 Bullard hard hat with a visor bracket, visor, and chin strap feels different than a basic cap. If someone wears it for a 10-hour shift, comfort stops being optional—it becomes a compliance issue. People take off heavy hats.

The question everyone asks is "Is it ANSI approved?" The question they should ask is "Will my crew keep it on all day?" I know this because of a 2021 rollout where a perfectly good hat ended up not being worn because it felt unbalanced once the visor was fitted.

Your check: order a sample before committing. Have one of your workers wear it a full shift with the visor on. If they're complaining by hour four, the spec sheet doesn't matter.

Step 5: Check the Suspension—Not Just the Shell

The suspension is what actually absorbs impact, yet it's the component most buyers never look at. Bullard offers different suspension options, and they're not all equally easy to adjust. If your workers wear thick gloves in cold weather, a ratchet suspension is basically a no-brainer compared to a pin-lock style.

In 2020, I ordered 60 hats without checking the suspension. The shells were exactly right—the suspension was compatible with nothing our crew wanted. One week later, I had 60 hats that "felt weird" to everyone. That week of discomfort could've been avoided with a two-minute call to the distributor.

Your check: confirm the suspension type on the spec sheet and whether it offers 360-degree adjustment. Ask your crew what they currently wear and what they hate about it.

Step 6: Beware of Counterfeit Bullard Hats

Counterfeit Bullard hard hats exist, and they've gotten more convincing. In 2023, a supplier offered me "genuine Bullard" Type 2 hats at 40% below standard distributor pricing. The images looked right. The branding was close. But there was no batch code I could trace, and the weight felt off when I handled the sample.

Per FTC guidelines, sellers can't make false advertising claims—but that doesn't help you after a counterfeit hat fails in the field. I should add that a distributor caught a similar problem for us once, which is part of why I now buy exclusively through authorized channels.

Your check: buy from authorized Bullard distributors. If you're ever unsure about authenticity, contact Bullard directly with the batch code. No legitimate deal disappears because you asked to verify.

Step 7: Order Replacement Parts Upfront

Hard hat shells have a limited service life—typically around five years from the date of manufacture. I want to say Bullard lists the exact replacement period for each model in its product documentation, but don't quote me on that; check your model's sheet. Suspensions wear faster, especially in hot environments where sweat breaks down the material.

I didn't order spare suspensions with one bulk order. Six months later, I needed 20 and paid expedited shipping. That cost an extra $180 plus a three-day delay. Not the most dramatic mistake I've made, but the most avoidable.

Your check: add one spare suspension for every roughly 10 hats, plus a few extra visor mounting brackets if you use visors. The upfront cost is minor; rush shipping is not.

Step 8: Test Before You Do a Full Rollout

In 2021, I approved a crew-wide rollout of a Bullard Type 2 hat with a visor kit based on a 10-minute sample review. I didn't catch that the visor fogged noticeably faster in the humid conditions where our crew works. A week after rollout, 14 of 25 workers had stopped using their visors.

That's a $1,100 mistake followed by a $1,400 corrective order. What I mean is: a sample review should be about whether the hat works in your actual conditions, not whether it looks good in an office. I skipped that part.

Your check: order two samples. Give them to workers in different roles. Gather feedback after a few full shifts—not after 10 minutes.

Common Mistakes I Still See

"One Type 2 Hat Fits All" Is Not Reality

Bullard makes multiple Type 2 models with different profiles, weights, and accessory options. The right model depends on your hazards, your visor requirements, and your crew. There's no single best Bullard Type 2 hard hat, no matter what a product page claims.

Generic Visors Are a Gamble—Check the Certification

Some listings bundle generic visors with hard hats. If the visor doesn't clearly state it meets ANSI Z87.1 for eye and face protection, you're gambling. I'd rather buy a smaller quantity of certified visors than a bulk deal on unknown quality. But then again—if you've tested a generic brand and trust it, that's your call. Just keep the documentation.

If You Don't Actually Need Bullard, Don't Buy It

Bullard invented the hard hat in 1919, and their Type 2 line is solid. But here's the honest part: if your site has no lateral impact hazards and you don't need Bullard's accessory ecosystem, a Type 1 hard hat from any reputable brand might be the smarter buy. Lighter, cheaper, and fully compliant. I say this because I've ordered premium head protection when simpler gear was the right call.

But if you do face lateral impact risks, need a well-integrated visor system, or want a single brand that covers head-to-respiratory protection, Bullard is worth a serious look. The point is to choose based on your actual conditions—not on what's easiest to order.

Bottom line: this checklist takes roughly two hours to work through. It would have saved me about $14,000 and a fair amount of embarrassment. I recommend you take the two hours.