customhardhats.com logo

We are here for you online 24/7!

Live customer service hours are
Monday–Friday 8AM–4PM CST

Why Are Type II Hard Hats Becoming More Common on Construction Sites?

Why Are Type II Hard Hats Becoming More Common on Construction Sites?

Side impact protection is changing what crews expect from their headgear

Type II hard hats have moved from a niche safety item to a standard request on job sites where crews work around scaffolding, low clearances, and heavy equipment. Unlike Type I hard hats, which protect against blows to the top of the head, Type II safety helmets add lateral impact protection along the sides, front, and back. That extra coverage is why more general contractors, utility companies, and industrial operators are specifying Type 2 hard hats in their PPE policies. Custom Hard Hats prints and ships Type II helmets built to ANSI Z89.1 standards, decorated with your crew's logo, name, or trade colors.

Type II Hard Hat Questions Buyers Ask Most

What is a Type II hard hat?
A Type II hard hat is a helmet rated under ANSI Z89.1 to reduce the force of impacts that hit the top, sides, front, or back of the head. Type I hard hats only address top-impact protection, so Type II construction safety helmets are built with a different internal suspension and shell design to absorb lateral blows, like bumps against scaffolding, pipe racks, or low beams.
Is OSHA requiring Type II hard hats?
OSHA does not mandate Type II hard hats across the board. OSHA's PPE regulations reference ANSI Z89.1 as the accepted testing standard but leave the choice between Type I and Type II up to the employer's hazard assessment. That said, many safety managers are voluntarily upgrading crews to Type 2 hard hats after site audits flag side-impact risks around swinging equipment, forklifts, or confined spaces.
What is better, Type I or Type II hard hat?
Neither type is universally better. Type I hard hats are lighter, less expensive, and sufficient for jobs where the main hazard is falling objects from directly overhead, like general framing or drywall work. Type II safety helmets make more sense for linework, tower climbing, confined spaces, or any environment with lateral impact risk. Compare the specifics on our Type I vs Type II industry standard page before choosing a class for your crew.
How do you tell if a hard hat is Type II?
Check the manufacturer's label inside the shell. Every certified hard hat lists its ANSI Type (I or II) along with its Class (G, E, or C) for electrical protection. Type II helmets also tend to have a more enclosed suspension system and a shell shape built to distribute side-load impacts, which is different from the shallower profile common on Type I hard hats.
What materials are Type II safety helmets made from, and how durable are they?
Most Type II hard hats in our catalog, including the Honeywell Fibre-Metal climbing style helmets, use high-density thermoplastic shells designed to hold up to jobsite abrasion, UV exposure, and temperature swings. The non-vented shell construction also helps maintain the helmet's protective rating over years of daily wear on roofing, utility, and industrial sites.
How does custom printing and sizing work on Type II hard hats?
 Type II hard hats are customized using full-color DTF (Direct to Film) transfers, which are professionally applied to the helmet shell. Because Type II helmet shapes and available print areas vary by model, logo size depends on the specific hard hat and imprint location. Logos can typically be added to the front, back, left, or right side, depending on the model, and our team will size your artwork appropriately for the selected location. 
What's the turnaround and bulk pricing for custom Type II hard hats?
Standard production runs 12 business days plus FedEx or UPS transit. Type II helmets have a 6-unit minimum order, and per-unit pricing drops as order size increases, similar to our bulk-branded crew programs described on the construction hard hats page. Add-on imprints run $15 for full-color logos or $20 to include individual names per placement.

What Makes a Hard Hat Type II Instead of Type I

The Type I vs Type II hard hat distinction comes down to which direction of impact the shell and suspension are engineered to absorb. Type I hard hats are tested for a blow striking the crown of the head, straight down. That covers the classic hazard of a dropped tool or falling debris from above, which is why Type I remains the default for framing crews, roofers, and general labor. You can browse our full lineup of Type 1 Class C hard hats, Type 1 Class E hard hats, and Type 1 Class G hard hats if that's the right fit for your crew.
Type II hard hats are tested for off-center impacts, meaning blows that land on the side, front, or back of the shell rather than straight on top. That protection matters most where workers move through tight clearances or near equipment that can swing, shift, or fall sideways rather than straight down. The suspension system inside a Type II helmet is also built differently, often with a dual locking ratchet design like the one used on the Honeywell Fibre-Metal climbing style helmets, to keep the shell stable during a lateral hit instead of just cushioning a downward strike.

Why More Crews Are Switching to Side Impact Hard Hats

The shift toward side-impact hard hats reflects the changing safety needs of today’s job sites. Utility companies climbing poles and towers, oil and gas crews working in tight rig spaces, and mining or industrial operators moving through low overhead clearances have all pushed safety managers to reassess whether top-only protection covers their real-world incident reports. A dropped wrench is still a top-impact hazard, but a worker backing into a steel beam or getting clipped by a swinging load is a side-impact hazard that a standard Type I shell was never tested against.
Union locals and trade schools have also started specifying ANSI Type II hard hat requirements in their training programs, since climbing and confined-space work show up early in apprenticeship curricula. That's driving demand for helmets like the MSA V-Gard H2 Type II helmet, which pairs a vented shell with a ratchet suspension built for the type of movement climbers and linemen deal with daily. For a broader breakdown of how these classifications stack up, our hard hat types and classes guide covers ANSI Type and Class ratings side by side.

Choosing the Right Type II Helmet for Your Crew

Not every Type II hard hat needs to be non-vented, and not every job calls for a climbing-style shell. Roofers and framers working outdoors in summer heat may prefer a vented Type II helmet like the MSA V-Gard H2 for airflow, while linemen and tower climbers often stick with non-vented shells like the Honeywell Fibre-Metal line for a tighter, more secure fit during suspension work. Color also plays a practical role beyond branding. Crews commonly separate roles or certifications by shell color, and our catalog carries Type II helmets in black, blue, and brown, along with green, orange, red, white, and yellow.
Once you've settled on shell type and color, custom printing turns a generic safety helmet into identifiable crew gear. Full-color logos, crew names, or department markings printed on the front, back, and both sides help supervisors spot personnel at a glance on a busy site, which is covered in more detail in our post on customizing your safety with custom hard hats.

Type I vs Type II Hard Hats at a Glance

Here's how the two ANSI-rated hard hat types compare on protection, construction, and typical use cases.

FeatureType I Hard HatsType II Hard Hats
Impact protectionTop of head onlyTop, sides, front, and back
Best suited forFraming, roofing, general labor, drywallUtility work, tower climbing, confined spaces, industrial crews
Suspension designStandard pin-lock or ratchetReinforced ratchet, often dual locking
Shell profileShallower, lighter shellDeeper shell shape for lateral impact absorption
Typical shell styleCap style or full brimCap style or climbing style helmet
Example productType 1 Class G hard hatsHoneywell Fibre-Metal Climbing Style Type II Helmet

Custom Type II Hard Hats and Helmets

Every Type II helmet below ships with your choice of full-color logo, crew name, or department imprint on the front, back, and side panels. Minimum order is 6 units, with volume pricing on larger crew runs.
Type II Safety Helmets

Honeywell Fibre-Metal Climbing Style Type II Helmet, Black

Shop on Custom Hard Hats
Type II Safety Helmets

Honeywell Fibre-Metal Climbing Style Type II Helmet, Dark Blue

Shop on Custom Hard Hats
Type II Safety Helmets

MSA, V-Gard H1 Safety Helmet, Fas-Trac III Pivot Ratchet, Novent, White

Shop on Custom Hard Hats
Type II Safety Helmets

MSA, V-Gard H2 Safety Helmet, Type II, Ratchet Suspension, Vented - Custom Black Hard Hat

Shop on Custom Hard Hats

Outfit Your Crew With Custom Type II Hard Hats

Whether you're upgrading a linework crew to side-impact protection or standardizing PPE across a jobsite, we'll print your logo, crew name, or department colors on ANSI-rated Type II helmets and ship them to your door in as little as 12 business days plus transit. Minimum order is just 6 units, with tiered pricing for larger crews.

Shop Custom Hard Hats
Shop by Brand
Shop by Industry
Helpful Info
Our Brands

Web Design and Development by LAG | © All rights reserved