Smart Thinking: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries and Reducing Risk on the Job Site
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are the leading cause of death and disabilities in the U.S. for individuals aged 1 to 44, and, according to the most recent data from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 586 TBI-related hospitalizations and 190 TBI-related deaths each day. In honor of March being National Brain Injury Awareness Month, we’re breaking down the different types of brain injuries, their long-term effects, and ways you can protect yourself from traumatic brain injuries on job sites.
Categorizing Traumatic Brain Injuries
Closed vs Penetrating TBIs: Traumatic brain injuries can be categorized into two categories: non-penetrating (closed) and penetrating (open). Closed TBIs can occur when there is a head injury that has no break to the skull, but rather there is rapid shaking of the brain that can cause brain tissue and blood vessels to bruise and tear. Open TBIs, however, are identified as a head injury where there is a break in the skull.
Primary vs Secondary TBIs: Another way TBIs can be categorized is determining whether it's a primary brain injury or a secondary brain injury. Those who suffer a primary TBI will experience immediate damage, whereas those who face secondary brain injuries will experience gradual damage over the following hours, days, or even weeks after the initial injury.
Long-Term Effects of Brain Injuries
While the side effects of some these injuries can be short-lived, more serious TBIs can lead to more long-term medical struggles, which can vary depending on the area of the brain that was injured. Injuries to the frontal lobe can lead to the individual engaging in behavior that is deemed inappropriate or dangerous. Damage to the left side of the brain can cause difficulty with logic and speech, while injuries to the right side of the brain can result in cognitive issues like struggling to process visual information and difficulty performing simple daily tasks.
Other, more general long-term effects of TBIs can include, but are not limited to, difficulty understanding social situations and communication, regulatory disturbances, personality and psychiatric shifts, and decreased motor skills.
How Head Protection Can Help
Wearing a hard hat or safety helmet can truly be a matter of life and death when working on a job site. Slips, trips and falls can occur, debris can go flying, and machines can malfunction; which is why you should always check and make sure that your PPE is compliant, has a sound suspension system, and is adjusted to fit your head properly to prevent it from falling off.
Type I vs Type II: Pyramex is a proud distributor of both Type I and Type II head protection. Type I is designed to protect you from an impact on the top of the head, whereas Type II protection ensures safety from impacts on both the top and side of your head.
Mips®: The Ridgeline® Type II Full Brim Hard Hat features Mips® (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System) – an added layer that allows for slight rotational movement inside the helmet. This design helps reduce rotational forces to the brain during angled impacts.
Using Your Brain to Protect Your Brain: Pyramex offers a wide range of fully compliant, third-party tested hard hats and safety helmets that are designed to keep your head safe on any job. Before you step into your next workday, take a moment to think about the risks and make sure your headgear is right where it should be: on your head, protecting what matters most.
Click here to view our full line of hard hats, safety helmets, and accessories.
