ANSI Z89.1 separates hard hats into Type I and Type II. Type I is the traditional hard hat — it protects against impact from above (a wrench falling, a falling tool). Type II protects against impact from any angle — falling sideways off a ladder, getting hit by a swinging beam, a fall onto pavement.
For decades the entire US construction industry ran on Type I. The hard hat. Hard top, suspended liner inside, no chin strap on most models. Cheap, replaceable, instantly recognizable.
The Type II helmet — sometimes called a safety helmet — is closer to a climbing helmet. Foam liner, chin strap, full coverage. Looks more like what European jobsites have used for years. The reason it's spreading in the US: fall protection. The leading cause of construction fatalities is falls, and a hard hat falls off your head as you fall. The Type II stays on.
Major GCs have been mandating Type II since 2022 on their sites. If you're a sub working for a national GC, expect to be told to wear Type II in the next year if you're not already. Smaller GCs and residential generally still run Type I.
Price. Type I hard hats run $15-40. Type II safety helmets run $80-200. Resistance to the change is mostly price plus the unfamiliar look — guys think they look like a kid's bike helmet.
We stock both. Foremen who want to standardize a crew can do it on a fleet account — net-30, volume pricing on 5+, and we'll keep their preferred model in stock so replacement is fast.