Edward W. Bullard invented the hard hat in 1919, then patented it in 1929. It's credited with saving lives on job sites while also becoming a symbol of working-class America.

The phrase “hard hats,” according to an article in the New York Times, has even become “shorthand for working people with a conservative patriotism.” Taking care of the planet has ...

The question remains: Will the hard hat remain the iconic symbol of the construction site 10 or 15 years from now, or will the safety helmet be just as accurate of a depiction? Only time will tell.

Hence the "hard boiled" name. The original hat cost all of $3. Her great grandfather used the doughboy helmets from World War I as inspiration, and added cotton straps for suspension.

It said it published a fact sheet on January 30 to help the building industry understand its obligations under 2013 Building Code and an updated version introduced in December 2016.