Bullard, the Kentucky-based manufacturer of high-quality personal protective equipment and systems, announced that Edward W. Bullard will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame next month. E. W. is being recognized posthumously for his invention of the Hard Boiled® hard hat, the first commercially available industrial head protection device, in 1919.
Founded in San Francisco by E. W.’s father Edward Dickinson Bullard, the E.D. Bullard Co. originally supplied carbine lamps and mining equipment to gold and copper miners. Upon returning home from serving in the U.S. Army in France during WWI, E. W. began working for his family’s business, and it was during this time that he recognized a need for improved safety in the mines. Inspired by the steel doughboy helmet he had worn in the Army, E. W. designed the Hard Boiled hard hat for gold and copper miners.
Though created initially for workers in the mines, Bullard’s hard hat was quickly adopted by workers in other industries. The Hard Boiled hard hat grew exponentially in popularity, ultimately leading to Bullard’s close work with Joseph B. Strauss, engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge, to adapt Bullard hats to protect the bridge workers. Bullard hard hats were also used to protect workers on the Hoover Dam.
“For over 100 years, Bullard has been innovating and evolving our processes and our products to fit our customers’ ever-changing needs,” said Wells Bullard, CEO of Bullard. “Inspired by the vision and ingenuity of E. W. and his Hard Boiled hard hat, our team today follows a simple formula for success: watch, listen, learn. We watch our customers work and listen to their needs, and we learn about their specific job hazards, so that we can always provide them with the innovative products they need to go home safely at the end of the day.”
Today, Bullard, which relocated from California to Kentucky in 1972, is led by E. W. Bullard’s great-granddaughter Wells Bullard. The fifth-generation company, which still produces hard hats, has expanded to produce protective equipment and systems, including hard hats, fire helmets, respirators, and thermal imagers, for workers in a range of industries worldwide.
E. W. Bullard will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame at the 2022 Induction Event on May 5, 2022, in Washington, DC.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
New Watt Stopper emergency relay panel
Watt Stopper/Legrand has developed a new relay panel to provide fail-safe emergency lighting in a variety of commercial settings. The Emergency Relay Panel option is UL924 listed for use on emergency circuits. It is available as an option with Watt Stopper’s 24 or 48 relay size Lighting Integrator (LI) low voltage lighting control panels.
| Aug 11, 2010
Three Opus Corporation companies file for bankruptcy
Opus Corporation, a developer headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., filed for bankruptcy in three of its five regional operating companies: Opus East, Opus South, and Opus West. CEO Mark Rauenhorst said sharp declines in commercial real estate values and tight credit markets caused difficulties in refinancing assets and restructuring lending agreements.
| Aug 11, 2010
'Too cold' and 'too hot' most common complaints among office workers, says IFMA study
The International Facility Management Association has released “Temperature Wars: Savings vs. Comfort,” a new study that takes an in-depth look at the most common thermal complaints made by workers and the variety of ways facility professionals respond to them.For many years, IFMA has surveyed facility professionals to learn the top office complaints among employees.
| Aug 11, 2010
SSOE, Fluor among nation's largest industrial building design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Industrial Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Walmart establishes sustainable product index to evaluate 'greeness' of products
Walmart today announced plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index during a meeting with 1,500 of its suppliers, associates and sustainability leaders at its home office. The index will establish a single source of data for evaluating the sustainability of products.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Manitoba Hydro Place, Tornado Tower among world's 'best tall buildings,' according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last week announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are: Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Canada; Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China; The Broadgate Tower, London, UK; Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar.