Factory Processor’s Bump Hat

Factory Processor’s Bump Hat

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Description
The factory inside a large trawler like the Alaska Ocean is filled with equipment for filleting, processing, freezing, and packing enormous quantities of fish. Workers are trained in safety procedures and also wear protective headgear and earplugs as they work. While not required to wear certified safety helmets like the fishermen on the weather deck, they wear bump hats molded from high-density polyethylene for protection from minor bumps and bruises.
This yellow bump hat was worn by Thelma McFarland, a fish processor, who was working her third season aboard the Alaska Ocean in 2007. She wore it over a disposable hairnet, which covered and held her hair in place, a requirement for maintaining sanitary conditions in the factory. There are typically four factory shifts, and the bump hats are color-coded according to each shift—blue for A, yellow for B, green for C, and orange for D shift. The color-coding allows managers to quickly assess the number of workers that will be needed on extra kicker shifts. The lead managers in each area wear red bump hats.
Object Name
hard hat
bump hat
date made
2007
Associated Date
2007
used
McFarland, Thelma
maker
Bullard
Associated Place
United States: Alaska
United States: Pacific Coast
United States: Washington
North Pacific
Bering Sea
Physical Description
plastic (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 4 3/4 in x 7 1/4 in x 11 in; 12.065 cm x 18.415 cm x 27.94 cm
ID Number
2007.0178.13
catalog number
2007.0178.13
accession number
2007.0178
Credit Line
Alaska Ocean thru Jeff Hendricks
subject
Fishing
Contemporary United States
See more items in
Work and Industry: Maritime
Clothing & Accessories
Work
Industry & Manufacturing
Natural Resources
On the Water exhibit
Exhibition
On the Water
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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