Vernon Myers, an employee with Rifenburg Construction Inc. of Troy, New York, was sweeping some debris from a road construction project last January when the sideview mirror of a passing truck struck him on the head. Myers was wearing a V-Gard® hardhat from MSA.

"The doctor at the emergency room said the hardhat (which split in two) took the initial impact of the hit and saved Vern's life," the company's safety director said in a report of the incident to MSA. Myers received MSA's Gold Helmet Award at a company safety meeting.