A B737-300 CAPT RPTS HUD UNIT'S HINGE GUARDS ARE WORN OR MISSING AND ARE A SAFETY OF FLT PROB. GUARDS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED.

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IN THE PAST; MAINT WAS DOING A GOOD JOB OF CHKING THE CONDITION OF THE RUBBER GUARDS THAT ARE PLACED ON THE HGS COMBINER HINGES. RECENTLY; HOWEVER; I AM ENCOUNTERING SEVERAL ACFT IN DISREPAIR OVER THE COURSE OF A 3-DAY TRIP. THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS ARE PROBABLY OBVIOUS! A CAPT IS VULNERABLE TO A HEAD WOUND IF THE SHARP-EDGED HINGES ARE EXPOSED. OF EVEN GREATER CONCERN IS THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECT SUCH AN INJURY COULD HAVE IN A VIOLENT STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN CTL OF THE ACFT. IN SUCH A CASE; THE FORCE OF IMPACT WITH THESE UNPROTECTED SURFACES WOULD QUICKLY RENDER THE PLT UNCONSCIOUS. I RECOMMEND THAT CHKING THE PRESENCE AND CONDITION OF THESE PROTECTIVE RUBBER GUARDS BE A MANDATORY ITEM ON PLT MONITORING'S CHKS. I FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT THE PRACTICE OF PLACING SUCH DISCREPANCIES ON 'MAINT NOTE' BE DISCONTINUED. AN ITEM THAT INVOLVES (PERSONAL) SAFETY; SHOULD NOT BE DEFERRED FOR DEPARTMENTAL CONVENIENCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE HUD IS STORED; THE SHARP-EDGED HINGES; IF UNGUARDED; PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD. THE RPTR SAID THE HINGE GUARDS ARE DETERIORATING AND ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED IN A SAFE CONDITION.