PERSONAL PROTECTIVE

EQUIPMENT
: HEAD PROTECTION

BY: SFTY GROUP #3

 Lance Angelo Balan - 2020113206
 Ram Banal - 2018131136
 Mark Lloyd Batala - 2020102284
 April Ann Denise Bautista - 2020110712

To: Engr. Josephine A. Ng, RCh

Head Protection
Introduction
In many industrial working environments, for example, mining, power,
construction, and forestry, the risk of head injury to workers is constantly present.
The most serious risks are physical injuries, which can be as a result of the impact
of a falling object or collision with fixed objects at the workplace. Due to the
nature of these work activities, it is not always possible to eliminate such risks with
just appropriate organizational solutions or collective protective equipment.
Therefore, the only way to ensure the safety of workers is by using safety helmets.
The type of helmet will depend on the specific nature of the physical risks that
have been identified in the risk assessment undertaken for the activity. This article
provides information for users of protective helmets as well as employers and OSH
engineers. It includes information on definitions and gives the requirements for
different kind of protective helmets that offer protection against physical risks.

What does Head Protection mean?

Head protection is an item of personal protective equipment (PPE), which is
generally designed to protect the scalp area and sometimes the jaw as well. The
face is generally not covered by head protection and eye protection. Noise
protection or hearing protection and respiratory protection are separate kinds of
PPE, thus are not covered under head protection. Head protection is any equipment
that protects these areas from impact trauma and burns.

Importance of Head Protection

Head injuries are one of the most common causes of fatality. It is important to
choose the correct head gear and use it correctly. A common example of head
protection is a hard hat. The American National Standard for Industrial Head
Protection (ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014) provides testing and performance standards
for industrial helmets or hard hats. Specifications include optimization for
horizontal impact or impact from the top and electrical protection insulation, as
well as heat protection. These have supporting straps to keep them in place.
Choosing appropriate head gear and training should be done after a risk assessment
and safety plan.
Head injuries may be caused by falling or flying objects, or by bumping the head
against a fixed object. Protective helmets must do three things:

 impact from objects falling from above, by resisting and deflecting blows to
the head.
 hitting fixed dangerous objects at the workplace,
 lateral forces - depending on the type of hard hat selected. Traditional hard
hats are not designed to protect users from impacts to the front, side or back
of the head.
 open flame, molten metals splash, electric shock, high temperature –
depending on the additional protective properties of the hard hat selected,
e.g. a basic, standard safety helmet does not protect against an electric
shock.

Head injuries may be prevented by the selection and use of appropriate head
protection.

Types of Helmets
Industrial safety helmets
the most common and basic form of PPE aimed at protecting an employee’s head
is an industrial safety helmet. Regardless of the differences in their structural
protection, these type of helmets will feature the following components: shell,
harness and headband.
Figure 1: Construction of an industrial safety helmet. 1 – shell, 2 – harness, 3 –
harness fixing, 4 – headband, 5 – sweatband, 6 – peak, 7 – chinstrap.

The helmet’s shell is the rigid outer section of the helmet, and is usually made
from polyethylene, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene – a thermoplastic) or
fiberglass hardened with polyester resins The basic function of the shell is to
provide protection by reducing the force of a falling object striking or impacting on
the user’s head. Depending on its design, the shell can have a peak, a brim or a rain
gutter, ventilation openings, or attachment devices for eye and face protection and
ear protectors.
The harness is the internal part of the helmet (fastened to the inside of the shell)
consisting of a system of strips made of woven bands or polyethylene. The main
purpose of the harness is to absorb the energy from an impact on the shell and to
spread the force evenly over the wearer’s head, minimizing the risk of harm to the
user. It should be noted that a helmet, with the harness closely attached to the rim
of the shell and without any additional protective padding, will not provide
effective protection against any lateral impacts. However, helmets with shells of
sufficient rigidity will also provide partial protection of the user’s head against any
lateral forces.
The shell and harness have been designed to work together in the helmet as a unit
when fitted the correct way round i.e. the peak facing forward. The harness should
not be removed and refitted so that the helmet can be worn backwards because the
helmet has not been designed to absorb impact when worn in this way.
The headband is the part that contours the head at the height of the forehead and
the base of the skull and, together with the harness, allows for the stable
positioning of the helmet on the user’s head. The headband is equipped with two
adjustment mechanisms for changing its length and the wearing height, and this
increases its stability when positioned on the head. Most industrial protective
helmets will have a sweatband incorporated in the headband which acts as a sweat-
absorbing pad.
Industrial safety helmets can also have additional equipment which does not need
to be included, such as a chinstrap that is designed to keep the helmet in place and
prevents it from falling when workers move their heads or they might include grips
for attaching other personal protective equipment elements, e.g. eye and face
protection.

Industrial bump caps

Industrial bump caps should only be used in workplaces where the risk assessment
has identified no hazards from objects falling from above and only a danger of
superficial head injuries caused by light impact against structural elements. In
these cases an industrial safety helmet would not be required.
By wearing an industrial bump cap, workers can avoid the following discomforts:
 the pressure being exerted by the harness and the headband on the user’s
head.
 the additional weight on the neck muscles from the helmet mass bump caps
are lighter than industrial safety helmets.
 the lack of ventilation on the upper part of the head. This is especially
bothersome whilst doing hard physical work and or when working at high
temperatures in the workplace.
The most important elements of an industrial bump cap in comparison with designs
that comply with the specifications in is their lower mass and their smaller
dimensions. Figure 2 shows an example of an industrial bump cap.

Figure 2: Construction of an industrial bump caps.

1 - internal shell, 2 - nape band, 3 - protective padding
High performance industrial safety helmets
There are industrial workplaces where the risks of head injuries are so high that
industrial safety helmets compliant with the EN 397 [3] are not sufficient to provide
a suitable degree of protection. Examples of industry sectors where such
workplaces exist include mining and construction. In such cases, the risk
assessment undertaken would have identified that employees must be equipped
with high performance industrial safety helmets i.e. helmets that comply with EN
14052 [9]. Compared to the helmets compliant with the EN 397 [3], these helmets are
characterized by the following properties:
 they provide the same level of shock absorption (i.e. force transmitted to the
user’s head) when exposed to an impact with a double energy (the impact
energy during the testing of high performance industrial safety helmets (EN
14052) is approximately twice the amount used for industrial helmets
(EN397)).
  they protect the head against vertical impacts (on the highest point on the
shell) and against lateral impacts (from the front, back and sides).
 they ensure an increased level of protection against the impact of sharp
objects.

High performance industrial safety helmets also consist of a shell, harness and a
headband. The most popular method of enhancing the helmets shock absorption
properties and provide protection against lateral impact, is by the introduction of
protective padding that absorbs the energy from the impact and therefore reduces
the forces transmitted onto the user’s head. This padding is usually made of foams
with adequate force-deformation ratio properties, e.g. polyurethane or high-density
polystyrene. An example of such a design is shown in figure 3.
Figure 3: Construction of a high performance industrial safety helmet. 1 – shell, 2
– harness, 3 – headband, 4 – sweatband, 5 – chinstrap, 6 – protective padding
The design of these types of helmets includes a more stable method of fitting onto
the user’s head in order to prevent it from falling during an impact, especially
lateral ones. This additional stability is reflected in the construction of the
headband, the chinstrap and the system of supporting the helmet. Better resistance
to penetration is achieved by using shells made of thicker or harder materials.
However, achieving this additional protection results in an increase in mass of the
helmet and therefore an additional load on the user.

Requirement and Selection

Selecting a helmet to suite the user and situation
The term “selected” refers to the employer undertaking a comprehensive risk
assessment to establish the need for head protection within the area and to
determine its suitability. It is important to note that all PPE should be used as a last
resort and only after implementing other controls. With regard head protection the
employer will have a choice of three different types of head protection i.e.
industrial bump caps, industrial safety and high performance industrial safety
helmets.
According to the above-mentioned standards EN 397, and EN 14052 safety
helmets must comply with a series of requirements, which relate to the following
issues:
 materials used for the production of shells and interior equipment
 geometric structural parameters
 shock absorption
 resistance to penetration
 resistance to flame.
Special purpose helmets have to comply with additional requirements regarding:
 breaking strength of the attachment points of the chinstrap
 dielectric properties
 resistance to lateral forces
 resistance to molten metal splash
  resistance to high temperatures.
In order to provide proper protection of the user’s head against mechanical impact,
safety helmets must be suitably selected from different types and constructions.
When making a decision on the selection of a particular helmet, the employer must
choose taking into consideration the following factors:
 The characteristics of the risk factors identified in the risk assessment and
for which protection is needed (e.g. vertical impact, lateral impacts,
transverse compression forces, etc.)
 Operating temperature range.
The helmet shall maintain its safety parameters in the entire range of temperatures
occurring at a workplace. There are four categories of helmets classified according
to this feature:
 basic (operating temperature range from -10°C to +50°C - no special
marking of the helmet)
 for low temperature applications (operating temperature range from -20°C -
labelling on the helmet -20°C)
 for very low temperature applications (operating temperature range from
-30°C – labelling on the helmet -30°C)
 for very high temperature applications (operating temperature range to
+150°C – labelling on the helmet +150°C)
 Must suit the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the helmet.
Adjustment range of the main ring and the wearing height of the helmet
must be appropriate for user’s head size. If the users help to choose their
head protection, they will be more likely to use it.
 Adjustment means conducting proper fitting, i.e. adjusting the perimeter of
the main ring, the height of wearing, and the length of the chinstrap in order
to adapt the helmet to the size of the user’s head.
 Presence of other hazards (e.g. electric shock, high temperature):
 at workplaces where there is an electric shock hazard, helmets with
dielectric strength shall be used – labelling on the helmet: 440V AC.
  at workplaces where worker is exposed to the impact of melted metal
fragments, helmets resistant to such impact shall be used – labelling
on the helmet: MM.
 at workplaces where there is a risk of lateral deformation of the head,
helmets resistant to this type of hazard shall be used – labelling on the
helmet LD.
 at workplaces where intense physical effort is required at high
ambient temperature, causing excessive sweating, a helmet with good
ventilation should be chosen, e.g. equipped with ventilation openings
and a sweat absorber.
 at workplaces threatened with explosion hazard, helmets with anti-
electrostatic properties shall be used.
Performing tasks that can cause the helmet to fall down from the head (e.g. using it
together with personal protective equipment for the protection of falls from a
height
 If the tasks performed at a workplace may cause the helmet to fall down
from the worker’s head, for example due to the position that he must adopt
during work, then a helmet should be selected with a construction that will
prevents this, i.e. with a specially formed headband to precisely fit the back
of one’s head or with a chinstrap.
 A requirement to use other elements of personal protective equipment and
additional accessories (e.g. eye and face protection, ear protectors, a lamp
installed above the peak, etc.) together with the helmet. It is important to
make sure that if more than one item of PPE is being worn that they can be
used together.

Proper use of the Safety helmets

Proper use means following the rules and instructions specified by the
manufacturer in the operating manual e.g. conditions and ways of using the
product, recommended methods of maintenance and storage as well as the
conditions for qualifying a helmet for withdrawal from service.
The most important rules of proper use of safety helmets include:
  Prior to using, a helmet must be fitted to the user’s head by proper
adjustment: of the headband, height of wearing and the length of the
chinstrap (if it is present).
 Helmet must be withdrawn from service if it was exposed to a strong impact
or shows signs of damage.
 Interior elements of a safety helmet must be regularly inspected (harness,
headband, sweatband) as they are exposed to sweat, dust, etc. These factors
cause an accelerated degradation of the materials of which the helmet
components are made. Parts inside the helmet shall be replaced as often as
required by the manufacturer and every time any damage is detected during
inspection. In the case of doubts, interior elements shall be replaced or the
entire helmet substituted by a new one.
 Helmet should be withdrawn from service if its expiry date, specified by the
manufacturer in the operating manual, has passed.
 Helmet shall be stored in compliance with the conditions specified by the
manufacturer, which pose no threat of losing its safety parameters (far from
heat sources, direct solar radiation, etc.).
 The construction of the helmet must not be modified by users, no stickers
shall be attached to the shell nor shall it be painted, etc.
 The maintenance of the helmet shall be conducted using methods
recommended by the manufacturer. Usually helmets can be cleaned with
mild detergents and warm water (not hotter than 45°C).

How does head protection reduce the level of the

force/acceleration on the head?
There are two key mechanisms:
 Some of the energy of an impact is absorbed by the head protection which
reduces the force/acceleration sustained by the head
 The duration of the impact is increased so that, for the same energy, the
maximum force/acceleration on the head is lower
In simple terms, head protection will act like the crumple zone on your car. It
absorbs some of the energy and spreads out the time of the impact. High speed
video of a hard hat during impact shows the helmet looking very like a jelly – it
wobbles and deforms, which absorbs energy. Of course, head protection must also
be strong enough to protect the head from penetration. And, just like the crumple
zone on your car, head protection should be replaced after an accident!

Conclusions
Statistical data regarding occupational accidents show that the most common cause of head
injuries are impacts from falling objects and impact against sharp and hard items. The
consequences of such an occurrence depend principally on the kinetic energy of the impact and
the shape and hardness of the material coming into contact with the head. Injuries caused by
mechanical factors may affect skin on the head, skull, brain and neck segments of the spinal
cord. In extreme cases, these injuries may lead to permanent disability or even a person’s death.
All the tasks related to the selection, maintenance, training in safe use, conducting inspections
and running a register of safety helmets is the responsibility of the employer.
When it follows from a risk assessment the user must wear a safety helmet from the very
beginning of his work and for the entire duration of the shift and is responsible for using head
protection equipment in accordance with its purpose. He shall also notify the employer or a
suitable occupational health and safety representative of any defects of this equipment.
However, one must remember that the use of helmets does not eliminate dangerous factors but
only reduces the gravity of their consequences.
And the Equipment must be in Regulation with the EU standards
 EU-OSHA – European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Risk assessment
essentials.
 EU-OSHA – European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Risk assessment, the key
to healthy workplaces, Factsheet.
 EU Commission, Personal protective equipment.