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not have regulations for bump caps like Eu- rope does, so “anytime a worker is required to have head protection, a bump cap—of course—would not be appropriate. But, in those situations where head protection isn’t required, bump caps might be useful to help avoid discomfort or injury if workers were to bump their head,” Cooper said.
Climbing Style Helmets?
For Occupational Settings? Climbing style helmets have traditionally been used for recreational purposes, but now they are growing in popularity in oc- cupational settings. Some workers find them more comfortable or convenient for accessories than other head PPE, and they may meet the ANSI and CSA requirements for Type 1 hard hat protection.
“Some people like the feel and the com- fort of the slightly different shape of climb- ing style helmets,” Cooper said. “Climbing style helmets are also designed to have a chin strap to help hold them on the wearer’s head. Some safety managers are encourag- ing the use of chin straps, and some work- ers are finding that these helmets are more comfortable as a system with a chin strap.”
However, recent confusion about climb- ing style helmets and European standards (EN) are tripping some people up. “In the case of climbing-style helmets, many of them meet what’s called a ‘mountaineer- ing’ standard for the EN head products, known as EN 12492. The language can be very similar to parts of the language in the ANSI and CSA Type II requirements, but they’re actually referring to different things, and should not be confused,” Cooper said.
“As always, I would encourage people to consider the benefits of climbing style hel- mets that meet ANSI/CSA requirements where ANSI/CSA head protection is re- quired,” Cooper said.
What Can We Expect in the Future?
It’s safe to say head protection will continue to be a priority for health and safety pro- fessionals, PPE manufacturers, and even researchers. With new and old technology converging in the market, Cooper expects not only an increasing emphasis on head protection, but also head protection to be in the conversation with other fields like fall protection.
“There’s growing interest in finding so- lutions that will help protect workers from head injuries. More research is needed to
understand how to update current stan- dards’ performance requirements for head PPE and to design these products to meet those updated prerequisites,” Cooper said.
“As an example, there’s very little pub- lished scientific data to help us understand the various effects of workers falling in oc- cupational environments. This includes data on slips, trips and falls and those falls from heights and the potential interaction between these events and head protection. I think the future will see research that will help us better understand not just what happens to someone when they fall but specifically the ways we can help protect
their head,” Cooper said.
While not all head injuries can be
prevented, appropriate head protection can play a crucial role in helping to save a worker from discomfort, injury or even death.
Amanda Smiley is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine and 1105 Media.
REFERENCES
1. The 2015 edition of the National Safety Council chartbook “Injury Facts”
www.ohsonline.com
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