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Helmets

When we think about Search & Rescue (SAR) one key piece of personal equipment stands out for me, head protection.

This month we’ll have a look at a few different helmets commonly used across the UKs’ SAR network. 

To keep things simple, I’ve grouped the industrial standard EN397 & the Mountaineering standard EN12492 together as a lot of teams use (knowingly or not, hybrid helmets).

When I’m training SAR teams, I start off by asking ‘why are you wearing a helmet?’  a question that often gets strange looks.  However, unless it’s part of your uniform, then it really should be worn in conjunction with some form of risk assessment, so that we are protecting members from a foreseeable hazard with the correct equipment.

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As with everything we do in SAR, we should ask ourselves, why are we doing this?  Is it because we’ve always done it or is there a foreseeable risk, can we manage the risk without PPE and does the equipment protect us from the risk?

Having concluded that a helmet is the right tool for the job, let’s look at a few of the selection of helmets used for land operations.

For those not familiar with the 2 main helmet types, these are EN397 (specification for industrial safety helmets) & EN12492 (Helmets for mountaineers must provide protection against hazards that may occur during activities undertaken by mountaineers).

The first question should be are we working in an Industrial setting or a Mountaineering setting?

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But what’s different about the 2 standards?  EN 397 specifies the requirements for industrial safety helmets, which primarily provide protection against falling objects, whereas EN 12492 covers helmets for use in mountaineering which includes a risk of swinging and repeated all-round impact.

Theres a lot more to the standards than this, but in a nutshell, if the risk is from a falling / tumbling impact where you want the helmet to stay on your head, then the Mountaineering standard would a good option.  Whereas if the risk is from a falling object onto the crown of the helmet and you require protection from Industrial type hazards Electricity, hot works, Arc Flash etc) then an Industrial version would be better.

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For many years mountaineering helmets have been used in industrial rescue environments due to the higher level of all round protection provided by EN12492.  Fortunately, over the last 10 years several helmet manufacturers have produced helmets meeting both standards (with some exclusions of parts of the standards).

What this means in real term is that its much easier these days to be able to select a helmet which is suitable for most of the environments that SAR Teams operate in.

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Historically one area that was difficult to address was the difference in the strength requirements of the chin straps. The industrial standard needs to release relatively easily to prevent entrapment, whereas the Mountaineering standard requires the chin strap to keep the helmet secure during a fall.


Help was on hand about 10 years ago when heightec designed the first chin strap on their DUON helmet that could be altered to meet either standard, allowing dynamic risk assessment while wearing the helmet.  Since then, more companies have followed suit, either providing 2 different strength chin straps or a ‘switchable’ one. 

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The buckle has 2 settings, 1 dot for weaker Industrial setting & 2 dots for the stronger Mountaineering setting.

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Let’s look at 3 of the most common helmets & then something a little bit different!

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DUON helmet

We might as well continue with the heightec DUON, available in 7 different colours, with or without side vents.  The vented version can have the vents locked closed for weather & other hazard prevention.  This is a traditional style helmet (350g) with a plastic shell & suspended webbing cradle inside.  Adjustment is via a wheel at the rear (52cm – 66cm) but also it has front adjustment for a very accurate fit. 

 

The helmet comes with front & rear torch / camera slots, 4 head torch strap holders & euro slots for ear defenders.  Options include sticker packs, replacement sweat pads, branding & visors.

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Meets both EN397 & EN12492

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Next on the list is the Petzl Vertex, again available in 7 colours.  Supplied with closeable side vents, adjustment is provided via a yellow wheel on either side of the temple, these adjust the sides and rear. (53cm – 63cm).  Weight of the Vertex is 490g, as well as having a webbing cradle it also uses as polystyrene insert in the crown area.  Like the heightec DUON, it has a ‘switchable’ chin strap buckle & the usual ear defender slots, torch fittings and similar option pack with stickers, visors, replacement sweat pads etc.

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Meets both EN397 & EN12492

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The Kask Super Plasma has been a firm favourite of SAR Teams for many years, its low-profile fit (no cradle this one uses a polystyrene liner) available in 9 different colour ways & weighing in at 390g. Adjustment is via a rear wheel and the retractable rear strap gives a snug fit & also prevents the wheel getting damaged when in a bag.  The cut outs inside the polystyrene inner area great for storing a pair of medical gloves!  The vents are covered on the outer by a vey fine meshing giving good ventilation while maintaining protection form penetrating objects.

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The Super Plasma doesn’t have the selectable shin strap so selection of the right standard needs to be done, also there’s no ear defender slot, this an add on via an additional set of clips.  Again, a full range of accessories is available for the KASK.

 

Meets EN397 OR EN12492 depending on the model selected.

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SOVOS Helmet, now it’s not often we see helmet innovation (the last big one was the heightec DUON selectable chin strap) however the SOVOS really is innovative.  The base helmet in white meets both EN 397 & EN12492 & has the option of either chin strap (interchangeable).  A polystyrene type of inner, interchangeable sweat pads & rear adjuster makes it a low-profile well-fitting helmet.  The rear wheel can be retracked when not in use to prevent damage in a bag.

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The helmet has options for slot in ear defenders, clip on visor and over anti scratch guard, sticker pack and replacement sweat pads.

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The innovative element is in the colour options, the SOVOS can be supplied with very inexpensive coloured (7 colour options) over skins.  This adds protection to the under structural helmet & allows for stickers, branding etc to beaded with no risk to the under helmets strength.  Once it’s covered in induction stickers you simply unclip the 4 helmet clips push on another outer skin, re clip the torch clips and it’s a different colour!

Everything about the clipping / unclipping feels high quality and has a ‘LEGO brick’ click to it.

I think the new SOVOS helmet will become a firm favourite in the world of SAR Teams over the next couple of years.

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Extracts from both standards

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EN 397 – Industrial safety helmets

This standard goes back over 50 years and testing is only carried out on the top of the helmet. A 49J impact only to the crown of the helmet is required for shock absorption, and a penetration test is conducted with a 3kg conical striker from 1m. There are no side, front, or rear impact requirements in this standard only an optional lateral rigidity test, which is a slow, progressive force loading followed by measurement of any deformation.

Additionally, the standard includes other options such as molten metal resistance and 440V electrical insulation.

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EN 397 does not include a mandatory requirement for chin straps. Optional chin straps must release under a force of 150 – 250N.

EN 12492 – Helmets for mountaineers 

Helmets complying to the mountaineering standard are impact tested with two 5kg strikers. A hemispherical striker is dropped from 2m onto the crown of the helmet and a flat striker from 0.5m on to the front, rear, and side by tilting the headform to 30°. In all cases, the transmitted force through the neck of the headform must not exceed 10kN. Two penetration tests with a 3kg pointed striker are also performed within a 50mm radius of the helmet’s crown, ensuring the striker does not contact the headform.

Chin straps are mandatory for EN 12492 helmets. The retention system is tested to ensure the strap does not break or stretch when tested with a force of 500N.

Though the standard refers to ‘mountaineering’ helmets, EN 12492 helmets are also used for other work at height due to the type of protection offered.

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EN 12492 helmets have different requirements for the harness or cradle, which must incorporate an integral chin strap that does not break or stretch under force. EN 397 helmets, however, do not require a mandatory chin strap, and an optional chin strap must break under a force of between 150N and 250N to reduce the risk of a wearer being injured by becoming caught in machinery in an industrial environment. EN 12492 helmets also feature an internal impact liner to improve side impact protection.

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