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Posted By bigwhistle
Anybody know whether cycling/rock climbing helmets are suitable legally for construction site head protection?
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Posted By J Knight
Cycling helmets certainly aren't,
John
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Posted By Cr8r
They are made to different standards and give different protection. The most obvious flaw with using a cycling helmet as a hard hat is that it doesn't cover the whole head, it has slots to allow ventilation. On a construction site, these slows could allow falling debris to injur the wearer. Not sure also if they are designed to withstand the same level of impact.
Cycling helmets would be incompatible with ear defenders and perhaps goggles. You cannot have a full visor attached either.
Usually cycling helmets do not have a peak.
Cycling helmets are also more expensive than hard hats!
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Posted By J Knight
Although, really, there isn't a 'legal' standard for hard hats; what you have to do is a Risk Assessment. Your assessment should (must, really) take applicable standards (BS, ISO, EN etc etc) into account, and if you decide to ignore them you'd have to go some to convince a judge. However, Cr8r is eaxctly right about bike hats, and I really can't imagine what a PPE assessment for a hard hat would have to look like to suggest a bike hat for a building site. Don't know nothink about climbing hats,
John
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Posted By John Lewis
I looked into this a few years ago because a contractor checking lifting tackle and beams under LOLER was wearing a climbing helmet. Under the circumstances it was appropriate for the task because some of the beams were at very high level, he was working from a MEWP and the head harness made absolutely certain that the hat stayed on his head. If memory serves the hat was made by Petzl and complied with all the necessary regs'.
John
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Posted By Ross Stirton Climbing helmets are acceptable for Rope Access technicians who are routinely used on the worksites I cover. Further info at http://www.irata.org.ukEveryone else uses either standard hard hats or, for specific activities where upward vision is important (e.g. riggers/banksmen) a 'linesmans' hard hat. Regards, S R Stirton
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Posted By Derek Holt
From a technical standpoint, climbing helmets meeting the required standard for such are subject to more rigorous impact testing than 'ordinary' site helmets. They are tested in four places around the circumference and on the top. Site helmets are only impact tested on the top. Generally those persons who work at height should use a climbing type helmet as it affords all round protection as during a fall situation you are more likely to impact the circumference of the head. It has been argued that climbing helmets can not be used as conventional site helmets stating that they do not meet the requirements of the same. This is true from the perspective that the retaining strap of a site helmet has to give way at a set loading whereas the climbing helmet retaining strap has to stay in place.In summary climbing helmets are stronger and have a longer life typically of five years but are more expensive. Cycling helmets should certainly not be used as they only meet the requirements of equivalent bump caps.
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Posted By Rob Malcolm
Is this for real?
Has anybody considered how incredibly naff someone on a construction site would look like in a cycling helmet? How can you police that!
Construction hard hats all meet the right BSI standards. My son has a 'Bob the Builder' cycling helmet but I bet if a brick fell on it you would know about it.
You'll end up with blokes turning up on site with all manner of hats looking more like the Village People than a professional outfit.
Like I said 'How can you police that'!
Rob
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Posted By Steve Leigh
Petzl helmets used by the majority of rope access companies meet both the industrial standard EN 397 and the mountaineering standard of EN 12492, cannot vouch for other brands/makes
Regards
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Posted By bigwhistle
Thx for the help; I guess Queenys advice about the Village People could fall under human factors.
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Posted By Cr8r
It's hard enough to get them to wear PPE anyway. If they ever suspected they looked like the Village People, the battle would be lost forever!
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Posted By bigwhistle
Sorry to resurrect this old china but are chin straps required on hard hats for day to day construction activities?
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Posted By Lynne Ratcliffe
if necessary!
my merry bunch wear them if it is very windy and they are likely to lose their hats or if they have the full visor and mounted muffs and need to get the hat balanced or when they have to use the pressure washer and it causes spray to knock off their hats.
Down to role and function, what doing to whom and where that decides whether the chin strap is needed to prevent loss of head gear.
hope this helps
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Posted By David AB Thomas
Refer to BS 8437: 2005, Code of practice for selection, use and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace (Clause 14.3.4).
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