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Safety Helmets with Mips® Offer Protection from Linear and Rotational Impacts

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Ben Julian, Marketing Channel Manager- Construction

Head protection has come a long way since the day of the “Hard-Boiled Hat” which made its appearance in the early 1920s to protect members of the U.S. Navy and coastal shipyard workers from impacts to the head. At that time, hard hats were $3, which translates to $48.75 in today’s economy. In 1928 the first hard hat suspension was introduced with the intention of better displacing the force of an impact to the top of the head should one occur. We refer to this concept today as “force-displacement,” and it is part of the reason why certain hard hats have different suspensions, including 4-point, 6-point and 8-point systems. Ten years later, the standard hard hat shell evolved from leather, tar and metal to aluminum, making for a much lighter wear. This evolution increased worker productivity and reduced the chances of workers doffing their hard hats while working due to neck strain and shoulder fatigue. A few years later, the progression of the hard hat shell continued with the introduction of the fiberglass hard hat. Fiberglass was introduced as an alternative to aluminum due to its tolerance to high heat. This was a popular choice for miners, metal and glass manufacturers in the 1940s, where working with extremely hot materials in hot environments was inevitable. Finally, in 1951 injection-molded plastic hard hats became the most popular form of occupational head protection due to their inexpensive manufacturing process compared to aluminum and fiberglass.

Today HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) are two of the most popular plastics used to manufacture hard hats. Over the past 60 years, we have seen minor advancements to the hard hat, including compatibility with face shields and ear muffs via universal accessory slots as well as integrated eyewear. The primary reason for these advancements has stemmed from end-user demand for versatile protection due to the rapid evolution of hazards on the job site.

THE REALITY OF TODAY’S JOB SITE

It may be an oversimplification, but not all job sites are the same. As was the case with workers building the Golden Gate bridge and the great Empire State Building, falling objects from above remains a prevalent hazard in construction and industrial settings. The hazard that falling object present is so common that the ANSI/ISEA 121-2018 standard was developed to address the testing and performance requirements for equipment used to tether and/or contain hand tools, components, structures and other objects from falling from at-heights applications. While this standard cannot eliminate the hazards associated with dropped objects, it does help with identifying and implementing the correct tethering solutions for specific weighted tools- thus reducing the chance of improper tethering systems used at heights. Workers at lower levels or on the ground are not only subject to head injuries from dropped objects -minor falls, slips and trips have attributed to the growing number of traumatic brain injuries on the job as well. On a standard job site, many workers are required to work on ladders, scaffolding and stilts. While many of these situations do not equate to working at heights above six feet, the injury related to losing balance and falling to the ground can be traumatic. For the past few years now, safety managers have mandated hard hats with added or integrated chinstraps to hold the head protection in place at impact. This simple transition has helped avoid direct impact between the skull and the ground once gravity has taken over.

Recent statistics show that falls have led to the most fatalities in construction and are deemed one of the "fatal four" hazards that all construction companies strive to protect against every day. Surprisingly, a hazard that is often overlooked is a variation of a fatal fall from heights -we are talking about simple slips, trips and falls at ground level. These types of slips or missteps occur almost daily on treacherous job sites that feature everything from uneven terrain, pipes, rocks, cement blocks, lead wire – we can go on. Workers often find themselves rushing from one step or level to another, stepping over hazards constantly in the spirit of completing tasks quickly, efficiently and most importantly of all, on time. When workers fall, it can almost be guaranteed that a standard hard hat has a significant chance of dislodging from the worker's head. As a result, the possibility of direct contact between the ground or a nearby structure with a worker's unprotected head becomes all too real. Oftentimes, the result is a minor scrape or bump and as such, is not reported as an occupational injury, but even a "bump" can be of concern when any contact with the head is involved.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND HEAD INJURIES

Despite traditional thoughts regarding impacts to the head on the job, most impacts to the head are not direct linear impacts. In fact, science tells us concussions and traumatic brain injuries are primarily the result of rotational force and strain to the brain. Injury statistics demonstrate that when someone trips on a level surface, they are much more likely to fall at an angle instead of directly on top of the head. This is due to the forward energy of motion that may extend to the head while hitting the ground, or a hanging/stationary hard surface. When rotational impacts occur, a rotational motion also occurs inside of the head. The brain is more sensitive to rotational motion than linear motion because it has shear properties similar to water or gel. When different parts of the brain move relative to each other as a result of rotational motion, the tissues can stretch, which can cause concussions or other brain injuries.

Why is this an interesting scientific finding? Simply put, it goes against how standard hard hats have been tested for the past 10+ years. Typical ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 testing on Type I hard hats involves the testing of crown (top of head) impact with an 8 lb. rounded anvil dropped at 18 feet per second as well as penetration testing to the crown with a 23 lb. pointed anvil dropped at 23 feet per second. The same method is used for Type II hard hats; only the same crown testing is performed off-center to the crown on the side of the hat. This method does an excellent job assessing the effectiveness of vertical and linear impact resistance but does not properly address protection against rotational impacts to the head. This finding alone has driven hard hat manufacturers like Protective Industrial Products to research, source and develop innovative safety solutions designed to help combat rotational impact-driven traumatic brain injuries.

INTRODUCING PIP’S TRAVERSE^™ SAFETY HELMET WITH MIPS^® TECHNOLOGY

Safety helmets are gaining more and more popularity in North America. What used to be thought of as a head protection solution for working at heights is now being adopted by large construction companies and their employees on every job – even for ground-level work. PIP’s Traverse^™ safety helmet with Mips^® technology is designed to help address all the trending head injury statistics gathered from the construction industry. The Traverse^™ features ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 Type II impact protection with class E and class C options. It’s low profile protective shell and integrated 4-point chin strap ensures a comfortable and secure fit to a worker’s head- even in the event of a slip, trip or fall- eliminating the chance of the safety helmet dislodging if gravity were to take over.

What is Mips^®?

The newest addition to the Rocky^™ is Mips^® technology. What is Mips^®? You may have heard of this head protection technology if you ski, snowboard, ride bikes, rock climb, play hockey, or indulge in any other athletic activity that requires head protection. Some of the highest-level athletes worldwide trust helmets with integrated Mips^® technology while performing at their absolute best, which is a significant reason why PIP^® integrating Mips^® technology into the Rocky^™ safety helmet. After all, construction workers are industrial athletes - and for a good reason since they have maybe the most critical responsibility of them all - building America’s future!

How Does Mips^® Technology Work?

The system features a low-friction layer inside the safety helmet between the padding and the EPS foam protective layer that allows for a multi-directional movement of 10-15mm on certain angled impacts. This slight movement allows the shell of the safety helmet to slide in whichever direction the rotational impact comes from while the suspension stays secure, ultimately helping limit the rotational movement of a worker's head.

 

THE BIG PICTURE

No one PPE solution will completely eliminate head injuries on the job. While PPE acts as the ultimate last line of defense against hazard-induced injuries, there are proactive steps and best practices that should be taken to limit slips, trips and falls in construction. Organizing loose tools/materials, salting walkways and steps in cold conditions and establishing warning boundaries are just a few best practices that can go a long way in limiting head injuries due to falls and dropped objects. As job sites and construction projects become more demanding, safety managers are making the logical switch to a revolutionary advancement in head protection. Trust Mips^® technology to help provide additional safety against modern-day rotational blows to the head.

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