Climbing-style safety helmet standards you need to know

Looking for a “climbing style” safety helmet? There are a few things you need to know first.

There is currently no U.S. standard that talks about climbing style or at-height helmets. So, if you see an “OSHA-approved climbing helmet” or "ANSI-approved climbing helmet" on the market, know that it is most likely just an ANSI Type 1 safety helmet with some “climbing style features” that may include a short brim, chin strap, and lower profile.

There is, however, a European mountaineering helmet standard—EN12492—that requires safety helmets to meet several rigorous tests. Meeting this EN12492 mountaineering standard is what many safety helmet manufacturers mean when they talk about their “climbing style” or “at-height” helmet—but not all of them.

Oftentimes, the term “climbing style” is used to describe safety helmets that might meet only part of the EN12492 standard or none at all. It’s confusing, we know – learn more about why here.

To help, let’s dive into what the EN12492 mountaineering standard means for you when looking for your next safety helmet.

European safety helmet standards (EN)

The European Standard that specifies physical and performance requirements for industrial safety helmets, including testing, is called EN397.

Here’s what the standard says:

EN397: The European standard code of practice provides guidance for manufacturers of safety helmets to ensure that minimum material grades are used. It also establishes the requirements for the testing of safety helmets, as safety helmets must be designed to protect the wearer from falling objects.

These protections safeguard the user against possible consequences, such as brain injuries or skull fractures. The standard also includes protection against lateral deformation of the helmet.

The helmet is comprised of two main parts – the hard outer protective shell and the inner harness. All helmets certified according to EN 397 must meet these requirements:

• Shock absorption, vertical
• Penetration resistance (against sharp and pointed objects)
• Flame resistance
• Chin strap attachment: chin strap releases at minimum 150N (Newtons) and maximum 250N

Additional specifications are provided for earmuff attachment points and chin strap attachment points.

Why is this important? Like the U.S., European safety standards are heavily implemented and followed worldwide. When selecting a safety helmet, ensuring your options meet these standards adds an extra layer of safety.

Now, let’s talk about the standard that has everyone in a craze about “climbing-style” safety helmets—the EN12492 mountaineering standard.

The importance of the mountaineering standard

This standard was originally set up to help select proper head protection for actual mountaineering activities – but has since been incorporated into the safety world for applications that go beyond normal worksite needs due to wanting extra safety requirements. We’re talking about at-height work, and more.

Here’s what the standard says:

EN12492: Helmets for mountaineers must provide protection against hazards that may occur during activities undertaken by mountaineers. Requirements include:

• Shock absorption, vertical, frontal, lateral, dorsal
• Penetration resistance
• Carrier element (chin strap releases at min. 500N)
• Strength of carrier element: Chin strap may exhibit maximum elongation of 25mm
• Carrier element effectiveness: Helmet must not slide from the head

A breakdown of EN12492 requirements

To help better understand the ins and outs of what’s involved in EN12492, here’s a detailed look at each requirement in the standard thanks to SATRA, an independent research and testing organization established in the UK in 1919.

Impact / Shock absorption

Like industrial helmets and bump caps, mountaineering helmets are subjected to an impact from a falling mass onto a fixed head form. However, to reflect the nature of the use, additional impacts are required at the front, side, and rear of the helmet.

These impacts are carried out by tilting the head form on the rigid base at an angle of 60°. Impacts are carried out using two strikers, one flat and one hemispherical, each weighing 5kg. Helmets are impacted using the hemispherical striker dropped from a height of 2 meters, and at the front, rear, and sides using the flat striker dropped from a height of 500mm. In all cases, the transmitted force through the head form cannot exceed 10kN.

Penetration resistance

As with industrial helmets and bump caps, mountaineering helmets are intended to provide protection against sharp/pointed objects and are tested for such penetration. The test in EN12492 is essentially the same as that specified in EN397, where a 3kg conical striker is dropped onto the helmet from a height of 1 meter, and any contact between the helmet and head form (although in EN12492 the head form is in the form of a standard test block) noted.

Penetration tests on mountaineering helmets can be carried out at any point around the shell of the helmet. This is unlike EN397, where they are restricted to an area at the crown of the head.

Design requirements

In addition to the specific performance requirements, most specifications for protective helmets include a number of requirements for the design of a helmet. These typically encompass the area of coverage provided by the helmet, as well as the field of vision afforded to the user when worn. They can also cover several ergonomic and safety-based requirements, such as clearance between the head and the shell of the helmet (particularly in the case of industrial helmets).

Retention system

Helmets can only protect the head when they are being worn, which is why there’s also a series of testing that pertains to helmet retention on the user’s head.

The specific test carried out is dependent on the type of helmet, but two main tests are carried out:

1. Retention system strength: The retention system (a.k.a. the chin strap) is subjected to a force, applied either statically or dynamically, to ensure the strap is unlikely to fail at the point where it is most necessary. In the case of industrial helmets, chin straps need to include a break-away element at the anchorages, intended to fail within a specific load range. Typically, the helmet is fitted to a suitably sized head form with the chin strap either fitted to an artificial chin, which is then subjected to either a static force or a dynamic load applied using a falling mass, and the amount of stretch in the chin strap is measured.
2. Retention system effectiveness: Helmets are subjected to a shock load applied to the rear or front of the helmet in an attempt to pull the helmet off the head form. This is intended to consider the risk of the helmet catching on an obstacle and being unintentionally pulled off the user’s head.
   

The test load uses a 10kg falling mass via a system of pulleys to the rear of the helmet. In order to meet the requirements of most protective helmet standards, the helmet must remain on the head form.

HexArmor® can help

Here’s what we think: considering all the research we’ve conducted on the subject, a “climbing style” safety helmet has characteristics that should aid workers in applications being conducted at angles, at height, in confined spaces, or with a great range of motion.

Because of this, we would recommend selecting a climbing-style safety helmet with the following features:

• ANSI Type 1 helmets protect the head from vertical impacts caused by falling objects
• Excellent impact protection not only on the top of the helmet but also on the sides
• Fixed chin strap to ensure a secure helmet fit
• Short brim for better visibility
• Vented or non-vented (depending on the application)
• Meets part of or full requirements of EN12492

For reference, see how ANSI type I and II compare to EN12492 below:

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Are you using the right head safety equipment? Let us know if you need help – our Solution Specialists are ready to work with you. Call 1.877.MY ARMOR or send us a message.

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