Labor Protection Exhibition | Safety Helmet Selection and Proper Use: A Safety Guide
The Labor Protection Exhibition has learned that the safety helmet is a critical piece of protective equipment for safeguarding the head safety of frontline workers. It effectively resists impacts from foreign objects and prevents head injuries from collisions.
If substandard products are purchased, or if daily wearing and storage practices are not conducted properly, various safety production accidents can easily occur. Therefore, it is essential to master the skills for selecting safety helmets and the correct usage standards.
When selecting a safety helmet, first carefully examine the product markings. Compliant products must meet national standards, and the helmet body must bear permanent markings clearly indicating the standard number, manufacturer, date of manufacture, product category, and mandatory expiration date.
Second, visually assess the exterior quality. Safety helmets made from recycled waste materials appear dull in color and emit a pungent odor; helmets crafted from virgin raw materials have a uniform glossy finish, with no cracks, dents, or wear, and the overall texture is rigid. The accompanying suspension system should have moderate tension and be completely intact without deformation or damage to meet usage requirements.
Safety helmets are industrial products subject to license control. Products manufactured and sold after September 25, 2024, must bear the production license mark and number on the helmet body, outer packaging, or instruction manual. Purchasers can log in to the National Industrial Product Production License Publicity System to verify the authenticity of the qualification.
There is also a category of inferior counterfeit products in the market that requires extra vigilance. Some manufacturers, in order to cut costs, produce imitation hats from discarded materials and label them as “dust caps” to circumvent the mandatory safety standards for safety helmets. These products completely lack impact-resistant protective capabilities. Purchasers must carefully distinguish them and avoid buying them by mistake.
There are also multiple mandatory standards for daily use of safety helmets. The appropriate style must be selected based on the work scenario. For example, electrical work requires the use of insulated safety helmets; non-specialized protective equipment such as dust caps and ordinary plastic hats must never be substituted for safety helmets in high-risk operations.
Safety helmets of different materials have fixed service periods: woven styles have a maximum service life of two years; plastic and paper-rubber materials have a maximum of two and a half years; fiberglass materials have a maximum of three and a half years. Upon reaching the service life limit, they must be scrapped immediately.
Before each use, inspection work must be performed. Check whether the helmet shell has cracks, impact dents, wear, or aging; the suspension system accessories must be complete and structurally intact before being put into use. Any defects affecting protective performance must be replaced promptly. When wearing, adjust the inner lining circumference to ensure the helmet fits the head snugly, does not shift with slight movement, and does not cause pressure discomfort. The safety helmet should not slip off when the chin strap is unfastened and the head is lowered. The chin strap must be fastened securely throughout the operation, with the strap fitting the chin at moderate tension to ensure stability without causing discomfort.
At the same time, unauthorized modification of the safety helmet structure is strictly prohibited. Do not drill holes, add accessories, or apply paint on your own, as this will compromise the original protective structure. When not in use, store the helmet in a cool, dry place, away from high-temperature environments and various corrosive chemicals, to extend the period of intact usability.
Source: https://amr.gd.gov.cn/zwdt/xwfbt/content/post_4687978.html
