Citation

dos Santos AA, Sorce J, Schonning A, Bevill G. J. Appl. Biomech. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

10.1123/jab.2020-0182

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of 6 commercially available hard hat designs-differentiated by shell design, number of suspension points, and suspension tightening system-in regard to their ability to attenuate accelerations during vertical impacts to the head. Tests were conducted with impactor materials of steel, wood, and lead shot (resembling commonly seen materials in a construction site), weighing 1.8 and 3.6 kg and dropped from 1.83 m onto a Hybrid III head/neck assembly. All hard hats appreciably reduced head acceleration to the unprotected condition. However, neither the addition of extra suspension points nor variations in suspension tightening mechanism appreciably influenced performance. Therefore, these results indicate that additional features available in current hard hat designs do not improve protective capacity as related to head acceleration metrics.

Language: en

Keywords

mild traumatic brain injury; construction safety; personal protective equipment