EU tests find compliance failures in 19 of 65 professional safety helmets
A European Union market-surveillance campaign found compliance failures in 19 of 65 professional safety helmets sampled in eight countries. Eight products were classified as posing a serious risk, while four were rated high risk.
Testing identifies failures in 29% of selected samples
A European Union market-surveillance campaign found that 19 of 65 professional safety helmets tested failed at least one assessed requirement. The non-compliant products represented 29% of the selected samples, while 46 helmets, or 71%, met the requirements covered by the tests, according to results published by the European Commission and reported by Estrella Digital.
Authorities collected the products in Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. The helmets were purchased from physical retailers and online sellers, giving regulators a cross-section of products available through different sales channels. The Commission did not disclose how many of the 19 non-compliant products were bought in each country, so the results cannot be used to assign a specific number of failures to Spain or any other participating market.
The findings apply only to the 65 selected samples. They do not demonstrate that 29% of all professional helmets sold in Europe are defective. Even so, the results give manufacturers, distributors and workplace-safety buyers a concrete indication of the shortcomings that market-surveillance authorities are detecting.
Impact absorption was the main concern
Laboratories examined impact absorption, resistance to penetration and flames, chin-strap anchorage, and the durability of markings and labels. Impact-absorption and penetration tests were also conducted after the helmets had been exposed to extreme temperatures, water immersion and ageing through ultraviolet light.
According to the European Commission, most of the failures concerned impact-absorption capacity, a core function for equipment intended to protect workers from head injuries. National market-surveillance authorities subsequently assessed the risks associated with the products that failed. Eight were classified as presenting a serious risk and another four as high risk.
The inspections have already led to enforcement action. Six products were withdrawn from the market, two were recalled from consumers and one was subjected to a sales ban. Authorities also issued seven warnings to economic operators, while further corrective measures involving some of the tested products remain under way.
Alerts and compliance obligations
Eight of the helmets were listed in Safety Gate, the EU rapid-alert system for dangerous non-food products. Another 39 products were registered in ICSMS, the European platform through which market-surveillance authorities exchange information about regulatory compliance and enforcement measures.
Professional helmets sold in the EU are governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment. The rules cover technical documentation, CE marking, user instructions and labelling. Manufacturers must also ensure that products placed on the market continue to match the model whose conformity was certified. Unsafe or non-compliant equipment may be rejected at the border, withdrawn, recalled or made subject to other measures against the responsible operators.
The Commission advises buyers to verify that a helmet carries the CE mark, includes instructions in the language of the country where it is sold and provides an EU Declaration of Conformity or an internet address where it can be consulted. It also says helmets must be suitable for the specific risks faced by each worker. Any helmet that has sustained an impact should be discarded, even if it shows no visible damage.
