The standard EN397:2012 has been published and is the new European Standard for safety helmets. This European Norm provides criteria for designing, constructing, fitting, wearing, and using protective helmets. It applies to all types of protective helmets and covers all work activities where a risk of falling from height could occur.
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What is the standard of safety helmets?
The safety helmets manufactured under this standard are widely used in Europe and other countries around the world. the main standard of safety helmets is EN397, EN12492, and ANSI Z89.
The EN397 is a European standard for head protection. It is based on the requirements of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The EN397 standard specifies minimum requirements for the performance and design of safety helmets for users of industry, construction, playground equipment, and roller skates.
EN12492 is a European standard for head protection. It is based on the requirements of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The EN12492 standard specifies minimum requirements for the performance and design of protective helmets for users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles, such as motor scooters or motorcycles.
ANSI Z89 is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for head protection. It comes in two versions: Z89.1-2015 Personal Protective Headwear, Metallic, and Nonmetallic Materials, Requirements.
What is EN397?
The EN397 industrial standard is a European standard for industrial safety helmets. The standard specifies the minimum requirements for the design and performance of industrial safety helmets. The EN397 standard is mandatory in all European Union countries.
The EN397 industrial standard was introduced by CEN (European Committee for Standardization) in 1992. It replaced the previous national standards on industrial headgear (DIN 13006, BS 6640, etc.) by introducing a single European standard that could be adopted by individual countries. The current version of the EN397 standard was published in 2012.
The name of the EN397 standard comes from its identification number within CEN’s product catalog: “EN” for Europe, “39” for Personal protective equipment, and “97” for head protection. The latest issue of this standard is EN397:2010+A1:2012, which was published in December 2012.
Chin strap for EN397 industrial helmet
The chin strap for EN 397 industrial helmet is an important part of the EN 397 safety standard, and it’s recommended that a helmet with a chin strap should always be worn. The chin strap helps prevent the helmet from being dislodged in case of a fall. Apart from this, the helmet including the harness can transfer a maximum of 500 kg.
What is EN 12492?
The EN12492 standard is a European standard for safety requirements in mountaineering and climbing. The standard includes requirements for personal protective equipment, as well as minimum safety requirements for anchor points, belay devices, carabiners, ropes, and other equipment.
The EN12492 standard was published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) in June 2003 and has been updated several times since then. The most recent version is EN12492:2016 (pdf file).
The EN12492 standard has been adopted by many countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and South Africa.
What is difference between EN397 and EN12492?
En397 is a European Standard for safety helmets for use in construction, while EN 12492 is a standard for mountaineering and climbing helmets. The main difference between the two standards is that en397 requires helmets to be tested for impact resistance at low temperatures, while en12492 does not.
EN397 also specifies more rigorous requirements for helmet design and construction than en12492. It requires that helmets have additional padding on the inside of their shell and must be able to withstand a fall from one meter onto concrete without penetration through the shell or any damage to the inner padding. EN397 also requires that all parts of a helmet’s shell be made of rigid materials, whereas en12492 allows some flexibility in this area.
What is ANSI Z89?
ANSI Z89.1-2014 is the most recent revision of the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection. The standard covers minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, and labeling of industrial protective headwear. The purpose of the standard is to protect workers from injuries to the head resulting from impact, penetration, electrical shock, burns, and radiant heat.
The standard does not cover facial protection or hearing protectors. These products are covered by other ANSI standards (ANSI Z87.1-2014 for eye/face protection and ANSI S3.19-1974 for hearing protection).
The current version of this standard was published in 2014 and applies to any industrial protective headgear that has been designed or redesigned after January 1, 2014. It also applies to protective headgear that was first marketed before January 1, 2014, but has not been redesigned since then if it could have been redesigned after January 1, 2014 without significantly increasing its price or significantly reducing its utility or durability in comparison with its condition upon first marketing.
Conclusion
The EN397 standard is not a compendium of standards that can be used as such. It is rather a structured document in which each requirement is cross-referenced to a specific standard. For its correct use, the correct use of the referenced standards is therefore essential.
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