In brief
An industrial safety helmet (EN 397) protects against objects falling from above; for work at height and where there is a risk of falling, helmet types designed to stay on the head, with stronger chin straps, are preferred. For electrical work, an electrically insulating helmet with no metal parts is chosen. Service life is tracked according to the manufacturer's instructions and the date of manufacture moulded into the shell; a helmet that has taken a serious impact is withdrawn from use even if there is no visible damage.
Choosing a safety helmet: define the job first
Seeing the same model of yellow helmet on everyone's head on a construction site is a familiar sight. Yet choosing a safety helmet starts not with buying a single type of product but with defining the risk each job poses to the head. What threatens the head of a worker carrying material under a tower crane is not the same as for a worker installing edge protection on scaffolding, or an electrician taking measurements inside a panel.
The Regulation on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment requires the employer to determine which PPE is to be used for which job based on the results of the risk assessment (Art. 7), to provide PPE free of charge and to ensure its maintenance, repair and replacement in line with the manufacturer's instructions (Art. 6/1-e). Before choosing a helmet, answer these four questions:
- What could fall from above? Materials, tools, formwork parts, plaster.
- Could the worker fall? Work at height, scaffolding, ladders, platforms.
- Is there electricity? Work near live installations, panel work.
- What is the environment like? Heat, cold, molten metal splashes, confined spaces, night work.
Helmet types and standards
Safety helmets and protective helmets are tested to different standards. The standard number on the product shows which risk it has been tested against:
| Standard | Product | Suitable for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN 397 | Industrial safety helmet | Objects falling from above; general construction site and factory work | The chin strap is designed to release at a certain force |
| EN 12492 | Mountaineering-type helmet | Work at height, rope access, work where the helmet must stay on in a fall | The chin strap is strong enough to keep the helmet on the head in a fall |
| EN 14052 | High-performance industrial helmet | Work requiring additional protection against higher and lateral impacts | Compare the manufacturer's declaration with the job's risk |
| EN 50365 | Electrically insulating helmet | Work on or near live installations | Check the voltage class on the product |
| EN 812 | Bump cap | Bumping the head against a fixed surface | Does not protect against falling objects; does not replace a helmet |
For EN 397 helmets, some additional properties are optional and shown by a separate marking on the shell: very low temperature (−20 °C or −30 °C), very high temperature (+150 °C), electrical insulation of 440 V AC against accidental short-term contact, lateral deformation (LD) and molten metal splash (MM). For someone working in a foundry, a helmet without the MM marking is not suitable for the job, even if it conforms to the standard.
Every helmet should carry the CE marking and come with user instructions in Turkish. The regulation also requires the views of support staff and employee representatives to be sought in advance when PPE is determined (Art. 10/2); a helmet that has not been tried and is found uncomfortable will not stay on heads on site. For the general selection method, see our article on how to choose PPE.
When is a helmet with a chin strap needed?
The helmet with a chin strap is the most debated topic on site. On EN 397 helmets, the chin strap is designed to release at a force of roughly 150 to 250 N so that it does not leave the worker hanging if it catches on something. This reduces the risk of strangulation, but it does not guarantee that the helmet stays on the head during a fall.
The distinction is therefore made as follows:
- Work at ground level, risk of falling objects: an EN 397 helmet is sufficient. The chin strap is used to keep the helmet on when bending and in the wind.
- Work at height, scaffolding, platforms, roofs: the worker can fall and hit their head. In this work the helmet needs to stay on the head; EN 12492 helmets or models with stronger chin straps that the manufacturer declares for work at height are preferred.
- Rope access and rescue: the helmet must stay on the head during falls and swinging; a mountaineering-type helmet is used.
Whatever the rule, a helmet without its chin strap fastened is the first piece of PPE to come off in a fall. On jobs involving work at height, the "strap fastened" rule should be checked during toolbox talks and site walks. We cover harness selection for work at height in our article on the full body harness.
Helmets for electrical work
Choosing helmets for electrical work needs particular care. A helmet with ventilation holes, metal buckles or metal accessories can create a risk when working near a live conductor. For this work:
- For electricians working on or near live installations, an electrically insulating helmet to EN 50365 is chosen. Check which voltage class the product has been tested for from the marking on the shell and the instructions.
- The optional 440 V AC marking of EN 397 means limited protection against accidental and short-term contact; it does not meet the helmet requirement for planned live work.
- No metal lamp brackets or metal labels are attached to the helmet, and no holes are drilled.
- In work with an arc risk, a face shield suitable for that risk is used together with the helmet.
In electrical work, the helmet is the last line of defence. The work itself is done under the rules for isolating energy, locking out and verifying the absence of voltage; for these rules, see our article on the five rules of electrical safety.
Helmet service life: read the date of manufacture
There is no fixed number of years in the legislation for helmet service life. The PPE Regulation requires the period of use to be determined taking into account the degree of risk, frequency of exposure, the characteristics of the workplace and the performance of the equipment (Art. 6/1-c). In practice, the decision is based on three pieces of information:
- Date of manufacture. On EN 397 helmets, the year and quarter of manufacture are moulded into the shell; on most products this is a clock-shaped mark inside the shell with the year in the centre. The number the arrow points to shows the month or quarter of manufacture. The harness may also have its own date of manufacture.
- The manufacturer's recommended life. The instructions may give separate service lives for the shell and the harness. The period is usually counted not from the date of purchase but from the date of manufacture; a helmet sitting in the store also ages.
- Conditions of use. Sunlight, high temperatures, chemical contact and rough handling wear plastic out faster than the manufacturer anticipates.
Teach workers the daily check. A helmet is replaced in the following cases even if its service life has not expired:
| Finding | Decision |
|---|---|
| Cracks, deep scratches or deformation in the shell | Withdrawn from use |
| Fading, chalking, flaking of the surface | Sun and heat degradation; withdrawn |
| Broken clips or torn bands in the harness | Harness replaced with the manufacturer's spare part, or helmet withdrawn |
| Paint, solvent or adhesive applied to the shell | Withdrawn unless the manufacturer permits it |
| Shell drilled or metal parts screwed onto it | Withdrawn |
| Has taken a serious impact | Withdrawn even if no damage is visible |
Why is a helmet that has taken an impact not used?
A helmet absorbs impact energy through deformation of the shell and harness. After a serious impact, invisible cracks may form in the shell and the harness may not absorb energy in the same way a second time. That is why most manufacturers' instructions require a helmet that has taken a serious impact to be replaced even if no damage is visible.
For this rule to work on site:
- The worker reports the helmet that took the impact themselves; they are not blamed for reporting it and are given a new one straight away.
- The withdrawn helmet is destroyed by cutting or marking it so it cannot be reused.
- If the impact was the result of an incident, it is recorded as a near miss or workplace accident and the cause is investigated. An object falling on someone's head shows that protection is missing somewhere above.
Leaving a helmet in the sun on a car's rear parcel shelf, sitting on it or throwing it around also shortens its life. Putting these simple rules on the agenda of toolbox talks is an effective approach.
Helmet colour meanings
On helmet colour meanings, the legislation contains no colour code assigned to roles; colours are the business's or site's own rule. Even so, a colour scheme is useful on site: seeing from a distance who is a visitor, who is a first aider and who is the site manager makes communication and emergencies easier.
When setting up your own colour scheme:
- Put the scheme in writing and post it at the site entrance.
- Assign a separate colour to visitors and new starters; these people move around the site escorted.
- Choose the colours for emergency teams and first aiders so that they do not conflict with the meanings in the Regulation on Health and Safety Signs: red is associated with firefighting, and green with first aid and escape.
- Do not allow subcontractors to use a different colour scheme; two colour languages on the same site cause confusion.
Also remind people that colour has no protective property: for visibility, reflective tape or high-visibility clothing is also required for night work and work near traffic.
On construction projects in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, we prepare the PPE matrix by job and area, and specify helmet types separately for work at height and electrical work. For other items to check when a site opens, see our article on the construction site OHS checklist; for the scope of our services, see our OHS specialist service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years does a safety helmet last?
There is no fixed period in the legislation. The service life given in the manufacturer's instructions is used, and the period is usually counted from the date of manufacture moulded into the shell. Sun, heat and chemical contact shorten its life; a helmet found to be damaged is replaced before its period expires.
Should the chin strap be fastened for every job?
It should be fastened for work at height, work involving bending and in windy conditions. For work at height and jobs with a risk of falling, models designed to keep the helmet on the head in a fall are chosen.
Can electricians use a normal helmet?
For electricians working near live installations, an electrically insulating helmet with no metal parts or ventilation holes is chosen. The 440 V AC marking of EN 397 covers only accidental short-term contact.
Can a company logo be stuck on a helmet?
Label types permitted by the manufacturer can be used. Adhesives, paints or solvents not permitted in the instructions can reduce the strength of the shell; labelling is therefore done according to the manufacturer's instructions.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.