Research and Development

This summer, researchers will begin an 18-month study to develop the first ratings system for safety helmets, also commonly referred to as hard hats or construction helmets.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. TBIs are a global public health problem and is a leading cause of injury-related death and disability...

The performance of Type I industrial helmets for fall protection is not required to be tested in standardized tests. The current study analyzed the fall protection performance of Type I industrial helmets and evaluated if the use of a chin strap and the suspension...

A novel bicycle helmet concept has been developed to mitigate rotational head acceleration, which is a predominant mechanism of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This WAVECEL concept employs a collapsible cellular structure that is recessed within the helmet to provide a...

MTDC conducted an informal test to evaluate the temperatures inside hardhats of various colors. The hardhats used were all new, cap-style Bullard FH911 Wildfire series hardhats. White, black, red, blue, yellow and orange hardhats were tested.

Comparative studies of different helmet designs are essential to determine differences in helmet performance. The present study comparatively evaluated the impact performance of hardhat helmets, climbing-style safety helmets, and helmets with novel rotation-damping...

Forest workers are likely to remove head protection in hot and humid conditions because of thermal discomfort. However, a recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation revision requires all workers in logging operations to wear safety helmets,...

Struck-by accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the construction industry. While hard hats are the conventional means of industrial head protection, the current test standard to evaluate hard hat performance does not assess their ability to...

Heat-related illness (HRI) is an acknowledged occupational risk factor – and one that is entirely preventable. For individuals working in construction, heat illness typically results when the body’s total heat load (resulting from physical activity or personal...