Protective helmets for cycling and climbing

Product definition

Cycle and climbing helmets are products which offer the wearer head protection against mechanical impact caused by falling or ejected objects, and collisions with an obstacle. They may also provide protection against other risks like cold, UV radiation, low visibility, etc.

This factsheet does not cover helmets used in other activities that may require protection against other risks.

As such products are designed to offer protection, they are regulated under the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment.

Helmets for use by motorcyclists on public roads are regulated under different legislation in Europe and as such are outside the scope of this fact sheet.

Common risks of protective helmets

This is a list of examples of common risks. However, the manufacturer has to carry out an assessment of cycle and climbing helmets that covers all relevant risks that may be associated with the product and actions taken to mitigate these risks where possible. A general definition of risk and its relationship to hazards can be found in the factsheet on Risk management.

Since these products are worn on the head to protect against impacts, the first risk to note is the potential for products to offer insufficient impact protection through:

1. Insufficient rigidity of the external materials
2. Insufficient impact or shock absorption materials
3. Ineffective securing straps or mechanism, leading to the helmet slipping off the user’s head or poor positioning in the event of an impact
4. Poor fitment to the user’s head, reducing effectiveness in the event of impact

In addition, some products may present a risk to the wearer just by being worn, and these are independent of the protective mechanism. The most common risks are:

1. Inappropriate constituent materials – dangerous chemicals can cause short- and long-term adverse health effects if they exceed allowed limits
2. Unsatisfactory surface condition of all parts in contact with the user, for example, sharp edges and abrasive materials leading to minor injuries from normal wearing without impact.

Examples of dangerous products

Specific examples of measures taken against dangerous face masks offered for sale in the European Union are available on the Safety Gate website. Type ‘helmets’ into the free text search box (but without the quotation marks). A better understanding of mistakes made in the safety assessment of protective helmets, or their manufacture can help avoid their repetition.

Main applicable legislation

These products are regulated mainly by the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425. The legislation lays down the requirements for the design and manufacture of PPE that are necessary to allow these products to be sold and used in the EU market.

Other guidance is also available:

• PPE Regulation guidelines
• Conformity assessment procedures for protective equipment

Applicable standards

“Harmonised standards” exist in the EU for protective helmets. A product claiming a particular level of protection and complying with these standards is presumed to be in conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in the PPE Regulation if the standards are referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). Further information on, and the list of harmonised standards for PPE is available from here.

Note: The following site of CEN (the European standardisation organisation) provides links to the national standardisations bodies’ websites. In addition, the China Standards Information Services Network can be used to access European standards.

The following harmonised standards can be applied to protective helmets for cycling and climbing:

EN 1078:2012+A1:2012
This standard specifies requirements and test methods for helmets worn by pedal cyclists, skateboards and roller skates.

EN 12492:2012
This standard specifies safety requirements and test methods for helmets used by mountaineers.

Other legislation of relevance:

While manufacturer’s need to familiarise themselves with all the laws which apply to their specific products, the following summarises some further key applicable laws:

• REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) – restricts chemical substances in goods. REACH places responsibility on the industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on the substances. Manufacturers and importers are required to gather information on the properties of their chemical substances, which will allow their safe handling, and to register the information in a central database.
• Please note that every product must be safe for the consumers, according to the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) of the EU.

Mandatory labelling & warnings

The following are obligatory:

• CE Marking is obligatory for all PPE. PPE which provides head protection for sports against mechanical impact is normally PPE category II and the conformity assessment of these products requires the intervention of a notified body that will issue an EU-type examination certificate after verifying that the design of the product meets the requirements of the PPE Regulation.
• In case that the helmet would provide also protection for any of the risks of PPE category III, the notified body would also need to perform during the production phase either supervised product checks at random intervals or assess the quality system of the production process, and it would be necessary to add the identification number of the notified body involved in these activities after the CE marking. Before marking the PPE with the CE mark, the manufacturer needs to classify the product and identify all the applicable legal requirements, verify the conformity of the PPE with these requirements using the appropriate conformity assessment procedure, compile a technical documentation that evidences this and create a written declaration of conformity. When this has been done, he should affix the CE mark on the product. Refer to the factsheet on CE marking.
• Information on the manufacturer and the importer in the EU is obligatory.
• Warnings and instructions for use need to draw attention of users to the inherent hazards and associated risks and how to avoid injury. Safety warnings are obligatory for many types of PPE, and the specific wordings which may be used are provided in the relevant harmonised standard applicable to the type of product.
• All specific labelling recommended by the standard.

In addition, the following information must be provided with the PPE:

1. Instructions for storage, use, cleaning, maintenance, servicing and disinfection. Cleaning, maintenance or disinfectant products recommended by manufacturers must have no adverse effect on the PPE or the user when applied in accordance with the relevant instructions;
2. Performance as recorded during relevant technical tests to check the levels of classes of protection provided by the PPE;
3. Where applicable, accessories that may be used with the PPE and the characteristics of appropriate spare parts;
4. Where applicable, the classes of protection appropriate to different levels of risk and the corresponding limits of use;
5. Where applicable, the month and year of period of obsolescence of the PPE or of certain of its components;
6. Where applicable, the type of packaging suitable for transport;
7. The significance of any markings;
8. The risk against which the PPE is designed to protect;
9. The reference to this Regulation and, where applicable, the references to other Union harmonisation legislation;
10. The name, address and identification number of the notified body or bodies involved in the conformity assessment of the PPE;
11. References to the relevant harmonised standard(s) used, including the date of the standard(s), or references to other technical specifications used;
12. The internet address where the EU declaration of conformity can be accessed.

The information in points (i), (j), (k) and (l) need not accompany the product if it is supplied with a copy of the EU declaration of conformity.

General safety requirements

To ensure safety of protective helmets, there is also a range of general requirements to be fulfilled. These are explained in the following factsheets and need to be read in conjunction with this factsheet:

• CE marking
• Conformity assessment
• Declaration of conformity
• EU consumer protection
• EU market surveillance
• Product safety checklist
• Recall procedures
• Risk management
• Safety Gate/RAPEX
• Selling online
• Technical documentation
• Testing
• Using a third party