Safety Helmet – Complete Guide

With safety as our shield, gentleness as our garment, and good fortune as our companion. I am Lucky Cat 🐱, here in the misty gardens of Gusu, sharing the way of EHS, telling stories from the world, and offering a haven for all your weariness and unease.

Definition and Standards of Safety Helmets

Safety helmet: A helmet that protects the human head from injuries caused by falling objects and other specific factors. It consists of three main parts: the shell, the harness (headband + crown strap), and the chin strap.

Table 1 – Major National and Industry Standards for Head Protective Equipment

Note: GB = China National Standard; AQ = Industry Safety Standard.

Classification and Selection of Safety Helmets

Classification marking: According to their intended use, safety helmets are divided into two broad categories: general-purpose (Class P) safety helmets and special-purpose (Class T) safety helmets. Class T is further divided into five subcategories.

💡 Marking example: A safety helmet that simultaneously provides lateral rigidity, extreme high-temperature resistance (+150°C), and Class E electrical insulation is marked as: Safety Helmet (T LD +150℃ JE)

Choosing the Right Type of Safety Helmet

Where there is a risk of head injury from falling or thrown objects and other moving loads in the workplace, a safety helmet should be selected.

Where there is only a risk of head impact with fixed rigid objects and/or structures, an impact-protection bump cap should be selected.

Where static charge accumulation on the helmet shell needs to be prevented, an anti-static safety helmet should be selected.

In rescue and related activities where there are risks of impact, collision, burns, electric shock, etc., rescue helmets should be selected.

For various typical industries, the choice of head protection equipment should comply with relevant industry allocation standards. Refer to the table below for typical industry standards.

Table – Industry-Specific Standards for Head Protective Equipment

Choosing Safety Helmet Functions

In workplaces where there is a risk of falling objects, flying debris, bumps, impacts, punctures, compression, falls, or other head injuries, head protective equipment should at least provide energy absorption, impact absorption, and puncture resistance.

Where there is possible brief contact with flames or short-term local contact with high-temperature objects, head protective equipment with flame-retardant properties should be selected.

Where lateral compression may occur – including collapse or landslide sites, foreseeable overturning objects, or low-speed impact areas – head protective equipment with lateral rigidity should be selected.

Where the working environment is highly sensitive to static electricity, or where there is a risk of deflagration or a need for intrinsic safety, head protective equipment with anti-static properties should be selected.

For workplaces involving low-voltage electrical equipment, head protective equipment with Class G electrical insulation should be selected. For workplaces involving high-voltage electrical equipment, head protective equipment with Class E electrical insulation should be selected.

For low-temperature workplaces requiring thermal insulation (ambient temperature not lower than –30°C), head protective equipment with low-temperature resistance or equipment that does not conflict with other cold-protective gear should be selected.

Where workers may be exposed to high-temperature environments, head protective equipment with extreme high-temperature resistance should be selected.

Where there is possible contact with molten metal, head protective equipment with molten metal splash resistance should be selected.

Choosing the Color of Safety Helmets

(National standards do not mandate color grading; refer to local or industry-specific standards.)

GB 30041-2025, Section 4.5 requires:

1.The color of head protective equipment shall comply with the management requirements of the relevant industry.

2.When selecting the color of head protective equipment, full consideration should be given to safety as well as the physiological and psychological effects and associations of colors.

3.In workplaces with insufficient lighting, brightly colored head protective equipment should be selected.

4.In workplaces with low visibility, head protective equipment with a high color contrast to the environment should be selected, or reflective strips that meet requirements should be added.

Common industry practice (non‑mandatory but widely adopted):

For example, in the State Grid system of China:

Red helmets – management personnel

Yellow helmets – operations personnel

Blue helmets – maintenance (construction, testing, etc.) personnel

White helmets – visitors

Table – Safety Helmet Color Classification and Associations

Structure and Material Requirements of Safety Helmets

Structural and dimensional requirements: (to be specified)

Shell material requirements: (to be specified)

Use, Maintenance, and Replacement of Safety Helmets

How to Use Safety Helmets

Inspection before use: Before wearing, check all accessories for damage, verify that assembly is secure, ensure the adjustment mechanism of the harness is tight, buckles are firm, and straps are fastened. If the distance between the harness and the shell is not between 25–50 mm, adjust it using the crown strap to the required range. Only use the helmet after confirming all parts are in good condition.

Wearing: Adjust the headband length to a comfortable position according to the user's head size (snug but not too tight). For workers at heights, the chin strap and rear neck strap must be fastened securely to prevent the helmet from slipping or falling off.

Service life limit: After a safety helmet has sustained a heavy impact – even if no visible cracks or deformation are found – it must be taken out of service and replaced. The general service life of a safety helmet should not exceed 3 years.

Storage: Do not store safety helmets in environments with acids, alkalis, high temperatures (above 50°C), direct sunlight, or damp conditions. Avoid crushing by heavy objects or puncturing by sharp items.

Cleaning: The shell and harness may be washed in cold or warm water (below 50°C). Do not dry on radiators to prevent deformation of the shell.

Inspection and Maintenance of Safety Helmets

Inspection cycle and maintenance:

Table – Safety Helmet Structural Dimension Requirements

Inspect the safety helmet visually before each use. Replace immediately if cracks, dents, perforations, or other defects are found.

Check that the harness is intact and that the buffer space between the harness and the shell is normal.

Check that the chin strap and its connectors are secure and adjustable.

Conditions for Replacement / Retirement of Safety Helmets

A safety helmet should be replaced or retired if:

It no longer meets national or industry standards.

The working environment or type of work changes, making the selected head protection unsuitable.

It exceeds its service life.

Components are damaged or missing, affecting proper wear.

It has sustained a strong impact, even without visible damage.

It fails periodic inspection.

The permanent markings are worn and illegible.

Any other condition that affects protective performance.

On the exterior of the marking, numbers 1 to 12 indicate the months of the year, and a two‑digit number (00–99) indicates the year of manufacture. The arrow points to the month of production. For example, the illustration above indicates production in October 2018.

Safety is the finest gift in the world; good fortune is time’s gentle blessing. May you always be cherished, forever safe, and rest peacefully each day and night.