Understanding your helmet’s European certification - Petzl Luxembourg
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Understanding your helmet’s European certification

Without specific European helmet standards for work at height, Petzl relies on two existing standards:

Warnings

  • Carefully read the Instructions for Use used in this technical advice before consulting the advice itself. You must have already read and understood the information in the Instructions for Use to be able to understand this supplementary information.
  • Mastering these techniques requires specific training. Work with a professional to confirm your ability to perform these techniques safely and independently before attempting them unsupervised.
  • We provide examples of techniques related to your activity. There may be others that we do not describe here.

EN 12492:

Climbing and mountaineering helmet

EN 397:

Helmet for industrial use

Intended for different environments, these two standards each have their own design and performance requirements.

To meet a standard, the helmet must meet all its design and performance requirements.

Certain design requirements differ between the two standards, which precludes dual certification, and/or implies partial compliance with the two standards.

Here are the main design requirement differences between the two standards:

1. Difference in design requirements

Ventilation picto

VENTILATION

EN 12492: 2012

Total ventilation surface area greater than 4 cm2

Total ventilation area

greater than 4 cm2

EN 397: 2012

Total ventilation surface area less than 4.5 cm2

Total ventilation area

less than 4.5 cm2

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • EN 12492: 2012 compliance: STRATO VENT / VERTEX VENT
  • EN 397: 2012 compliance: STRATO / VERTEX / VERTEX VENT with shutters closed

chinstrap strength picto

CHINSTRAP STRENGTH

EN 12492: 2012

Chinstrap strength greater than 50 kg.

Chinstrap strength:

Greater than 50 kg to reduce the risk of the helmet coming off in a fall.

EN 397: 2012

Chinstrap strength less than 25 kg.

Chinstrap strength less than 25 kg to reduce the risk of strangulation if the helmet becomes snagged.

Depending on regulations, the EN 397 standard covers work on the ground, while the EN 12492 standard covers work at height.
Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • With the DUAL chinstrap on the STRATO and VERTEX (as of 2019) lines, you can adapt the chinstrap strength to the hazards anticipated in your work environment (see DUAL chinstrap technical tip).

Internal vertical clearance picto

INTERNAL VERTICAL CLEARANCE

EN 12492:

Cross

EN 397: 2012



The EN 397 standard requires that internal vertical clearance be no less than 25 mm.

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • Due to the requirement, helmets with a liner, such as STRATO helmets, cannot meet the standard.
Internal vertical clearance.

2. Difference in performance requirements

Shock absorption picto

SHOCK ABSORPTION REQUIREMENT

This requirement aims to qualify the helmet’s ability to protect the head against falling objects.

EN 12492: 2012

Impact force less than or equal to 10 kN

Impact force

F ≤ 10 kN

EN 397: 2012

Impact force less than or equal to 5 kN

Impact force

F ≤ 5 kN


Penetration requirement picto

PENETRATION REQUIREMENT

EN 12492: 2012



Penetration

EN 12492: 2012, penetration

No contact between the point and the head

EN 397: 2012



Penetration

EN 397: 2012, penetration

No contact between the point and the head

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • All of the helmets in the Petzl VERTEX and STRATO line comply with the tests in the two standards that involve impact-absorption capacity and penetration.

Flame resistance picto

FLAME RESISTANCE

EN 12492: 2012

Cross

EN 397: 2012

EN 397: 2012, exposure to flame, 10 seconds at 5 cm

10 second exposure at 5 cm

Requirement: stops burning 5 seconds after the flame is removed

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • STRATO and VERTEX helmets, as well as VERTEX VENT helmets with shutters closed, all comply with the test.

Protection against molten metal splash picto

PROTECTION AGAINST MOLTEN METAL SPLASH

EN 12492: 2012

Cross

EN 397: 2012

EN 397: 2012: burns no longer than 5 seconds

No penetration of molten metal

Burns no longer than 5 seconds

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • STRATO and VERTEX helmets, as well as VERTEX VENT helmets with shutters closed, all comply with the test.

Compliance with the EN 50365 electrical standard:

EN 50365:

Electrically insulated helmet for use at low-voltage installations.

Information

For a helmet to meet EN 50365, it must first meet all requirements of EN 397.

Information

WHAT ABOUT MY HELMET?

  • Only the VERTEX helmet can meet the EN 50365 standard. The STRATO helmet does not meet EN 50365 as it does not meet all requirements of EN 397 (e.g. the internal vertical clearance requirement).