Final 10/18/2007 STANDARD FOR PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR

For Use in Children’s Motor Sports Activities

FOREWORD

    In motor sports accident, participants may suffer injury or death.  Helmets on the market today offer varying degrees of protection, but the consumer has little basis for judging the relative effectiveness of a given model. This Standard presents rational methods for identifying those helmet models which definitely meet specified standards for impact (crash) protection and retention system strength and, afterwards, identifying  those which definitely have ceased to meet these standards.

    The Snell Memorial Foundation and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) urge that protective helmets be required for all individuals participating in supervised racing events and encourage the general public to wear helmets which meet appropriate performance standards¹.  To this end, the Snell Memorial Foundation and the FIA jointly announce this Standard for children’s motor sports helmets.

          This Standard does not establish construction and material specifications.  

    This Standard establishes performance characteristics suitable for children’s use in motor sports involving motorcycles, power boats, karting, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.  Manufacturers voluntarily submit helmets to be tested to this Standard and if the submitted helmets pass, a certification is issued.

    The Snell Memorial Foundation and the FIA will make available the identity of those products which have been certified. These products are for both competition and general use for the age categories and activities specified.

    All of the requirements described herein, including both initial certification and random sample testing, are an integral part of this Standard.  No helmet can satisfy the Standard unless it is subject to both certification and random sample testing.

    Snell/FIA certification for protective headgear requires a specific contractual agreement between the primary headgear manufacturer and the Foundation.  Certification procedures may be obtained upon application to the Foundation.

    SNELL MEMORIAL FOUNDATION is a registered certification mark.   CMH (Children’s Motor Sports Helmet) is a certification mark jointly held by the Snell Memorial Foundation and the FIA.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATION

    For qualification testing, helmets shall be in the same condition as those offered for sale.  No helmet or component which has been subjected to any tests described in this Standard shall be offered for sale after testing.  At least five (5) and as many as seven (7) complete helmets must be submitted by the manufacturer for a certification test program for each distinct structural configuration of the models offered for sale.  All but one of these samples will be destroyed in testing; the untested sample shall be retained for comparison and reference. If different fit pad configurations are planned in order to accommodate this head gear for different size ranges, five of the samples submitted must be configured for the largest size range. If seven samples are considered necessary, the remaining two samples must be configured for the smallest intended size.  Additional samples representing different fit pad configurations may also be provided at the discretion of the submitter.

MODIFICATIONS

    Cosmetic changes to certified headgear are permissible. Such changes are generally limited to marking or trimming the headgear with manufacturer approved paint or tape. Otherwise, modifications to certified headgear effectively create new configurations which shall not have the confidence and certification of Snell/FIA until properly evaluated. Manufacturers must not place the Snell/FIA certification label in any modified headgear without express written authorization.

    The Snell Memorial Foundation and FIA strongly recommend that helmet owners not modify or contract someone else to modify their helmets. Custom paint and decoration may add appreciably to the helmet weight and any structural modification may adversely affect a helmet's protective capability.  The Snell/FIA certification and, quite likely, all manufacturer warranties apply to the headgear only in its “as manufactured” condition.

RANDOM SAMPLE TESTING

    In addition to the certification testing, the Snell/FIA program will routinely obtain and test samples of previously certified models.  These samples will be selected from among those stocks intended for retail sale to consumers.  In this manner, the program will attempt to ensure that the helmets made available to the public continue to meet the performance requirements of this Standard.

    In cases in which helmets are provided directly to users and do not pass through a normal sales distribution system, the program will set up alternative procedures to monitor certified products. Specifically, if helmets are provided directly to teams or individuals for use in events, the program must have access to the helmets for spot checking and non-destructive evaluation.

CONSTRUCTION

General

    Helmets intended for heads sixty centimeters in circumference or greater are considered adult headgear and will not be accepted for certification to this standard. Children who require headgear in these sizes are urged to wear appropriate helmets certified to adult standards.

  The assembled helmet shall have smooth external and internal surfaces.  Any feature projecting more than 7 mm beyond the outer surface must readily break away; all other projections on the outer surface shall be smoothly faired and offer minimal frictional resistance to tangential impact forces.  Rivets and similar projections into the helmet interior must offer no laceration or puncture hazard.  Restraint clips may be used at the rear or on the side of the helmet.

    If the absence of any detachable component of the helmet does not prevent its being worn, then this absence must not compromise either the retention system or the impact protection.  If any part of the helmet detaches during testing, it must offer no laceration or puncture hazard nor reduce the coverage of the head.

    If the manufacturer provides add-ons such as visors, face shields and neck curtains with the helmet, these add-ons must neither lessen the protective capability of the basic helmet nor create a direct hazard for the wearer.

B.  Shell

    If rivets are used, the heads shall not have sharp edges and shall not project more than 2 mm from the outer or inner surfaces of the helmet shell.

C. Materials

    Materials used in the manufacture of the helmet should be of durable quality and not be harmed by exposure to sun, rain, dust, vibration, sweat or products applied to the skin or hair.  Similarly, the materials should not degrade due to temperature extremes likely to be encountered in routine storage or transportation. 

    Materials which are known to cause skin irritation or are conducive to disease shall not be used for the parts which contact the skin. Materials that support the growth of fungi or algae shall not be used. 

D.  Finish

    All edges of the helmet shall be smoothed and rounded with no metallic parts or other rigid projections on the inside of the shell that might injure the wearer's head in the event of impact.

E. Retention System

    The retention system shall be designed so as to discourage misuse.  That is, of all the ways in which the retention system might be used, the design use shall be the simplest and quickest to implement.  Helmets shall not be fitted with "non-essential" features which, if misused, can degrade the performance.  Quick release buckles, if used, shall not be able to be released inadvertently.

    Fabric chin straps, if used, shall not be secured to the shell by a bolt, pin or rivet passing through the fabric itself. Although other alternatives may be proposed, the preferred method of attachment is that the strap be looped through and sewn about a metal hanger which can then be secured to the shell by bolt, rivet or other appropriate means.

F. Peripheral Vision

    The helmet shall provide peripheral visual clearance as measured using a reference head form appropriate to the size of the helmet.  This peripheral vision includes a horizontal clearance of at least 210°, an upward clearance of at least 7° and a downward clearance of at least 30°.  However, this downward clearance makes specific allowance for breath deflectors.  These clearances are described in terms of planes fixed in the reference head forms.

    Some competitive four-wheeled applications may permit helmets with more restricted visual fields.  For such helmets, a second set of peripheral vision requirements is specified.  The minimum horizontal, upward and downward requirements for this more restricted field are 180°, 5° and 20° respectively.   Helmets satisfying this visual field requirement but not the broader visual field specified generally are also subject to additional labeling requirements warning that the headgear is considered appropriate only for certain uses.

G.  Weight

    Permissible helmet weights depend on the smallest head circumference for which the helmet is intended and whether the helmet is configured to accept a face shield.  Headgear shall be weighed in the most massive configuration possible with accompanying helmet paraphernalia.

LABELING AND MARKING

    Each helmet shall have durable, visible and legible labeling identifying the manufacturer, the month and year of manufacture, the model and the size.  Labeling shall be uncoded and either in English or a language common to the area where the helmets are to be distributed.  The headgear shall also be labeled to the following effect:

1.    No helmet can protect the wearer against all foreseeable impacts.  However, for       maximum protection, the helmet must be of good fit and the retention system must be securely fastened to retain the helmet.  The helmet, when fitted and fastened, shall not be removed easily.

2.     This helmet is so constructed that the energy of an impact may be absorbed through its partial destruction, though damage may not be visible. If it suffers an impact, it must either be returned to the manufacturer for inspection or be destroyed and replaced.

3. The smallest and largest head circumferences for which the helmet is appropriate in centimeters.

4.  If the helmet does not satisfy the broader visual field requirements set for general

use the helmet must be labeled to the following effect: “RESTRICTED VISUAL FIELD – MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR SOME ACTIVITIES”

    If any of the helmet components are sensitive to common solvents, adhesives, paints or cleansers; the helmet must also bear labels to the following effect:

“This helmet can be seriously damaged by some common substances without visible damage.  Apply only the following:  (Recommended cleaning agents, paints, adhesives and the like) as appropriate.” 

    If the helmet model was certified according to a special addendum to this standard, each helmet shall also include the warning labels required by that addendum. 

    Each helmet shall also include one of two Snell/FIA serialized CMH certification labels.  Helmets meeting only the narrower visual field requirement must include the special Snell/FIA label signifying that the helmet is intended only for certain activities.  Helmets meeting the broader visual field requirements may include either of the two labels. This certification label shall be placed either inside or on the outside of the helmet, as appropriate, in such a way that it cannot be removed intact.

    The registered trademark (certification label) of the Snell Memorial Foundation and the wording “FIA” may be used by the manufacturer only under license.  However, under no circumstances shall the FIA logo be used.  The specifics of licensure may be obtained from the Snell Memorial Foundation.

MARKING AND LABELING OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS

    If a helmet component may reasonably be replaced with an inappropriate substitute that might degrade wearer safety and performance in any of the tests called out in this standard, the manufacturer must mark those components so that users may avoid the purchase and use of inappropriate replacement parts.   In particular, face shields on full face helmets must be marked to identify the manufacturer and the month and year of manufacture.

HEAD FORMS

    This standard invokes four standard head forms for helmet inspection, marking and testing.  The geometry of these head forms is according to the definitions for the ‘A’, ‘C’, ‘E’ and ‘J’ head forms described in International Standards Organization (ISO) Draft Standard ISO DIS 6220-1983.  The impact mass specifications for the impact test phase are comparable to those in ECE 22-05 for these same head form designations.

    ISO DIS 6220-1983 includes descriptions for half head forms suitable for guided fall impact testing or for full head forms such as those used in the positional stability tests.  Figures 1 and 2 depict the general shapes of the half head form configuration. 

The following table lists useful dimensions from the two references given above.

EXTENT OF PROTECTION

    The extent of protection corresponds to that region of the head for which protection is sought. 

    There are a number of planes fixed in the geometry of these head forms as shown in Figure 1.  This description of the extent of protection uses the ISO definitions of the basic plane, the longitudinal plane, the transverse plane and the reference plane.  Other planes have also been defined strictly for convenience and clarity.

    The basic plane corresponds to the anatomical plane (Frankfort plane) that includes the auditory meatuses and the inferior orbital rims. The longitudinal or midsagittal plane is perpendicular to the basic plane and is the plane of symmetry dividing the right half of the head form from the left.  The transverse or coronal plane is perpendicular to both the longitudinal and basic planes.  It corresponds to the anatomical plane that contains the two auditory meatuses and divides the front from the rear portions of the head.

    These planes are all well known entities. Several other planes, however, have proven useful.  The S₀ plane is parallel to the basic plane and lies above it at a distance determined by the size of the head form.  The S₃ plane is parallel to the S₀ plane and the basic plane and lies between them.  The S₄ plane is also parallel to these planes and lies below the basic plane.

    The rear plane divides the rear third of the head from the front two thirds.  It is parallel to the transverse plane and lies at a given distance behind the point where the reference plane and longitudinal planes intersect with the front surface of the head form.  The distance from this point, hereafter called the reference point, is determined by the size of the head form.  The fore plane is also parallel to the transverse plane.  It lies behind the reference point at a distance determined by the size of the head form.

    The extent of protection provided by the helmet must include the entire region above the S₀ plane and forward of the fore plane, the entire region above the S₃ plane and between the fore and rear planes and the entire region above the S₄ plane and behind the rear plane.  Figure 2 and the associated table lay out these additional defined features and show the extent of protection and the test line.

TESTING

A. Inspection

    Each helmet will be inspected for the required labels and for compliance with the general limitations made on structure. Samples received for certification testing must incorporate all the critical component labels but other labeling is not necessary for evaluation.  Samples received for RST (enforcement) testing must have all the required labels.

    The weight and various measurements will be recorded for comparison with other samples of the same make and model.  At least one headgear will be weighed in its most massive configuration.  The weight limits set for helmets depend on the smallest appropriate head circumference for which the helmet is intended and on whether the helmet is configured with, or without, a face shield.  Note: if the helmet is configured for use with a face shield, a face shield must be supplied and shall be included in the weighing.

    At the discretion of the technician, additional helmet assemblies may be required to make this determination with appropriate levels of confidence.

    Some helmets may incorporate innovations and other features not anticipated by this Standard but which raise concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the headgear.  These will be referred to members of the Foundation's Board of Directors and/or authorities at the FIA for evaluation.  Any feature deemed to reduce the protective capacity of the headgear, whether explicitly mentioned in this Standard or not, will be a cause for rejection.

B.  Head Forms and Helmet Positioning

    The determination of which head forms are appropriate to a helmet is based on the specified smallest and largest head circumferences for the helmet.  For samples submitted for certification, this specification must include the smallest and largest values of head circumference for every possible fit pad configuration of the helmet.  For helmets received for RST testing, the smallest and largest head circumferences will be taken directly from the helmet label.

The smallest appropriate head form for a particular helmet is the largest of the four head forms whose circumference is no greater than the manufacturer’s specified smallest circumference. The largest appropriate head form is the largest of the four specified head forms whose circumference is no greater than the manufacturer’s specified largest circumference.

    If any of the test sample helmets is determined to be too small to accommodate the largest head form identified as appropriate, the next smaller head form shall be considered the largest appropriate.  If any sample is too small for even the smallest appropriate head form as indicated by the manufacture specification, the samples shall be rejected for certification.

The following table shows which head forms will be used in certification testing for various head size specifications.  Since the largest head size should never be smaller than the smallest head size, most of the lower left region of the table is blank.  If the size specification corresponds to one of the light gray cells, only a single head form will be necessary and only five helmet samples, configured for the largest head size specified, are required for testing. Otherwise, the tests will involve two head forms and seven samples are required, five configured for the largest head size specified and two configured for the smallest  size specified.