Overview
In the European Union and UK, all head protection products (i.e., Industrial Safety Helmets) must meet strict conformity requirements, to carry the CE mark and be legally placed on the market in compliance with EU Regulation 2016/425 (‘The PPE Regulation’).
Industrial safety helmets play a vital role in safeguarding workers, particularly in high-risk sectors like construction, mining, and heavy industry. It is vital therefore that these helmets conform with relevant safety standards, which guarantee reliable performance, specified durability under hazardous conditions and compliance with applicable EU and UK Law.
EN 397 is the European Norm or ‘Standard’ to which Industrial Protective Helmets (as is now the defined nomenclature) are typically required to conform to, to be CE marked as PPE. It sets out minimum performance requirements, test methodology, product labelling requirements etc.
In what is arguably the most significant change to Safety (aka ‘Protective’) Helmets standards for decades, the current version of the standard (EN 397:2012+A1:2012) is set to be superseded by EN 397: 2025.
The fundamental changes introduced by EN 397:2025 are:
- Protection & Performance: Introduction of new performance definitions for two distinct helmet “Types” (i.e., Type 1 and Type 2). Effectively eliminating any ambiguity or applicability of EN 12492 for industrial safety applications; whilst requiring enhanced consideration of risk during product selection by a user/specifier.
- Design: Removal of defined helmet design requirements e.g., internal clearance requirement between outer shell and suspension system. Potentially paves the way for innovation.
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Compatibility: Helmet ergonomic assessments to assess functionality and practicality of the product design. Helmet accessories that may affect conformity of the helmet (e.g. during impact testing), must be mounted during testing and effectively certified as compatible e.g., face shields/visors, hearing protectors, neck capes, miners lamp brackets etc.
What are the main differences between EN 397: 2012 and EN 397: 2025?
Change Category |
Summary of Change |
Introduction and Definition of two “Types” of Industrial Protective Helmet |
Type 1 Intended to provide protection against vertical (on-crown) impacts, such as from falling objects.
Type 2 Intended to offer multi-directional impact protection, including side and rear impacts, as well as protection against high energy vertical (crown) impacts. |
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Impact & Shock Absorption (Mandatory Requirement)
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2012 edition: Crown impact drop test from 1m only Delivering 49 Joules of energy against the crown (top) of the helmet only with the maximum transmissible force to the wearer's neck being 5kN. No side, front or rear impact testing.
2025 edition:
Type 1 (Crown Impact) The specified drop height (1m) is replaced by velocity (4.43m per second) to ensure more consistent, repeatable and reproducible impact force of 49 Joules is achieved.
Type 2 (Crown Impact)
Type 2 (Off-Crown Impact)
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Resistance to Penetration (Mandatory Requirement)
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Type 1: Crown (vertical) penetration test A 3kg mass is dropped from 1m, with a visual check to confirm no contact with the head form. Type 2 as per Type 1, but with two impacts in the target area |
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Resistance to Off-Crown Penetration (OCP) (Optional Requirement)
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Optional for Type 1 and Type 2: The same 3kg striker as per the mandatory crown penetration test, with impact velocity of 2.71m/s. This is a change from EN 397: 2012 with the approximate drop height lowered from 1m (1,000mm) to 375mm (+/-). Equivalent to 11J of energy impacting “Zone 2” of the helmet. Helmets are pre-conditioned at +50 °C and -10 °C (or lower, in increments of -10 °C if specified by the manufacturer), then impacted in 3 locations 100 mm apart within 1 minute of removal from the conditioning chamber. |
Retention System (Chinstrap) |
2012 edition: Chinstrap fitment optional If fitted, a chinstrap must release between 150 to 250N of force, to reduce risk of injury due to snagging of the helmet/chinstrap
2025 edition: Type 1: chinstraps remain optional. The current version of EN 397: 2025 removes the upper limit (250N) by which a chinstrap is required to release/break. JSP considers this as a serious risk to a wearer, and will retain the performance of releasing between 150-250N of force for its range of EN 397 ‘Type 1’ and DualSwitch™ Chinstraps
Type 2: chinstrap fitment is mandatory and must be factory fitted, with a break strength >500N. This is intended to ensure a helmet will remain on a wearer’s head in the event of a fall e.g., when working at height. |
Why the Change?
EN 397:2025 reflects growing demand for helmets offering all-around head protection in industrial settings.
By introducing a “Type 2” helmet classification, it effectively bridges the gap between traditional industrial safety helmets and mountaineering/climbing helmets. As until now, users looking for helmets offering front, side and rear impact protection, and/or off the crown penetration properties, were typically selecting helmet tested and certified to EN 12492 – a European Norm specifically intended for climbing and mountaineering. Therefore, not necessarily fully sufficient and certainly not originally intended to be used for Industrial Safety applications.
The change implemented with the publication of EN 397: 2025 enables employers to consider, as part of their risk assessment, Industrial Protective Helmets for general protection from falling objects (Type 1) or those with enhanced, broader protection (Type 2) - with test parameters and minimum performance requirements more suitable for industrial workplace applications and hazards, such as insulating properties to prevent electrocution or protection from molten metal splash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question |
Answer |
What happens to product certified to EN 397: 2012+A1: 2012 (or older versions of the standard?) |
Helmets tested and certified to previous versions of EN 397 may continue to be manufactured and sold into the supply chain (i.e., ‘placed on the market’) until certificate expiry or an update/change is made that requires an adaptation of the product technical file, and subsequently the issuance of a new EU-Type Examination Certificate. |
Will we still be able to specify a helmet with a DualSwitch™ chinstrap? |
Yes, it will be technically possible to certify a helmet to EN 397: 2025 Type 1 and Type 2with a DualSwitch™ chinstrap. Providing the helmet itself fulfils the mandatory minimum performance requirements of Type 2. |
Normative references have been updated to include EN 50365: 2023 (Electrically insulating helmets for use on low and medium voltage installation). |
With the 2023 edition of EN 50365, no insulating property claims are possible for Vented helmets/shells.
Applicable to non-vented helmets only: Class 2 up to 17k Vac Class 1 up to 7500 Vac Class 0 up to 1000 Vac/1500 Vdc Class 00 up to 500 Vac/750 Vdc |
Are there changes to the pre-conditioning temperatures prior to impact testing? |
Overall, the EN397: 2025 is more demanding at extremes of temperature compared to existing standards in use today; as you would expect with an industrial safety standard.
For example, EN 12492 (for mountaineering/climbing) required pre-conditioning and impact testing at +35 °C, for EN 397: 2025 it will be mandated at +50 °C.
Low temperature is defined by the manufacturer, with –10 °C the minimum requirement, increments of 10 °C, and no lower limit, driven by technical specification determined by the manufacturer. |
What are the implications of the new ergonomics assessment of industrial safety helmets? |
Test subjects will be requested to assess whether the helmet present rough, sharp, hard areas that might cause excessive irritation or injury. Similarly, they will be asked whether the helmet is easy to adjust, operate and secure, and to comment on the ease of use with accessories (integral or non-integral).
Last, there is a Mobility test, where the user is moving their head side-to-side or up and down (i.e., nodding).
To each of these questions, a YES must be registered for an Industrial Safety Helmet to conform to EN 397: 2025 |
Can you explain the new optional requirements for helmets providing “enhanced visibility?” |
Daytime visibility: the helmet shell must meet the requirements for chromaticity / colour i.e. to be a bright enough shade of Yellow/Green/Red (similar to requirements for hi-visibility clothing, EN ISO 20471) . Dark / Night visibility: the helmet must present a retroreflection coefficient that is high enough for the product to be seen in the dark. The retroreflective material must be of a large surface (72cm2), specific positioning (one on each quadrant i.e. all around the helmet) , and of high reflectivity quality.
Not fully meeting the daytime or the dark conditions doesn’t technically prevent a manufacturer from marketing current products as providing ‘extra visibility’ in lowlight conditions (i.e. CR2 can continue to exist, primarily to identify persons and job roles onsite). We would just not have the new markings on the product, to be able to claim full compliance with applicable clauses of EN 397: 2025 |
Can you explain the new optional requirements for Electrostatic protection, when working in ex-zones? i.e., ATEX environments |
Important Reminder: No "simple" PPE can be certified to the ATEX directive.
As an option of EN397, helmets can be tested to ensure they do not accumulate electrostatic charge. In this case, they are called "Electrostatic Dissipative Helmets"
According to the results, they will be marked for use in the specific ATEX Zones (i.e., explosive atmospheres)
Compliant Helmets will come with specific requirements and guidelines to be written in the instructions e.g., wearer must be earthed, helmet must be donned before entering the zone, and it will be forbidden to remove it when in the zone. |
Why has the test method for lateral deformation (LD) been removed? |
The Working Group decided this LD testing was not representative of a real-life hazard, nor a proof that the helmet with LD was offering enhanced structural protection. It was already removed from EN14052 back in 2006. |
What change has there been on the test method for helmet shell ignitability and why? |
Resistance to flame has been removed and replaced by a resistance to ignition. This is to ensure consistency whilst testing. The test now involves a hot rod, and a pass happens when the helmet doesn’t ignite after 5s of exposure. |
