NCJ Number
16042
Journal
DIMENSIONS/NBS Volume: 58 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1974) Pages: 80-81
Date Published
1974
Length
2 pages
Annotation
A REPORT OF SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY TESTS ON POLICE RIOT HELMETS, BALLISTIC HELMETS, AND CRASH HELMETS, SHOWING THAT MANY READILY AVAILABLE POLICE HELMETS MAY FAIL TO PREVENT SERIOUS BRAIN DAMAGE DURING HAZARDOUS DUTY.
Abstract
TO ASSESS THE PROTECTIVE ABILITY OF THE HELMETS, A LOW RESONNANCE MAGNESIUM FORM, SHAPED LIKE THE UPPER PORTION OF THE HUMAN HEAD, WAS EQUIPPED TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGING ACCELERATION CAUSED BY A BLOW TO THE HELMET. OF THE THREE HELMET TYPES, THE RIOT HEADPIECES, WHICH ARE MADE OF EITHER CLASS-REINFORCED PLASTIC OR POLYCARBONITE, WERE FOUND TO PERFORM THE WORST. THE BALLISTIC HELMETS ALSO SHOWED UNEVEN PERFORMANCE, WITH ONLY ONE OF THE THREE MODELS TESTED PROVIDING ADEQUATE PROTECTION. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT SEVERE SHOCKS TO CRASH HELMET EQUIPMENT CAN PARTIALLY DESTROY ITS EFFECTIVENESS WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE TO THE OUTSIDE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)