By Margaret Felberg, Vice President, Safety
Recently MCAA published an article that highlights the groundbreaking construction helmet ratings system developed by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. As most of us in the construction industry know, the greatest number of both fatal and non-fatal traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among all major industries occur on construction jobsites.
These head injuries are often caused by falling objects, debris, or impact with equipment, and can result in severe, long-term consequences such as memory loss, fractured bones, permanent neurological damage, paralysis, or death. Helmets act as a primary defense, absorbing and deflecting the force of impacts to significantly reduce the likelihood of severe injury or fatality. The inclusion of a chin strap further ensures that the helmet stays in place in the event of a fall, offering even greater protection than the previously used hard hats.
In 2024, ACCO’s safety team began implementing the use of Type II helmets for our field and project management employees based on data that these helmets are more effective at protecting against TBIs compared to the standard hard hat. Since then ACCO has purchased over 6,500 Type II helmets, ensuring a safe work environment as our top priority and helping all our team members return home to their families each day.
Over the past 24 months, our safety team has observed a notable shift amongst all construction teams towards the adoption of these new helmets and we are pleased to see the recent findings released by MCAA that substantiate the change.
Virginia Tech’s two-year study analyzed data on concussion and skull fracture risks on construction sites and evaluated how modern safety helmets effectively reduce the risk of these injuries. The study found that modern Type II helmets, which include interior energy-absorbing materials and chin straps, significantly outperform traditional Type I hard hats. Additionally, these helmets can reduce the risk of concussion by up to 48% and the risk of skull fracture by up to 77%. Put simply, the data underscores the “life-saving potential” of upgrading to Type II helmets.
The ACCO safety team is always reviewing and investing in new and improved safety technology. As we continue our commitment to creating the safest possible workplaces for ACCO and our industry peers, we’re excited to see more studies released on other mitigation tools and tactics that we will be implementing in the years to come.