14-014 Code Vt. R. 14-050-014-X - MOTORCYCLE PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR APPROVAL REGULATIONS

Part A SPECIFICTIONS FOR MOTORCYCLE SFETY HELMETS

Section 1 DEFINITIONS

1.1 Helmet - The term "helmet" as used herein is a piece of protective headgear designed to protect the upper part of the wearer's head from impacts.

1.2 Reference plane - The reference plane is a plane 2.36 in. (60 mm) above and parallel to a plane defined by the level of the external ear opening and the lower rim of the eye opening.

1.3 Area of protection - All area of the head above the reference plane.

Section 2 MATERIALS

2.1 All materials used in the helmet shall be of durable quality, and their physical properties shall not change appreciably under normal use for the expected life of the helmet. This requirement shall include exposure to sun, rain, temperature variations, dust, vibrations, contact with body tissues and fluids, and products normally used on the skin and hair.

2.2 Materials used in the helmet shall not cause skin irritation or disease if they come into contact with the skin.

Section 3 REQUIRED PROTECTION

3.1 The area of protection defined in 1.3 shall be protected by the helmet so the transmitted acceleration is within the specifications of Section 6, Impact Test.

3.2 The area of protection shall be protected by the helmet to meet the requirements of Section 7, Penetration Test.

3.3 The helmet shall meet the requirements of Section 8, Retaining System Test.

3.4 The helmet shall be designed so that no part(s) will be inadvertently detached during normal use including impact conditions encountered in accidents.

Section 4 TEST SAMPLES

4.1 In order to qualify under this standard, helmets shall be tested in accordance with all procedures set forth herein. The tests shall be conducted on helmets as offered for sale.

4.2 After a particular make and model has been qualified, further quality control tests or tests to verify continuing satisfactory performance can be accomplished by conducting only the room temperature portion of the tests.

4.3 Four helmets will be required for qualification testing.

4.4 The reference plane shall be marked on the helmet prior to test, and all tests shall be conducted above the reference plane.

Section 5 TEST CONDITIONS

5.1 Ambient temperature - Ambient temperature tests will be conducted on the first helmet in a room in which the ambient temperature is 78 +/- 9 [degrees] F (25 +/ 5 [degrees] C). The helmet shall be maintained in the ambient temperature for a period of not less than 4 hours.

5.2 Low temperature - The second helmet shall be tested under low temperature conditions after being cooled in a mechanically cooled apparatus to a temperature of 14 +/- 5 [degrees] F (-10 +/- 2 [degrees] C) for a period of between 4 and 24 hours.

5.3 Water immersion - The third helmet shall be tested after immersion in water at a temperature of 78 +/- 9 [degrees] F (25 +/- 5 [degrees] C) for a period between 4 and 24 hours.

5.4 High temperature - The fourth helmet shall be tested after being heated in a suitable oven at a temperature of 122 +/- 5 [degrees] F (50 +/- 2 [degrees] C) for a period between 4 and 24 hours.

5.5 Testing shall begin within 5 minutes after removal from the environments specified in 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4, and shall be completed before the temperature and/or moisture content has changed appreciably from the specified conditions.

Section 6 IMPACT TEST

6.1 Shock absorption - Shock absorption shall be measured by imparted acceleration to an appropriately instrumented movable head form. In testing, a helmet is placed on the head form and dropped in guided fall upon a fixed, rigid anvil.

6.2 Maximum allowable acceleration levels - The helmet shall be rejected: if any portion of the acceleration pulse exceeds 400 G's, or if the total time of acceleration above the 200 G level exceeds 2 milliseconds, or if the total time of acceleration above the 150 G level exceeds 4 milliseconds. The maximum allowable acceleration levels set forth in this section shall apply to ambient temperature impact (5.1), low temperature impact (5.2), water immersion impact (5.3) and high temperature impact tests (5.4).

6.3 Each helmet shall be impacted in not less than four sites. The impact sites shall be above the reference plane and separated from each other by a distance equal to one-fifth or more of the maximal circumference of the helmet.

6.4 An equal number of impacts shall be applied on a flat impact surface at least 5 in. (12.6 cm) in diameter and a hemispherical impact anvil with a radius of 1.9 in. (4.8 cm). The flat and hemispherical impact surfaces shall be mounted on a rigid anvil weighing at least 300 pounds.

6.5 The impacts shall be made with a head form fabricated from low resonance magnesium alloy (K-lA) and a light-weight supporting crosshead. The combined weight of the crosshead and head form shall be 11 + 0.2 - 0.0 pounds (5 + 0.091 - 0.0 kilograms).

6.6 The impact energy utilized shall be 50 foot-pounds (7.42 kilogram-meters) with the hemispherical anvil face (54 in. or 134 cm drop) and 66 foot-pounds (9.8 kilogram-meters) with the flat anvil face (72 in. or 183 cm drop).

Section 7 PENETRATION TEST

7.1 The complete helmet shall be placed on a rigid head form covered with an electrically-conducting material. Penetration tests shall be conducted by dropping a 6 pound, 10 ounce (3 kilogram) penetration striker a distance of 39.37 inches (1 meter) measured from the outer surface of the helmet to the tip of the striker. The impact tip of the striker shall be a cone with an included angle of 60 [degrees] and an altitude of at least 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters). The radius of the striking point shall be .0197 in, (0.5 mm) and its hardness 60 C Rockwell.

7.2 The helmet shall be subjected to impact of the striker dropped (free fall) onto the outside surface of the helmet in a direction essentially perpendicular to the surface. The points of impact shall be one in each 60 degree quadrant of the helmet at a radial distance 4.5 +/- 0.5 in. (11.4 +/- 1.3 cm) from the apex and also at the apex. Ten impacts in these quadrants shall be accomplished on the four sample helmets with at least one impact on each sample.

7.3 The helmet shall be rejected if electrical contact is made between the impactor and the conducting surface of the head form during any of the ten impacts supplied in 7.2.

Section 8 RESTRAINING SYSTEM TEST

8.1 The retention system of the helmet shall be tested by placing the helmet on a rigid head form. The chin strap or other chin restraining device shall be placed around a movable anvil approximating the size of the human jaw. The simulated jaw shall be located in approximately the correct relative position on the head form.

8.2 The movable simulated jaw bone shall be moved downward with respect to the head form until a force of 300 pounds (136 kilograms) is applied to the simulated jaw bone. The retention system and its attachments shall support this force without failure and without greater than 1 in. (2.54 cm) increase in vertical distance from the top of the helmet to the bottom of the simulated jaw bone.

8.3 If the extension between the simulated jaw and the top of the helmet is greater than 1 in. (2.54 cm) or if any part of the retention system fails, the helmet shall be rejected.

8.4 The retention system shall be tested as specified herein at ambient temperature.

Section 9 TEST EQUIPMENT

9.1 The test equipment shall be identical or equivalent to that specified in Section 13 of United States of America Standards Institute Standard Z90.1-1966, with the exception that the head form and penetration striker shall be modified to conform to section 7 herein.

Section 10 CALIBRATION OF TEST EQUIPMENT

10.1 The equipment shall be calibrated in accordance with the procedure recommended by the manufacturer. It shall be allowed to warm up until equilibrium is reached prior to any testing.

10.2 The instrumentation shall be recalibrated after each series of tests. Any change in the calibration before and after testing shall be cause for rejection of the test series.

10.3 In addition to the manufacturer's component calibration specified in 10.1, the entire system shall be checked before and after each series of tests for calibration by dropping the head form on a section of foam plastic and comparing this calibration with previous calibrations on the same or identical foam plastic. This calibration must be within predetermined tolerance prior to and after testing. If it is out of tolerance, the test series shall be discarded.

10.4 When a test series is discarded because of equipment malfunction or failure to maintain proper calibration, the equipment shall be re-calibrated and the test series re-run without prejudice to the helmets undergoing test.

10.5 A permanent acceleration-time history record of each impact shall be made.

Section 11 REFLECTOR REQUIREMENTS

11.1 When required by law or regulation to have reflective capability each helmet shall have a reflectorized surface or have securely affixed thereto reflectorized material on both the left and right side of such helmet. Such reflectorization must cover an area of at least 4 square inches (10 square centimeters) on each side of the helmet. If reflectorized material is attached to the helmet, it must be affixed with a suitable permanent, weatherproof and water-resistant adhesive substance.

Section 12 IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

12.1 Each helmet approved under these specifications shall be labeled on the outside of the helmet above the base of the rear of the helmet with letters or numbers at least 1/4 in. (0.6 centimeters) in height with the manufacturer's trade name and model name or number, which shall be the same name or number under which the helmet has been approved.

Part B

American Standard Specifications for Protective Headgear for Vehicular Users (Incorporated by Reference Only)

Part C

38 F.R. 22390 (August 20, 1973)

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 218

Motorcycle Helmets

(Incorporated by Reference Only)

Notes

14-014 Code Vt. R. 14-050-014-X

Effective Date: January 14, 1979 (Secretary of State Rule Log #79-7)

Statutory Authority: 23 V.S.A. § 1256