Safety helmet and head protection specialist, Mips (standing for multi-directional impact protection system) has developed a protective hard hat insert that mimics the function of fluid around the brain.
According to the article, most conventional hardhats use foam liner to reduce impact shock, though this isn’t always enough to protect against concussion and serious brain injuries that are commonly caused by rotational motion of the brain. The product has been designed to help absorb rotational force to the head, improving protection.
The Mips safety system consists of a polycarbonate layer which a PPE manufacturer can insert into the hard hat, usually between the comfort padding and the foam protective layer. according to the article, this allows 10mm to 15mm of relative motion between the head and the hard hat following certain angled impacts.
“We are trying to lower the coefficient of friction between the helmet and the head in the same way that the cerebrospinal fluid will lower the coefficient of friction between the brain and the skeleton,” Mips co-founder Peter Halldi told New Civil Engineer.
The safety system typically weighs under one pound, so it does not add significant weight to the standard construction hard hats, according to the article. A chin strap is required, however, to ensure the system provides adequate protection.
