BLACKSBURG, Va. – Twenty-five percent of all construction site deaths are a result of serious head injuries according to the Job Site Safety Institute, and that is why the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is stepping into the world of non-athletic helmet studies.
Previously, they have conducted research and built a helmet safety rating system for nine sports, but now researchers said they will be studying construction helmets already on the market to give insight on where they can improve.
“For the most part, there is not a lot of research into how well these do in a lot of falls and trips, ladder, scaffolding — where those accidents typically happen as far as head injuries go,” said Barry Miller, director of outreach and business development for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.
They said they plan to start testing and rating helmets very soon.