Head & Face Protection

Our range of head and face protection includes bump caps, face shields and visors, as well as safety helmets and other accessories and replacements. At Cromwell we offer a wide choice of user-friendly products to suit all your personal protection needs from reliable brands like JSP®, Honeywell® and 3M™.

What is head & face protection?

PPE for the head and face includes items like bump caps, safety helmets, and face shields. The purpose of this equipment is to protect against hazards, like falling objects, chemical splash and hot debris and reduce the risk of injury.

Why head & face protection?

Injuries to the head and face can be severe if not life changing, and serious accidents (those reported annually to RIDDOR) are more frequent in the UK than any of us realise. It's important to ensure that occupational risks are properly controlled where possible with risk management processes. For any residual risk, personal protective equipment (PPE) is the best solution to keep workers safe.

When is head & face protection used?

Risks and hazards are present in most workplace settings, and it is an employer's responsibility to identify and protect employees against them. Once a hazard has been identified, and a risk management plan put in place, suitable PPE must be provided to the employees affected.

Considerations when choosing head & face protection

• Risk - a risk assessment should be conducted to identify residual hazards which need PPE.

• Fit - equipment should be fully adjustable to ensure a secure fit.

• Coverage - items like visors and face shields can cover up to the chin or extend down past the neck depending on the amount of coverage required.

• Vision - PPE should in no way inhibit the wearer's vision or reduce hazard awareness. Different peak sizes are available on bump caps, while some visor designs allow for a wide range of vision.

• Compatibility - some safety helmets feature vents to clip on ear defenders and visors to ensure all PPE performs to standards.

• Accessories - replacement visors, or chin extenders are readily available to maintain and keep PPE compliant with safety standards. Similarly, items like sweatbands and helmet cradle harnesses are also replaceable.

Head & face protection jargon buster

Safety standards can be a minefield of information. So, to help you find the PPE you need, we've broken down and explained a key head protection standard to help you to understand the various safety helmet applications.

What does the head protection standard EN 14052:2012 mean?

EN 14052 covers the safety requirements for industrial safety helmets. Used in heavy-duty industry, these helmets must undergo rigorous impact and penetration testing on both the top and side of the shell to ensure high levels of protection.

Let's break it down...

• EN - This is a current European standard.

• 14052 - This is the assigned legislation number.

• 2012 - This is the year the safety standard was updated and supersedes the 2005 version.

FAQs

Does protective head and face gear prevent a head injury?

In some cases, head and face protection can prevent an injury, and significantly reduce the seriousness of an injury in others. A heavy object falling directly onto your head can cause internal and external damage, and in some cases result in death. Wearing the correct head protection, such as a hard hat will absorb the shock and some of the impact of that object and could potentially save your life.

What's the best way to clean eye and face protection?

It's important to maintain personal protection equipment to ensure it remains compliant. For a thorough clean of visors and face shields, mix a weak soap and water solution and use it to wipe the equipment with a soft, clean cloth. Lens cleaning sprays and liquids are ideal for a quick clean and remove streaks to maintain visual clarity.

Is a face shield considered eye protection?

No. A face shield is classed as face protection since it doesn't completely cover or enclose the eyes. It's good practice to wear safety goggles or safety spectacles underneath a face shield or visor in certain conditions to ensure maximum protection to the eyes as well as the face.

For more information on head and face protection see our Head Protection and Eye & Face Protection Guides...
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/info/safety-technical-head-protection