upcoming helmet requirement changes

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:16 pm

SA2005s won't be acceptable in 2015 right?

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

SA2010 helmets didn't start hitting the market until 2011, if I remember right.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:36 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

SA2005s won't be acceptable in 2015 right?

I may mis-quote here, but I think autox and rallyx can look back 15 years and HPDE only looks back 10. That said, in 2015/2016 track will accept 2005/2010 and up and in 2015/2016 autox will accept 2000/2005 and up. I find it strange they only build in 5year increments... Why not stamp the helmet for the current year?

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 5:05 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

JamesMilko wrote:

SA2005s won't be acceptable in 2015 right?

I may mis-quote here, but I think autox and rallyx cause the standards stamp.ok back 15 years and HPDE only looks back 10. That said, in 2015/2016 track will accept 2005/2010 and up and in 2015/2016 autox will accept 2000/2005 and up. I find it strange they only build in 5year increments... Why not stamp the helmet for the current year?

Rodney; helmets should all be stamped with a build date (very specific to month and year) if the club is concerned about safety and not just insurance compliancy as has been stated before, i dont get why we dont require the right snell stamp as well as a no older then so many years.

All the motorcycle track events im aware of (which we are not) mandate a helmet no older then 5 years. This is done by manufacture date and not just the standards stamp.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 5:54 pm

It is common for product safety standards to be updated periodically with "effective dates" specified for certification compliance of NEW production of older products and new products. In the case of UL and similar certifications old designs which will continue in production after the effective date must comply with the updated requirements in order to be able to continue using the certification labels (which are applied at the factory). Snell is similar it appears but on a 5 year cycle rather than "as needed" with other safety standards. In most cases the new requirements are incrementally better. A very large percentage of products also have a limited effective life span so "less safe" products tend to go out of service. Obviously we can all think of numerous counter examples but the general situation is true for most potential hazards.

Due to the serious life threatening aspects of motor racing sanctioning bodies and their insurance companies have decided that head protection should meet more recent standards. You can use whatever certification version helmet you like for motorcycle riding when helmets are required.

Note in the case of building codes state and local laws control which version of a building code must be applied for new and remodeled construction and frequently lag one or more code "cycles" behind.

Dick
Retired UL engineer

JamesShort · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:08 pm

Autox/Rallyx will follow SCCA rules on this: Current designation plus the 2 prior. So SA/K/M2000s will not be allowed starting next year 2015. SA/K/M2005 will be good till 2020.

Charlie Guthrie · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 8:14 pm **Posts:** 832

Just a quick observation. Most sanctioning bodies accept a certification date until the subsequent certification equipment is available for purchase. In the case of Snell 2015, that official date is Oct. 1, 2015. If I am reading the rules correctly, then a SA2000 helmet would be usable until October.

Snell Memorial Foundation, Inc
3628 Madison Avenue, Suite 11
North Highlands, CA 95660
Phone: (916) 331-5073
Fax: (916) 331-0359
Web:
www.smf.org
Email: info@smf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Snell Foundation Finalizes SA2015 Standard
The Snell Memorial Foundation, Inc. has finalized i
ts SA2015 Standard for Protective Headgear
which applies to auto racing helmets. However, alth
ough there are several changes in test
requirements and procedures from the current SA2010
Standard, Snell certified auto racing
helmets are expected to stay very much the same as
they are now.
Changes include:
•
SA2015 helmets must be ready for the addition of f
rontal restraint tether hardware such
as used in HANS® and other systems.
•
SA2015 includes provisions for “Low Velocity” impa
ct testing.
•
SA2015 includes “Low Lateral” impacts in case of s
trikes against side window frames and
similar structures.
The projected timeline for SA2015 is as follows:
•
SA2015 Certification testing has already begun.
•
SA2015 Certified helmets will not be available for
sale until October 1, 2015, when the
standard takes effect.
Our advice to Safety Inspectors and Racing Authorit
ies is that they continue to accept helmets in
good condition and certified either to the current
or immediately previous Snell standard. At this
time, SA2010 is the current Snell standard and SA20
05 is the immediately previous.

Regards,
Charlie G

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:01 pm

From the draft SCCA Solo Rules for 2015:

Quote:

4.3.1 Helmets
Helmets meeting the following standards must be worn while on course:
All helmets meeting the latest or two immediately preceding Snell Foundation
standards (SA2015, SA2010, SAH2010, SA2005, SA2000, M2015,
M2010, M2005, M2000, K2010, K2005, K98)

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:16 pm

...bump from the dead...

SCCA is allowing SA2005 helmets to persist for 2016 given the late October rollout of SA2015 helmets. Is it correct to assume the club is following suit?

Thanks!

Stephen Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Jan 11, 2016 4:58 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

...bump from the dead...

SCCA is allowing SA2005 helmets to persist for 2016 given the late October rollout of SA2015 helmets. Is it correct to assume the club is following suit?

Thanks!

I'd assume that only 2000 rated helmets are going away this year and that 2005 would stick around for another 5 years for autocross like we've always done? I've got 6 old SA2005 DE helmets that I'm bringing to the meeting to hand off to one of the AutoX VP's.

For our DE's, SA2005 will only be allowed at the February event. June and September we will require SA2010 or newer.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:54 am

Thanks. I knew autoX would be OK with SA2005, but I keep being optimistic about attending DEs at some point, so thanks for the clarification on that.

Stephen Westerfield · **Posted:** Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:51 am

Steven Carter wrote:

Thanks. I knew autoX would be OK with SA2005, but I keep being optimistic about attending DEs at some point, so thanks for the clarification on that.

Keep in mind we have loaner helmets that we issue head socks with, so they are in pretty good shape (minimal funk). We have them to encourage folks to come out if a helmet is one of their hurdles.

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