IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE - Replacement Suspension

[Skull Bucket]

This is NOT a RECALL notice being issued by Skull Bucket Mfg. Co. This document is intended to make you aware of our findings and for educational purposes only.

Skull Bucket Mfg. Co. is not the manufacturer of this product (swing-style suspension) and we are not issuing a recall and will not be responsible for the refund or exchange of any products. This is a safety notice only.

We have become aware of these swing-style suspensions being purchased and installed inside the Skull Bucket brand aluminum hard hats so we had them tested for compliance to the current ANSI standards. Upon receiving the results from the testing laboratory, that the swing-style suspension failed testing, we reported our findings through the required product safety oversights.

The Bucket-Strap suspension was designed for and is approved for use in all Skull Bucket aluminum hard hat.

 

[madhatte]

Bummer, that, I really liked the fit of those suspensions... hated the clips, though. Worst ever for coming loose.

 

[Westboastfaller]

This is NOT a RECALL notice being issued by Skull Bucket Mfg. Co. This document is intended to make you aware of our findings and for educational purposes only.

Skull Bucket Mfg. Co. is not the manufacturer of this product (swing-style suspension) and we are not issuing a recall and will not be responsible for the refund or exchange of any products. This is a safety notice only.

We have become aware of these swing-style suspensions being purchased and installed inside the Skull Bucket brand aluminum hard hats so we had them tested for compliance to the current ANSI standards. Upon receiving the results from the testing laboratory, that the swing-style suspension failed testing, we reported our findings through the required product safety oversights.

The Bucket-Strap suspension was designed for and is approved for use in all Skull Bucket aluminum hard hat.

So it says ANSI approved to an older standard that have now been superceded? Or it has never been approved? Or is it this; some hard hats are stamped ANIS approved to the latest standard but the suspension was never tested? I would hope thanks not the case.

 

[Skull Bucket]

So it says ANSI approved to an older standard that have now been superceded? Or it has never been approved? Or is it this; some hard hats are stamped ANIS approved to the latest standard but the suspension was never tested? I would hope thanks not the case.

I can not answer for the practices of another company, but I will say that the impact and penetration testing procedures for the ANSI Z89.1 Standard has not changed since the 2003 version. If it was tested to the 2003 version of the standard it would have passed subsequent testing regardless of the subsequent or superseding standard.

The standard, ISEA/ANSI Z89.1 Standard for Industrial Head Protection, has not changed it's impact resistance requirement since it's inception in 1969; "7.2 Impact Resistance. When tested in accordance with the method specified in B.3, helmets shall transmit an average force of not more . than 850 pounds. and no individual specimen shall transmit a force of more than 1000 pounds. (credit; https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/002/ansi.z89.1.1969.pdf )

The release of our testing results is intended to educate the public that if they are currently wearing that style suspension it may not protect you when struck by a significant impact. Safety First, Safety Always!

We test our Bucket-Strap suspension regularly and following conditional measures to study the resulting affects in an effort to improve on what is, by industry standard, a superior system. We are currently testing the Bucket-Strap Suspension system to the standards issued by other countries. WorkSafe BC for example, will accept ANSI Z89.1 in lieu of the Canadian standard for head protection CSA Z94.1. We feel like it is worth our efforts to confirm that every Skull Bucket will perform to the Canadian standard CSA Z94.1 so we are currently having them tested for compliance. Once we have the results in hand from the independent testing laboratory we will update the required labeling inside the hard hat to reflect the CSA standard compliance.

Remember we wear our products everyday just like you do. And, like all of you, I want to return home to my family without a permanent life changing injury. Accidents are going to happen, but with the right personal protective equipment can reduce the potential for those life changing accidents. Stay safe out there and wear your PPE!

 

[madhatte]

Remember we wear our products everyday just like you do.

This is an important statement from a manufacturer. Too many have forgotten this (ex: the shift to sintered aluminum rather than stamped steel gears in a certain manufacturer's logging tapes) and I am pleased to see the simple, yet critical issue of actual use addressed.