Cherish life, say NO to a few dollars hard hat

It is widely recognized that construction workers are required to wear safety helmets when entering a construction site. These helmets serve as essential head protection equipment, playing a critical role in safeguarding the lives and safety of workers. However, the current market is flooded with substandard helmets that fail to provide adequate protection. There have been numerous incidents where helmets lacked sufficient impact resistance, resulting in serious injuries or even fatalities. This alarming situation highlights the urgent need for improved quality control and stricter supervision in helmet production.

Currently, most large and medium-sized enterprises in China use imported ABS materials—known for their excellent impact resistance—as the primary raw material for manufacturing hard hats. Due to the sharp rise in oil prices over the past two years, the cost of this material has surged to around 20,000 yuan per ton. Despite this, many factories opt for cheaper alternatives, such as "recycled materials" priced at just a few thousand yuan per ton, creating a tenfold price difference.

These so-called "recycled materials" are often made from various types of waste plastic bags. Some recycling plants purchase large quantities of used plastic bags, process them through basic recycling methods, and then label them as plastic granules to sell to helmet manufacturers. These low-quality materials are then used to produce safety helmets. Many small workshops and unscrupulous manufacturers use these materials to make helmets that look normal but offer no real protection. After injection molding, painting, and polishing, the finished products appear indistinguishable from genuine ones.

The impact resistance and aging resistance of such materials are significantly reduced. A simple squeeze by hand can deform the helmet, and in some cases, the helmet may tear apart without providing any safety. These helmets do not meet even the basic national standards. Each of these cheap helmets costs less than one yuan, which is why they are commonly sold in markets for just a few dollars.

Why do some companies prefer to use low-quality helmets while ignoring the importance of high-quality ones? Besides the low cost, what other factors contribute to this trend?

1. Fake and shoddy helmets are selling well across the country. Many buyers focus only on price, neglecting the safety aspect. As a result, a large number of low-quality helmets flood the market, pushing out safer, higher-quality options. In both urban and rural areas, poor-quality helmets outsell the good ones, creating a strange market imbalance.

2. Consumers' diverse demands and weak safety awareness also play a role. The overwhelming presence of low-quality helmets in the market has led some companies to prioritize cost over safety. Some even treat helmets as a mere formality to pass inspections. They believe that as long as the price is low, it doesn't matter if the helmet actually protects. Their lack of understanding about the potential consequences of using substandard helmets leads them to think that accidents won’t happen to them. This mindset allows unsafe, non-compliant helmets to thrive in the market.

China Labor Insurance Network