In recent years, incidents involving substandard safety helmets have led to injuries among workers. In Wuhan, low-quality helmets continue to circulate in the market, posing a serious threat to worker safety during critical moments.
Xiao Xu, a construction worker in Hongshan District’s Nanhu area, recently lost his helmet at the site and purchased two cheap ones from a hardware store on Xiongchu Street for just 8 yuan. However, he quickly realized that these helmets lacked essential information such as the manufacturer, license number, or production date. They also had no internal cushioning, only a thin plastic lining. When he tried to wear one, it easily dented with minimal pressure. Not long after, while wearing one of the helmets, it cracked when it fell from a second-floor worker, leaving a visible hole.
During recent visits, reporters found that many labor protection stores in three towns across Wuhan still sell inexpensive, low-quality helmets. These products often come from coastal regions like Guangdong and Zhejiang and lack proper inspection certificates from national quality control authorities. Many do not even have standard labels, such as production dates or national standards numbers. Prices are extremely low—some as low as 4 yuan, with even cheaper rates for bulk purchases.
Shop owners noted that these cheap helmets are in high demand, often bought in large quantities by construction companies. According to industry sources, the price of a helmet largely depends on its material. The cheapest option is made of recycled plastic, offering minimal protection. A better option is the ABS resin helmet, which provides moderate protection, while the most expensive and safest is the fiberglass helmet.
"The 4-yuan helmet is made from scrap plastic," one shop owner said. "It's cheap, but not safe."
For workers, choosing such helmets is often a tough decision. Master Wang, who has over a decade of experience in construction, shared his frustration: "The cheap helmets are more like sun hats. If you don’t wear them on the job, you have to spend your own money. It’s not worth buying an expensive one, so you just have to be careful when working."
According to national regulations, the production of safety helmets requires licensing, and each helmet must pass strict tests under GB2811-2007 standards, including resistance to extreme temperatures and water. Construction companies are required to provide workers with certified, high-quality helmets. However, some companies outsource this responsibility to contractors, failing to check the quality afterward. They simply require workers to wear the helmets, creating a demand for cheap, substandard products.
Despite multiple government departments overseeing different stages—quality supervision, circulation, and usage—low-quality helmets still remain popular. Experts suggest that addressing this issue requires coordinated efforts across sectors, including stricter enforcement and long-term solutions to eliminate unsafe products at the source.
Construction units must ensure that workers receive helmets that meet national standards, ensuring their safety and promoting safer working conditions.
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