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 risk to workers' safety during critical moments.
Xiao Xu, a construction worker in Hongshan District's Nanhu area, recently lost his helmet on-site and purchased two cheap hard hats from a hardware store on Xiongchu Street for 8 yuan. However, he quickly noticed that these helmets lacked essential information such as the manufacturer’s name, license number, or any internal padding. Instead, they had only a thin plastic lining, which easily collapsed under minimal pressure. Not long after, while wearing one of the helmets, it cracked instantly when it fell from the second floor, leaving him in a dangerous situation.
During a recent investigation, it was found that many labor protection stores in three towns across Wuhan sell similar low-cost helmets. These products are often manufactured in coastal regions like Guangdong and Zhejiang, and they lack necessary inspection certificates from national quality supervision authorities. Additionally, they don’t bear standard numbers, production dates, or other required labels. Some of them are sold for as little as 4 yuan, with even lower prices for bulk purchases.
According to some shop owners, these cheap helmets are popular among construction sites, where they are bought in large quantities. The price of a helmet largely depends on its material. There are three main types available: the cheapest is made of plastic, offering minimal protection; the next is made of ABS resin, providing moderate protection; and the most expensive is made of fiberglass, offering the highest level of safety. One seller revealed that the 4-yuan helmets are often made from recycled plastic, significantly lowering their cost.
For workers, choosing such helmets is often a tough decision. Master Wang, who has over a decade of experience, said, “The cheap ones feel like sun hats. If you don’t wear them at work, you’re forced to spend your own money. It’s not worth buying an expensive one just to save a few yuan. You can only be extra careful while working.â€
According to Chinese regulations, helmet manufacturers must obtain licenses, and each product must meet the GB2811-2007 national standard. This includes passing tests under extreme temperatures and water resistance. Construction companies are legally required to provide workers with certified helmets. However, some companies outsource this responsibility to contractors without checking the quality, simply requiring workers to wear the helmets, which creates a demand for substandard products.
Despite multiple government departments overseeing different aspects of the safety helmet supply chain — including production, distribution, and usage — low-quality helmets still remain widely available. Experts suggest that addressing this issue requires coordinated efforts across sectors, along with long-term solutions aimed at eliminating the problem at its source.
Construction units must ensure that workers receive certified safety helmets that meet national standards, ensuring their safety and promoting safer working conditions.
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