Oxford, England – UK-based safety equipment manufacturer JSP has warned customers to watch out for counterfeit hard hats after fakes were found in the United Kingdom.
According to a story by Nick Taylor in http://www.securingindustry.com/, the counterfeits reportedly split or crack in two when hand pressure is applied to the outer shell. An alert from the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) called the fake ‘Burly’ or ‘MkII’ branded hard hats ‘extremely dangerous’. The helmets are copies of JSP’s MkII safety helmet, which it has been manufacturing in the UK for over 35 years.
Taylor says the BSIF believes the helmets originated in Asia or the Middle East. They are distinguishable by the aforementioned ‘Burly’ or ‘MkII’ markings under the peak.
The rise in fake safety equipment has prompted BSIF to set up a registered supplier scheme. To display the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier (RSS) logo, firms must sign a binding declaration. A list of RSS-approved companies is available on the BSIF website at http://www.bsif.co.uk/home.
There is no evidence such helmets have been distributed in Canada, but this news serves as a warning to test all new helmets before wearing them on the job.