Helmets used for work

Sailingneil

New member
Does anyone who caves for work (instructor/guide etc) mount their head lamp directly to your helmet? IE do you drill holes in your helmet to mount the torch?
 

Pete K

Well-known member
Sailingneil said:
Does anyone who caves for work (instructor/guide etc) mount their head lamp directly to your helmet? IE do you drill holes in your helmet to mount the torch?
Yes.
I have a Scurion fitted to my helmet but I only use PIXA lamps with elastic/rubber bands for my clients. The helmet is inspected like any other bit of my kit and the assembly is done in a way that does not create extra hazards (i.e. bolt ends pointing at skull!).
Some guidance from HSE which you might find useful...
https://www.outdoor-learning.org/Portals/0/IOL%20Documents/AALS%20Log/2009-Present/200903%20Fitting%20lamp%20brackets%20to%20helmets%20for%20caving%20.pdf?ver=2017-06-28-153200-663
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I thought the main (caving) purposes of a helmet were for for when you bang your head (either on the roof or perhaps more importantly in a fall) and for holding a lamp. I'd always assumed that the sort of blow from a falling object which has enough force completely to smash a helmet potentially weakened by drilling would have probably killed you anyway. None of this is based either on direct experimentation or reading the results of others' experiments; it's purely an impression I've always had. As ever, I'm more than willing to be proved wrong by evidence and would really welcome comments here by people who know a lot more about this than I do. We can all learn.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Modern helmets are not as rock solid as the previous generation & are designed to actually break, whilst they absorb the impact.
 

Sailingneil

New member
I have replaced my old hard shell (Petzl best) with another hard shell (Petzl Vertex Vent) so not too worried about the structural strength of the helmet.
 
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