ASTM F2439-06(2011)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:F2439 −06(Reapproved 2011) An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Headgear Used in Soccer
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2439; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Soccer is a sport with inherent risks. Participation in the sport implies acceptance of risk of injury.
Thisspecificationwasdevelopedtoaddressforcesofsomeoftheincidental(non-ball)headimpacts
that may occur while engaging in soccer.Although headgear satisfying this specification may provide
limited protection against heading impacts which are generally sub-concussive, heading impacts are
not addressed by this specification. In addition, the issue of multiple sub-concussive impacts is not
addressed here. Note–Protection provided by headgear satisfying this specification is not equivalent to
the protection provided by rigid “helmets” used in many other sports activities. Headgear that meets
these standard specifications may not provide significant protection in some head impact situations.
This specification is intended to be used with other standards and documents listed in the
Referenced Documents.
1. Scope certification that the headgear meets all of the requirements of
this specification in its entirety. Headgear that fails to meet any
1.1 This specification defines performance requirements for
one of the requirements of this specification is considered to
headgear used for participation in the sport of soccer. The
have failed the specification and should not be sold with any
technical requirements in this specification do not address the
indication that it meets parts of the specification.
administrative requirements of soccer governing bodies, so it
should not be assumed that any headgear satisfying this 1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
specification will be acceptable for use in sanctioned soccer standard.
events.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
1.2 This specification is intended to reduce the forces from
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
external physical sources reaching the defined impact area of
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
the head in impacts that may occur in the sport of soccer. No
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
headgear can provide protection against all impacts, foresee-
able or not.This specification does not address the potential for
2. Referenced Documents
injury from any type of impact. The tests specified in this
specification are laboratory simulation tests only, and do not
2.1 ASTM Standards:
purport to create situations identical to the impacts that may F1446 Test Methods for Equipment and Procedures Used in
occur during the playing of soccer.
Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Protective
Headgear
1.3 All testing and requirements of this specification shall
2.2 Other Documents:
beinaccordancewithTestMethodsF1446,exceptwherenoted
49 CFR Part 572, Subpart E Anthropometric Test Dummies
herein. In the event of a discrepancy between the requirements
Procedures for Assembly, Disassembly, and Inspection
of this specification and those of Test Methods F1446, this
(PADI) of the Hybrid III 50th Percentile Dummy’s Nine
specification shall prevail.
Accelerometer Array Head (NAAH) with Redundant
1.4 Partial utilization of this specification is prohibited.Any
Head C. G. Accelerometers
statement of compliance with this specification shall be a
1 2
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F08 on Sports For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities and is the direct responsibility of contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Subcommittee F08.53 on Headgear and Helmets. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2011. Published February 2012. Originally the ASTM website.
approved in 2006. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F2439 – 06. DOI: Available from National HighwayTraffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA), 400
10.1520/F2439-06R11. 7th St., NW, Washington, DC 20590.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F2439−06 (2011)
3. Terminology drop headform and the impact anvil is at the selected impact
location, with no other parts of the headform and anvil coming
3.1 Definitions:
into contact with each other during the initial impact.
3.1.1 impact area—the region of the headform within which
the center of each impact footprint must fall. F1446
6. Equipment Calibration and System Checks
6.1 Instrumentation used in testing shall be calibrated ac-
4. Significance and Use
cording to the requirements of Test Methods F1446 and 49
4.1 The purpose of this specification is to provide reliable
CFR Part 572, Subpart E.
and repeatable test methods for the evaluation of headgear for
6.2 The 50th percentile Hybrid III adult male test headform
soccer. Headgear satisfying this specification is intended to
usedwiththisspecificationshallpassasystemcheckaccording
reduce forces reaching the head in some of the impacts that
to the procedures described in Appendix X2. Duration of the
may occur in soccer.
system check cycle shall be no more than 12 months.
5. Apparatus
6.3 Instrumentation System Check—The system instrumen-
5.1 Apparatus used for this testing shall be in accordance
tation shall be checked before and after each series of tests by
with Test Methods F1446 except as noted herein.
dropping the Hybrid III head and neck assembly (see 5.2) onto
the MEP pad (see section on Modular Elastomer Programmer
5.2 Test Headforms—Test headforms used with this speci-
(MEP) of Test Methods F1446 ) at an impact velocity of 2.8
fication shall be the 50th percentile Hybrid III adult male head
m/s 6 2 %.The head and neck assembly shall be oriented such
and neck assembly, including the upper and lower neck
that the neck of the Hybrid III headform is at a 24 6 1°
adjusting brackets and all associated hardware. The equipment
downward angle relative to the horizontal and the forehead
shall be as defined in the United States of America Code of
shall contact the center of the MEP pad. The peak acceleration
Federal Regulations (49 CFR Part 572, Subpart E).Acomplete
obtained during this impact shall be 112 6 8 g. Three such
listingofallpartsandcomponentswhichmakeuptheheadand
impacts at intervals of 75 6 15 s shall be performed before and
neck assembly is found in Appendix X1; see also Procedures
after each series of tests. If the average peak acceleration
for Assembly, Disassembly, and Inspection (PADI) of the
obtained in the pretest impacts differs by more than 5 % from
HybridIII50thPercentileDummy’sNineAccelerometerArray
the average peak acceleration obtained in the post test impacts,
Head (NAAH) with Redundant Head C.G. Accelerometers.
recalibrationoftheinstrumentsandtransducersmustbecarried
5.2.1 The test headform shall be mounted to a standard
out,andalldataobtainedduringthatseriesofimpacttestsshall
monorail or twin-wire system or similar system, as shown in
be discarded.
Test Methods F1446. Mass of the entire drop system shall be
8.8 kg 6 5 % (19.4 lb 6 5 %).Accelerometer instrumentation
7. Samples for Testing
shall be installed into the test headform to measure resultant
7.1 Conditions and Attachments—Headgear shall be tested
linear accelerations of the test headform as specified in the
complete,intheconditionasofferedforsale.Theymustsatisfy
section on Accelerometer of Test Methods F1446.
all requirements of this specification with or without any
5.2.2 The headform center of gravity shall fall within 5° of
included attachments.
the vertical axis through the point of impact when the test
headform assembly is in the impact position, as described in
7.2 Number of Samples—A test series requires 12 samples
the Appendix of Test Methods F1446.
of each size headgear and shall be tested according to the
following schedule (see Table 1).
5.3 Steel Post Anvil—The steel post anvil used in this
specification is to represent a nominal 7.62 cm (3 in.) diameter
8. Conditioning Requirements
steel post. The anvil shall consist of a 7.62 cm (3 in.) diameter
8.1 Ambient Condition—Foursamplesofeachsizeheadgear
steel bar (65 %) that is welded (or securely attached to
shall be conditioned at the ambient condition defined inASTM
similarly minimize vibration between the bar and the plate) in
Test Methods F1446.
a horizontal position to a steel plate.
5.4 Headform Anvil—The headform anvil is a 50th percen- TABLE 1 Sample Test Schedule
tile Hybrid III headform and neck assembly as defined in 5.2.
Head to Head to Head to Multiple Number
Forehead Post MEP Impacts of
The headform anvil shall be oriented such that the forehead is
Impacts Impacts Impacts to MEP Impacts
in an upright target position. The lower neck bracket shall be
Headgear 1, Ambient X 1
mounted to a rigid structure. The headform anvil shall be
Headgear 2, Hot X 1
positioned such that the only impact between the drop head-
Headgear 3, Cold X 1
Headgear 4, Wet X 1
form and the impact anvil is at the selected impact location,
Headgear 5, Ambient X 1
with no other parts of the headform and anvil coming into
Headgear 6, Hot X 1
contact with each other during the initial impact.The headform
Headgear 7, Cold X 1
Headgear 8, Wet X 1
anvil need not be instrumented.
Headgear 9, Ambient X 1
5.5 MEP Anvil—The MEP anvil shall be as defined in the Headgear 10, Hot X 1
Headgear 11, Cold X 1
section on Modular Elastomer Programmer (MEP) of Test
Headgear 12, Wet X 1
Methods F1446. The MEP anvil shall be positioned with its
Headgear 1, Ambient X X 6
upper surface horizontal, such that the only impact between the
F2439−06 (2011)
8.2 Low Temperature—Three samples of each size headgear 9.3 Marking the Impact Area—The impact area is an angled
shall be conditioned at the low temperature conditions as band encircling the entire head, 50 mm (2.0 in.) 610 % in
defined in Test Methods F1446. linear height. Using a 50th percentile male Hybrid III head and
neck assembly, place the test headform in an orientation such
8.3 High Temperature—Three samples of each size head-
that the base of the skull is horizontal (see Fig. 1). Draw a line
gear shall be conditioned at the high temperature conditions as
25 mm (1.0 in.) above the design cg of the Hybrid III test
defined in Test Methods F1446.
headform and parallel to the base of the skull and define this
8.4 Water Immersion—Three samples of each size headgear
line as AA’. Point A is the intersection of the line AA’and the
shall be conditioned at the water immersion conditions as
front profile of the test headform. Using point A as a guide,
defined in Test Methods F1446.
draw a line AB that is angled 12° downward to the rear of the
test headform (relative to point A). Draw a line CD that is 50
8.5 Testing of conditioned samples must occur within 10
min after removal of the sample from the conditioning envi- mm (2.0 in.) above and parallel to the line AB. The area
included within the region ABCD shall be defined as the
ronment. If a sample is out of the conditioning environment for
more than 10 min, it shall be reconditioned 3 min for each impact area.
minute beyond 10 min that it is out of the environment, up to
9.4 Shock Attenuation Impact Tests:
a maximum of 4 h.
9.4.1 Prior to impact testing, conduct the instrumentation
system check (see 6.3).
9. Test Schedule and Procedures
9.4.2 The anvils to be used for impact tests in this specifi-
9.1 Construction and Materials: cation are a headform anvil, a steel post anvil, and an MEPpad
9.1.1 Projections—There can be no rigid projections, hard
(to simulate impact on the ground).
or sharp surfaces, or hard or sharp edges on any part or surface
9.4.3 Place the headgear to be tested on the test headform in
oftheheadgear.Non-rigidprojectionscanprojectnomorethan
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions prior to test-
5 mm (0.20 in.) from the primary impact surface of the
ing.
headgear, must collapse under a static load of 2.27 kg (5 lb) 6
9.4.4 With the headgear placed on the headform in accor-
10 %, and must be faired with the base surface of the headgear.
dance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the headgear may
Any rigid or semi-rigid materials used in the headgear must be
be impacted anywhere within the impact area. Coverage need
padded sufficiently so that they satisfy all requirements of this
not be continuous within the impact area, as long as the impact
specification.
tests provide satisfactory results in accordance with this
9.1.2 Materials—Materials known to cause skin irritation or
specification.
disease shall not be used in the headgear. Comfort padding, if
9.4.5 One impact shall be conducted at one test location on
used, may be detachable for cleaning. If chemicals such as
each sample headgear unless otherwise specified. There shall
hydrocarbons, cleaning fluids, paints, or transfers and other
be no overlap of impact footprints in any testing except in the
additions will affect the headgear adversely, a warning to this
multiple impact testing.
effect shall be provided.
9.4.6 Head to Forehead Impacts—The instrumented
headform/neck(thetestheadform)shallbeattachedtothedrop
9.2 Labeling—Each headgear shall be marked in such a way
system as specified and the headform anvil mounted in a fixed
that the following information is easily legible by the user and
upright target position.
is likely to remain legible throughout the life of the headgear.
9.4.6.1 An ambient headgear is affixed to the surface of the
The first five items in the following list must be physically
test headform in accordance with the manufacturer’s
attached to the headgear; other items may be explained on the
instructions, such that a position within the impact area of the
packaging or instructions that accompany the headgear, or
test headform is located at the point where the test headform
both.
will strike the forehead of the headform anvil when it is
9.2.1 Model designation, if appropriate.
dropped. The test headform shall be dropped in guided freefall
9.2.2 Name and contact information of manufacturer.
to result in an impact velocity of 3.80 m/s 6 5 % (12.5 ft/s 6
9.2.3 A label that warns the user that no headgear can
5 %). The peak linear acceleration of this padded head-to-
protect
...