Revolutionizing Workplace Safety, The New Line of Type II+ WaveCel Hard Hats Launches for Heavy Industry Workers

Companies Invest in Workplace Safety with WaveCel Technology to Better Protect Workers Against TBI

PORTLAND, Ore., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WaveCel, the award-winning helmet technology that first appeared in the sports industry, has launched its new line of Type II+, full-brimmed hard hats – the WaveCel T2⁺ MAX ($189) vented hard hat for all-day wear and the WaveCel T2⁺ PRO ($169) non-vented hard hat for electrical jobs. In over 50 years, WaveCel, LLC is the first company to redesign significantly the standard hard hat by not only accounting for style and comfort, but by lining the entire hard hat shell, crown, and sides with its collapsible WaveCel spatial cellular structure to provide 360 degrees of protection and better absorb energy from a head impact from all angles. Backed by science and rigorous testing, the WaveCel hard hat is designed for various industries, including construction, electrical, engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, mining, gas, oil, and forestry.

All hard hats are NOT created equal. Even one injury to the head is one too many for employees and can result in debilitating and costly traumatic brain injury (TBI) – or a heavy legal and financial burden for companies from insurance claims and a loss of productivity. More and more companies are investing in their employees and prioritizing workplace safety, including bolstering company-wide protective gear and tools.

From construction and manufacturing to steel and environmental services, the following organizations are among the first adopters of the new WaveCel hard hats and here are their testimonials:

• Fry Steel Company: "Our people mean everything to us. What kind of company are we if we don't truly make a commitment to keeping our people safe every single day? So, when we were introduced to WaveCel, we knew our passion for safety aligned and it was simply the right investment for our people. We always want to make sure we have top of the line equipment in our operations and the WaveCel hard hats integrated perfectly with our safety mission." – Brian Moore, President
• Goodfellow Bros.: "After using WaveCel helmets for years in cycling, I received my first WaveCel hard hat to try out. I love the fit, it is incredibly comfortable and light, plus it's packed with the additional protective benefits of the WaveCel technology. With WaveCel bringing its technology to the construction industry, this could raise the bar by which all hard hats are measured. Will a new standard be set?" – Matt Ekerson, Project Executive
• US Ecology: "Having been in the health and safety profession for over 30 years, I have donned many styles and brands of hard hats, all with their own limitations and comfort issues. The WaveCel hard hat design and fit makes me not only feel safer, but it's the most comfortable hard hat I have ever worn. One of my favorite features of the WaveCel hard hat is its inherent ability to stay on my head without a chin strap or overtightening the ratchet system. Our crews work in a dynamic industry with a multitude of hazards, so this is an important feature." – Ken Koppler, Vice President of Health & Safety
• W.E. O'Neil Construction: "Successful implementation of our safety program is paramount to our success and absolute as it relates to our core values. We work in an industry where people are at a safety risk every day and it is imperative that our leadership is always looking for ways to continuously improve our safety program. When I was introduced to the WaveCel T2+ MAX hard hat, it struck me that we have not had any innovation in that area for as long as I can remember, and the sooner we can provide this type of protection for our employees the better. Safety is not an option, and we must provide the highest quality of protection available in the marketplace for our employees." – Todd Guthrie, President

Hard hat protection certification is divided into two categories – Type I and Type II. With that, there are two types of impact performance levels specified in the US Standard (Z89.1-2014) and Canadian Standard (Z94.1-15). Type I hard hats are designed to provide protection from vertical impacts resulting from a blow to the top of the head only. Type II hard hats provides the same crown protection from vertical impacts as well as additional protection from lateral impacts such as hits to the head from the front, side, and back. While most hard hats in the industry are only Type I certified, both WaveCel hard hats are not only Type II certified, but also go one step further to protect against rotational forces in addition to lateral impacts.

Slips and falls are more common than crown impacts and induce rotational forces to the brain that carry a great risk to workers. WaveCel is a network of hundreds of interconnected shock absorbers attenuating impacts through three principal mechanisms: flex, crumple, and glide. Cells crumple to absorb linear forces. More importantly, they also flex and glide to attenuate rotational forces. 

Proudly made in the USA, the T2+ PRO and the T2+ MAX are currently available for purchase at www.WaveCel.com and www.TPRindustrial.com.

The WaveCel hard hats will debut at the annual ASSP Safety Conference and Expo in Chicago, IL from June 27 to June 29 at booth #929.

WaveCel is based in Oregon and was founded in 2016 by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steve Madey and biomechanical engineer Dr. Michael Bottlang. WaveCel is a spatial cellular structure. WaveCel liners in bicycle helmets have shown to absorb up to 73% more rotational force caused from a blow to the head and thus reduced the predicted risk of a concussion by up to 98% compared to standard helmets.[1] The technology first debuted in 2019, creating waves in the sports industry with Trek Bicycle adopting WaveCel in its cycling helmets and Burton utilizing it in ski/snowboard helmets. In 2020, the Bontrager WaveCel helmet was named TIME Magazine's "Best Inventions of 2020." At WaveCel, we're chasing the safest helmet technology, because one head injury is one too many. Learn more at WaveCel.com and on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Data Sources
[1] Bliven et al., Accident Analysis and Prevention 2019; 124:58–65

SOURCE WaveCel