UN R22 — Supplement 2 to the 06 series of amendments

The Regulation now also applies to the accessories to be fitted to protective helmets or intended to be added to them. The accessories assessment is related only to the passive safety performances and to the compatibility to be fitted to a helmet ready for accessories. New paragraphs 2.22.1. and 2.22.2. define a “Universal accessory” and a “Specific accessory”, and paragraph 2.23. defines an “Accessory type”. Paragraph 2.24. defines helmets that are Universal Accessory (UA) ready and Specific Accessory (SA) ready, and paragraph 2.27. defines the “Impact affected area”. The examples in the “Accessory” definition (para. 2.22.) no longer include “tear off inner visor”. Former paragraphs 2.23. and 2.24. are now paragraphs 2.25. and 2.26.

New paragraph 2.8.2. defines an “Inner visor” as an additional insert to the outer visor which may bring additional functionalities to the visor. If the visor can be fitted with an inner visor, the application must include drawings of the inner visor and its means of attachment. It must also include enough inner visors to perform all the required tests. Paragraphs 5.1. to 5.2.1. on the approval of helmet and visor types now refer to inner visors, if any. Production qualification (para. 9.3.) and conformity control (para. 10.6.) of visors now include the inner visor, if any. The communication forms in Annexes 1A and 1B now ask for a brief description of the inner visor, if any.

New paragraph 3.3. sets out the application for approval of a universal accessory type and of a specific accessory type. For a specific accessory, the competent authority must check that the necessary agreements exist between the helmet manufacturers and the specific accessory manufacturer (para. 3.5.). Under new paragraph 5.4., accessories that meet the requirements of this Regulation are approved, and each approved type gets an approval number. The approval mark on the accessory includes a production batch number and, for a universal accessory, the applicable component and location symbols. New Annex 1C is the communication form for an accessory type, and new Annex 2C gives examples of the approval mark for an accessory. Paragraphs 11. and 12. on modification, extension and withdrawal of approval now also cover accessories.

Helmets may be prepared for fitting universal accessories (para. 6.3.1.) and may incorporate specific accessories (para. 6.3.2.). A helmet that meets paragraphs 6.3.1.1. and 6.3.1.2. must be marked as ready for Universal Accessories “UA”, and must also meet additional requirements and tests. A helmet prepared for speakers must have a dedicated space of at least 41 mm diameter and at least 8 mm depth. Paragraphs 6.3.1.4. to 6.3.1.9. give the conditions for the “S” or “S45”, “M”, “F”, “L” and “R” markings. A helmet declared as ready to fit specific accessories, and evaluated with and without the accessory and their support, must be marked “SA”. New paragraph 5.1.4.1.2.3. adds these symbols to the helmet marking, and the helmet communication form has new items 12. to 14. on accessories.

New paragraph 6.19.1. says that the attachment systems of an accessory must not modify the integrity of any of the safety helmet components. The accessory, or any separately mounted component, including its support if any, must weigh no more than 250 g (para. 6.19.7.3.). An accessory with an exterior component over 3 mm thick within an impact area is tested with the helmet and becomes a specific accessory. If an accessory needs different supports for different locations, each support must bear an indelible location mark (para. 6.19.11.). A universal accessory is placed on the helmet simulator of Annex 8, Figure 1d, and tested in the worst case defined by the Technical Service. Helmets marked “UA” are tested with accessory simulators, and helmets with specific accessories with and without them (para. 7.13.).

New Annex 20 sets out the accessories assessment and attachment space dimensions for Universal Accessory helmets. Part 1 gives the fixtures in which accessories must fit, and the maximum dimensions of speakers and microphones. Speakers without foam and adhesive tape must fit in a cylinder 12 mm thick, of 40 mm diameter for “S” or 45 mm for “S45”. A speaker higher than 6 mm gets a crush test, and its chart must fall below the upper corridor limit. Part 1 also defines a deformable speaker simulator and a rigid plastic microphone simulator. Part 2 gives the clamping and bonding space dimensions for helmets, and Part 3 gives the accessories simulators for the tests in paragraph 7.13.

Paragraph 10.1. now also requires universal accessories approved under this Regulation to be manufactured to conform to the type approved. New paragraph 10.7. sets batch control for universal accessories, with no more than 3,200 units in a batch and a dual sampling plan. For specific accessories, the conformity is checked together with the specific helmet models for which they have been declared. For a helmet ready for accessories, paragraph 14.1. adds a description of where to install the accessories and general warnings to the user. Universal accessories (para. 14.8.) and specific accessories (para. 14.10.) placed on the market must come with information in a national language of the destination country. For a universal accessory, the instructions must include the “Universal” accessory notice of paragraph 14.9.