Intertek Helmet Laboratory has years’ experience in standard testing and certification of different countries in cycle and S-EPAC helmets, sports helmets and motor vehicle helmets. It is widely recognized by a number of national and regional institutions, including UKAS, EC, CNAS. The laboratory continues to develop and upgrade its testing capacity and provides support for helmet manufacturers and trade customers and merchants in product conformity with safety standards and requirements in the market of different countries. Intertek is now launching the U.S. motorcycle helmet DOT certification service, following its testing capacity for the Dutch standard NTA8776 and the Australian motorcycle helmet AS/NZS1698.

DOT is the acronym of United States Department of Transportation. The FMVSS 218 (49CFR571.281) standard set by DOT is known as the DOT standard, which cannot be replaced by any other standard since it is a statutory standard. In the U.S., products that do not conform to the DOT standard cannot be sold and promoted as “motorcycle helmets”. The fine for the illegal sale or promotion of each helmet reaches US$ 5,000!

DOT test items include:

• Impact Attenuation: Peak accelerations shall not exceed 400 g, accelerations in excess of 200 g shall not exceed a cumulative duration of 2.0 milliseconds (ms), accelerations in excess of 150 g shall not exceed a cumulative duration of 4.0 milliseconds (ms).
• Penetration Resistance: the striker shall not contact the surface of the test headform.
• Retention System Strength: The retention system or its components shall withstand the loads specified without separation, and the adjustable portion of the retention system test device shall not move more than 2.5 cm measured between preliminary and test load positions.
• Configuration: peripheral vision, ventilators etc..
• Projections: A helmet shall not have any rigid projections inside its shell. Rigid projections outside any helmet’s shell shall be limited to those required for operation of essential accessories, and shall not protrude more than 5 mm. There should be no protrusion inside and any protrusion outside should be below 5mm.
• Labeling and information.

Upon upgrading its service, Intertek Helmet Laboratory has become one of the few comprehensive helmet laboratories with the DOT testing capacity and qualification for motorcycle helmets. Intertek’s DOT certification of motorcycle helmets assists you to open the door to the motorcycle helmet market in the U.S.. To learn about more information on the DOT certification, please contact the following person now:
Young Xiao：159 1688 3043
Young.xiao@intertek.com