But the use of obsolete head protection will soon become much less common. Trade group that monitors the refurbishment of used helmets, National Athletic equipment reconditioners, packaging users Association (Naera), announced on Thursday that it would no longer accept helmets more than ten years old.
National bodies for high school and youth football, covering approximately 4.4 million players aged 6-18, only requires that helmets can originate from the factory passes the standard set by the National Committee for operation on standards for Athletic equipment (Nocsae). Helmets of the age and condition, can therefore be met, despite concerns over how the assessment of the foam and degrading of polycarbonate shell can leave a player more susceptible to concussions.
Schools and youth organizations, organizations often send their helmets to refit, which involves cleaning and replacement of worn parts, but this is still a voluntary process. Naeras decision to reject the helmets more than 10 years old will force organizations to choose between buying new helmets or introduce youth of used helmets known to be less secure.
This was to discourage the use of old helmets are nearly extinct, said experts on the matter this week.
"It has been a growing concern that we are doing some kind of policy to make coaches and parents to do what we think is right," says Ed Fisher, Naeras Executive Director. "As the current Manager and former administrator, I want my son or anyone's son, to be in a helmet, less than 10 years old. We must get the elderly from the field. "
Naera's 10-year rule following Nocsaes notice in January that it will continue several new safety-related measures, including the development of a test-standard considers the complex forces that cause concussions. Nocsae, a voluntary consortium of mostly doctors and sporting goods officials, said it would also exert a special testing standard for youth and school helmets.
These efforts began soon after the consumer products safety Commission opened a formal investigation into football helmet safety. Senator Tom Udall, Democrat of New Mexico, claimed that the Federal Trade Commission investigate helmet makers, in particular, industry-leading Riddell and Schutt, for potentially false and misleading advertising with respect to their headgear safety properties. F.T.C. officials have not confirmed studies, referring to Commission policy.
On Monday asked representatives Henry a. Waxman, Democrat of California and g. k. Butterfield, Democrat of North Carolina, the House Subcommittee on trade, manufacture and trade to hold a hearing on football helmet safety, citing, inter alia, the use of old helmets. Such a negotiation could accelerate the development of additional safety-related measures are under consideration, as well as warning labels on helmets which would explain their limited security features with respect to concussions.
"I see this as a step forward in the much larger and necessary to ensure that all protective helmets – both new and second-hand — provides as much security as possible," said Inez Tenenbaum, safety with the President of the Commission. "I think it is equally important that all responsible parties take all appropriate measures to ensure safety helmet buyers and users understand clearly what a helmet has been shown or not shown in order to protect against. This is particularly the case when it comes to concussions. "
Since many schools have paid for their helmets to refurbishing this autumn, said Naeras new rule will take effect the next off-season, Fisher, its Executive Director.
Experts have long discouraged the use of helmets more than ten years old, but the National Federation of State High School associations have always made the decision to the schools, and manufacturers, "says Bob Colgate, the Organization's Deputy Director.
He said that the Group had not discussed adopting any rule if a mandatory helmet lifespan at its last meeting of the rules.
Asked why, given the recent concern about helmet safety, Colgate said: "I don't know. We have not had that discussion yet. "
A possible downside of Naera's 10-year rule, underfunded schools and youth organisations and organisations that might have refurbishing their old helmets — at a cost of approximately $ 30 apiece – could balk at the idea of spending $ 150 to $ 200 for each new helmet and choose to use the old for another year. Fisher said he believed the resulting legal liability would run counter to it, and that most organizations would buy new helmets.
"The school budgets is whacked, but schools have not purchased new helmets because they do not have the needed," said Bob Fawley, owner of Capitol Varsity sports, refurbishing helmets in Oxford, Ohio. "Now, they have to, basically. I do not think that it will be hit so hard in high school level. Youth football is where you see the numbers – there are a lot of older helmets. "
Rule Naera was welcomed by Joy Conradt, whose stepson, Max, was permanently disabled in 2001 by concussions he suffered playing Oregon high school football team in a 20-year-old repaired helmet. Conradt's family sued the school district, its insurance carrier and renovation company and settled in the courts for 3.2 million dollars in damages against Max lifelong medical care.
-This is a huge step towards takes very seriously the safety of our young players which is perhaps the most vulnerable, "said Joy Conradt. "And it is forcing school systems and staff to look very carefully at the financial cost of contact Sports – as well as the ethical and the costs of health and life that so many young players and even older player, has been recognized in recent years."
This article has been changed to reflect the following correction:
Correction: March 14, 2011
A story on Friday about the decision of the National Athletic equipment reconditioners, packaging users Association, trade group that oversees the refurbishment of used helmets, it would no longer accept helmets more than 10 years old misstated the day representatives Henry a. Waxman and g. k. Butterfield asked that the House Subcommittee on trade, manufacture and trade to hold a hearing on football helmet safety. It was Monday, not Tuesday. And due to incorrect editing misidentified the item is also the State represented by Butterfield. He is a Democrat from North Carolina, Michigan. (Error if his condition appeared also on Tuesday in a report in the Sport column Briefing about the Waxmans and Butterfield's request for the hearing.)
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