Type I vs. Type II safety helmets
Quick Answer
Type I safety helmets protect only the top (crown) of the head from downward impacts. Type II safety helmets protect the top, front, sides, and rear. Both types are certified to ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 and both come in Class G, E, or C electrical ratings. The type tells you which directions the helmet absorbs impact. The class tells you how it handles electrical hazards. Do not confuse the two.
The Standard That Defines Them: ANSI/ISEA Z89.1
Every industrial safety helmet sold in the United States must meet ANSI/ISEA Z89.1, the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection. OSHA references this standard directly in both 29 CFR 1926.100 (construction) and 29 CFR 1910.135 (general industry). ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 defines two protection types and three electrical classes. Understanding the difference between types and classes is the starting point for making the right purchasing decision.
Type I: Crown Protection
A Type I helmet is tested against a single downward impact to the crown (top) of the head. The ANSI test drops a weighted striker onto the top of the helmet and measures how much force transmits to the headform inside. Type I helmets were the industry standard for most of the twentieth century and remain OSHA-compliant today.
The limitation of Type I is its test scope. It only certifies downward impact protection. A worker struck by a swinging object from the side, a falling worker who hits a beam at an angle, or a bump against a scaffold pipe at ear height, these are not covered by the Type I test standard. The helmet may or may not perform well in those scenarios. The test does not require it to.
Type II: All-Direction Protection
A Type II helmet is tested against impacts to the top, front, sides, and rear of the head. The test includes a lateral deformation test and requires the helmet to pass impact attenuation from multiple strike points. This is what construction workers, federal contractors, and safety managers mean when they ask for a "safety helmet" rather than a "hard hat."
Type II helmets also incorporate a foam or composite inner liner (often EPS, Koroyd, or similar energy-absorbing material) that helps absorb and distribute impact forces. Traditional Type I hard hats use a simple suspension system. The added liner in Type II helmets improves performance in real-world impact scenarios that the old suspension-only design was never engineered to address.
Federal agencies have been quick to mandate Type II. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now requires Type II helmets on covered projects. Major general contractors and industrial operators have followed. If your site is federally contracted or managed by a safety-forward prime, the odds are high that Type II is already specified in your written safety plan.
Electrical Classes: G, E, and C (Separate from Type)
Both Type I and Type II helmets are available in three electrical classes. Confusing type with class is one of the most common purchasing mistakes in head protection.
Class G (General): Tested at 2,200 volts phase-to-ground. Standard for most construction and industrial work where overhead power lines or electrical equipment are present but contact with energized conductors is not an expected hazard.
Class E (Electrical): Tested at 20,000 volts phase-to-ground. Required for utility lineworkers, electricians working on energized systems, and anyone whose regular work may bring them into contact with energized conductors.
Class C (Conductive): No electrical insulation. For use only in environments where electrical hazards have been engineered out. Not appropriate for most outdoor construction or utility work.
A Type II, Class E helmet is both multi-directional impact certified and rated to 20,000 volts. A Type I, Class G helmet is crown-only impact certified and rated to 2,200 volts. Specify both dimensions when ordering.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Impact protection: Type I covers the top of the head only. Type II covers the top, front, sides, and rear.
Lateral impact test: Type I does not include a lateral impact test. Type II does.
Inner liner: Type I typically uses a suspension harness only. Type II adds an energy-absorbing inner liner.
Electrical classes: Both types come in Class G, E, or C. Class is independent of type.
Federal contractor compliance: Type I meets baseline OSHA requirements. Type II is now required on USACE projects and many other federal sites.
Cost: Type II helmets generally cost more than Type I due to the additional inner liner, suspension engineering, and multi-point impact testing. For most employers, the price difference is justified by the improved protection and growing contractual requirements.
Which Type Is Right for Your Site?
If you are working on a federal project, confirming your contract language first. USACE and many other federal agencies now require Type II across covered projects. If you are a general contractor specifying PPE for your crew, Type II is the current industry standard and provides meaningfully better protection in the lateral and oblique impact scenarios that cause real injuries. If your site has overhead power lines or energized equipment, pair Type II with Class E.
BDG Safety carries a full range of Type II helmets from Studson and Hardknock in Class G, E, and C configurations. Our team helps federal contractors, GCs, and safety managers specify the correct head protection for their projects.
Key Statistics
5,283 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2023, a rate of 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries).
Worker deaths in America are down from about 38 per day in 1970 to 15 per day in 2023, driven by enforcement of standards like the ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 head protection requirements (OSHA Commonly Used Statistics).
Industry-specific fatality and injury data is available through the NIOSH Worker Health Charts, which visualizes BLS occupational safety data by industry and cause.
Related Products
STUDSON SHK-1 Full Brim Vented (Class C, Type II) - Koroyd energy-absorbing inner liner, Twiceme NFC smart ID. View product | Browse all Studson helmets.
Hardknock Resolve FullBrim (Type II, vented and non-vented options) - contractor-grade Type II at a price-conscious spec. Browse the Hardknock collection.
Related Resources
What is a Type II Safety Helmet? - detailed breakdown of what Type II means and why it matters.
Are safety helmets replacing hard hats? - the industry shift toward Type II in construction and federal work.
OSHA head protection standards - what 29 CFR 1926.100 and 1910.135 actually require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a Type II helmet required by OSHA?
A: OSHA requires helmets that meet ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 but does not mandate Type II over Type I in its baseline regulations. However, federal agency project specs, prime contractor safety plans, and site-specific requirements frequently require Type II. If you are working on a USACE project or for many large federal primes, Type II is required.
Q: Can I use a Type I helmet with a Class E rating?
A: Yes. Type and class are independent of each other. A Type I, Class E helmet provides crown-only impact protection and 20,000-volt electrical insulation. A Type II, Class E helmet provides all-direction impact protection and 20,000-volt insulation. For electrical work, the class matters most. For impact coverage, the type matters.
Q: What is the difference between a hard hat and a safety helmet?
A: In common usage, "hard hat" usually refers to the legacy Type I suspension-only design. "Safety helmet" typically refers to the newer Type II design with an inner liner and all-direction impact certification. Both meet OSHA's minimum requirement if they are ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 certified, but they are not equivalent in protection.
Q: How do I read the ANSI markings on my helmet?
A: Look inside the shell. The stamp will read something like "Type II Class E ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014." The type is the Roman numeral (I or II). The class is the letter (G, E, or C). The year is the edition of the standard.
Talk to the BDG Safety Team
BDG Safety is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and a leading distributor of Type II helmets for federal contractors and construction crews. Our team helps safety managers and contracting officers specify the right head protection. Contact us at info@bulldoggroup.net or (619) 992-7621.
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