Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 Hard Hat Safety Helmets
Milwaukee feature two professional hard hats or safety helmets in their head protection range, the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and Milwaukee BOLT 200. This article will cover the following:
- What is the difference between Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 Vented Safety Helmets?
- What colours are available for the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 Hard Hats?
- Can Milwaukee BOLT Hard Hat Safety Helmets be customised with company logos?
- What are the European Head Protection Safety Standards?
What is the difference between Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 Vented Safety Helmets?
The main features and differences between the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 vented safety helmets are shown below:
*When used without a chin strap or with an EN397 chinstrap.
Working Level: The BOLT 100 is tested to EN397 for ground level working, but cannot be used when working at height, as it is not approved to the EN12492 working at height safety standard. The vented BOLT 200 is tested to both EN397 for ground level working, and EN12492 for working at height, but the chinstrap included with the vented BOLT 200 is tested to EN12492 working at height. Strictly speaking, when wearing the BOLT 200 at ground level on site, the EN12492 chinstrap should be removed. Where a chinstrap is mandatory, the chinstrap included with the vented BOLT 200 can be replaced with the EN397 chinstrap. For quick reference and ease in use, the EN397 chinstrap is colour coded black/grey and the EN12492 chinstrap is colour coded black/red.
@protradeuk When it comes to your safety @Milwaukee Tool don’t mess around! #construction #solid #powertools #tools #milwaukee #fyp #toolsofthetrade #ppe ♬ Originalton – Glubbs
You’re probably thinking, a chinstrap is a chinstrap! They’re not the same… the EN12492 working at height chinstrap is designed to keep the helmet on the wearer’s head in the event of a fall. It must be able to withstand a load of 50kg for up to two minutes to pass the test and conform to the EN12492 safety standard. Alternatively, the EN397 ground level chinstrap must break at a load between 15 and 25kg, should it get entangled in any part of moving equipment or machinery, which could potentially pose as a strangulation risk. It might seem a little complicated, but it’s important site workers and supervisors are aware of the different safety standards, in order to achieve basic levels of compliance.
Helmet Material: The BOLT 100 is made of ABS or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene thermoplastic – which is a lightweight yet tough and durable material with excellent impact resistance. The BOLT 200 is made of a premium polycarbonate plastic called Lexan, which offers greater flexibility, less weight compared to ABS, and the ultimate resistance to impacts and cracking. Even bulletproof glass is made of Lexan… it’s super tough!
Internal Comfort: The BOLT 100 has a 6-point webbing harness inside for added comfort, plus a washable sweatband. The BOLT 200 provides much greater comfort thanks to an inner foam suspension paired with a breathable crown liner and sweatband. Both the crown liner and sweatband are also washable and replaceable when worn. Protrade stock the more popular vented BOLT safety helmets, which offer greater comfort and breathability. Unvented is also available upon request – but bear in mind the unvented BOLT 200 is not approved to the EN12492 working at height regulation, due to inadequate ventilation.
Compatibility with Accessories: Both the BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 are compatible with the BOLT face shields and visors, earmuffs and head lamps. The EN397 ground level working chinstrap also fits both the BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 hard hats, but the EN12492 working at height chinstrap will ONLY clip on to the BOLT 200 safety helmet.
What colours are available for the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 Hard Hats?
Both the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 safety helmets are available in numerous colours to cover most site requirements – white, yellow, blue, green, red, orange and black. Although not always adhered to on all sites, the colour of a safety helmet or hard hat denotes the wearers’ position or status, as follows:
⚪ White: Site Managers or Competent Operatives
🟡 Yellow: General Labourers
🔵 Blue: Inexperienced Operatives, Apprentices or Visitors
🟢 Green: First Aider
🔴 Red: Fire Marshall
🟠 Orange: Slinger or Signaller
⚫ Black: Supervisors and Foremen
Can Milwaukee BOLT Hard Hat Safety Helmets be customised with company logos?
Both the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 can be customised with company logos for ultimate corporate branding. The logo can be printed directly on to the safety helmet in up to four printing zones… front, back or either side. You can print up to four colours on a white safety helmet or three on a coloured hard hat. Minimum order quantities start at just 24 for the Milwaukee BOLT 200 safety helmet, in increments of 8 thereafter, and 25 for the Milwaukee BOLT 100 safety helmet, in increments of 5 thereafter.
Visit the BOLT Customisation page for more information about adding your logo to the BOLT safety helmets.
What are the European Head Protection Safety Standards?
EN397 Ground Level: Both the Milwaukee BOLT 100 and BOLT 200 safety helmets meet the European Standard EN 397, which sets out the requirements for industrial safety helmets. This standard applies to helmets intended to provide protection against falling objects and other types of head impact in industrial environments, so this is the minimum safety standard required for ground level workers on UK and European construction sites. As mentioned earlier, when wearing the vented BOLT 200 at ground level on site, the EN12492 chinstrap should be removed or replaced with the EN397 version, when a chinstrap is mandatory.
The EN397 standard specifies several requirements that a safety helmet must meet to be considered suitable for industrial use. These requirements include resistance to impact, penetration resistance, shock absorption, retention system to keep the hard hat securely on the head, adequate field of vision, resistance to flame and electrical insulation. EN397 is one of the most widely recognised standards for industrial safety helmets in Europe and is often used as a basis for certification and testing by third-party organisations.
EN12492 Working at Height: The vented BOLT 200 safety helmet meets the European Standard EN 12492, which sets out the requirements for mountaineering helmets as well as working at height safety helmets on UK and European construction sites. The standard applies to helmets intended to provide protection against impacts, penetration, and lateral deformation for vertical activities.
The EN12492 standard specifies several requirements that a helmet must meet to be considered suitable for mountaineering or working at height use. These requirements also include resistance to impact, penetration resistance, retention system to keep the hard hat securely on the head and adequate field of vision – but also include lateral deformation in the event of a fall, adequate ventilation to prevent overheating during physical activity – hence only applying to the vented BOLT 200, compatibility with accessories such as eye protection or headlamps and finally an adequate level of durability. EN12492 is one of the most widely recognised standards for mountaineering and working at height helmets in Europe and is often used as a basis for certification and testing by third-party organisations.
EN50365 Electrical Insulation: The BOLT 100 safety helmet meets the European standard EN 50365 for electrically insulating safety helmets used for electrical work up to 1,000 volts AC or 1,500 volts DC. The EN50365 standard dictates the necessary design, material and testing requirements to ensure the wearers safety. Compliance with this standard is crucial for protecting individuals working in electrical environments.
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Joint Managing Director, Protrade
Craig has over 30 years of experience at Protrade, working in various departments including sales, procurement, and marketing, and ultimately becoming Managing Director in 2008. Following the merger of Protrade and Joinery Fit-Out Supplies in 2018, Craig is now the joint MD of the company.
