DETROIT—Guardhat, the developers of a hard hat with biometric and location monitoring equipment built in, announced it received IECEx (International Electrotechnical Commission System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres) and ATEX (Atmospheres Explosible) Zone 1 certifications for its IS-HC1.1 communicator hardhat.
These certifications allow industrial operators across Europe, Australia and parts of the Middle East to deploy Guardhat smart hardhats. The Guardhat IS-HC1.1 Communicator hardhat, as well as the company’s systems for precise location tracking, are currently under review for similar certifications across North and South America with confirmation expected later this spring.
“These certifications validate years of design and engineering effort to create the most ruggedized and technologically advanced system for worker safety in existence,” said Saikat Dey, founder and CEO of Guardhat. “To design an electronic, battery-powered, audio-visual, multi-network and cellular connectivity-capable device to be incapable of generating heat or spark was extremely challenging. Not to mention that it has to sit comfortably atop a worker’s head, protecting them in all the ways a traditional hard hat would. I’m extremely proud of our team, and hopeful about the impact this offering can have. Every worker should be able to go home at the end of a shift.”
Industrial operations are classified as hazardous when there is a possibility of fire or explosion under normal or abnormal operating conditions due to the presence of flammable, combustible or ignitable gases, vapors, liquids, dust, or fibers. The operations this applies to goes beyond the obvious like chemical or energy production. For example, powdered cheese can cause many food production facilities to be considered hazardous.
Guardhat partnered with i.safe MOBILE GmbH, a German provider of communication devices for hazardous locations, in the certification process. The hardhat retains all the features and capabilities of the original HC1 Communicator, including sensor-based, contextual awareness; multi-modal, high-precision real-time positioning (RTLS) and proximity detection; comprehensive audio-visual telecommunications; peripheral connectivity; and multiple wireless backhaul options; with an ergonomic and user-friendly interface; and safety certifications including ANSI/ISEA Z89.1. The IS HC1.1 Communicator hardhat is available now. For more information, visit guardhat.com.