The amount of force transmitted through the helmet when a falling block strikes a helmet placed over a suitable head-form is measured with the help of a shock absorption tester. In this equipment, the helmet is mounted on to a suitable head-form, which is rigidly fixed over a metallic block. A guided wooden block falls from a fixed height on the helmet. The peak force transmitted to the head-form is measured and recorded.

Helmets are also be tested for resistance to penetration in the same apparatus when the wooden block is replaced with a striker of specified shape and mass, which is allowed to fall on them from a specified height.

Technical specification