Type II Helmet Pilot Tests Hard Hat Replacement on Heavy Civil Sites
Comer Construction, a Maryland site development and heavy construction contractor, is piloting Type II safety helmets in place of traditional hard hats with the Job-Site Safety Institute (JSI), ISHN reports.
What the Pilot Covers
The pilot pairs JSI, North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Comer Construction, a certified women-owned contractor based in Forest Hill, Maryland. A research grant to NCSU was funded September 1, 2026. It will study how Type II helmets perform in falls and struck-by or struck-against incidents, along with retention, comfort and fit. Comer was then selected to test the helmets on active construction sites. The pilot will evaluate safety benefits, implementation and business considerations, and it runs through 2027.
JSI cites roughly 1,000 fatal and 150,000 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in construction each year. More than 200 construction workers die from traumatic brain injuries annually in the U.S., according to the organization. Type II helmets are designed to reduce impact force to the top or sides of the head.
“This pilot program gives us an opportunity to better understand the benefits of Type II helmets while identifying practical ways contractors can make the transition on active job sites across the country,” said Erik Anderson, chairman of the JSI board. Susie Comer, president and treasurer of Comer Construction, said the partnership helps identify “what a successful transition to Type II helmets can look like in the field.”
JSI was founded by Builders Mutual Insurance Company and has awarded $1.13 million in research and education grants since 2014. The stated goal is practical strategies for broader industry adoption. Nothing in the report says any owner or GC will require Type II helmets, and it gives no helmet pricing.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- No mandate yet, but the direction is clear. The pilot runs through 2027 and is explicitly aimed at “broader industry adoption.” Our inference: the implementation and business findings could later show up in GC or owner safety specs. Ask your GCs and owners now whether Type II is under discussion for upcoming safety plans.
- Price the per-head cost now. The source gives no helmet prices. Get quotes for Type II models and multiply by your field headcount, including turnover replacements, so you can answer a prequalification or site safety plan question without scrambling.
- Heavy civil and site development crews are the test case. Comer works in site development and heavy construction, so earthwork, utility and paving crews with struck-by and fall exposure should watch the findings first. The study covers falls and struck-by or struck-against incidents.
- Run your own small trial. Retention, comfort and fit are being studied because they decide whether workers actually wear the helmet. Put a handful of Type II helmets on one crew this quarter and collect feedback on fit with other PPE, such as face shields and hearing protection, before any requirement arrives.
- Use it in safety conversations with your insurer. JSI was founded by an insurer, Builders Mutual. That does not mean carriers will demand Type II, and the source says nothing on premiums. It is still a reasonable item to raise at your next safety program review.
