In Part 2 of the Construction Helmet Research Program video series, we take a closer look at the partnership behind the data.
The John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF), in partnership with ELECTRI International, The Association of Union Constructors, and American Society of Concrete Contractors, partnered with the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings lab to bring independent, science-based helmet testing to the construction industry.
Virginia Tech’s Helmet Ratings program has built its reputation on rigorous impact testing and transparent scoring systems. The lab uses repeatable drop tests and rotational impact measurements to simulate real-world head injuries. That methodology was originally developed and refined through years of football helmet research, and it has informed safety discussions at the highest levels of the sport, including the National Football League.
When adapting this science to construction, the team did not guess at impact scenarios. They analyzed years of OSHA injury data to understand how head injuries actually occur on jobsites. That data helped shape the testing protocol, ensuring that impact angles, energy levels and rotational forces reflected real-world construction incidents rather than laboratory assumptions.
The lab then developed an independent 5-star rating system has been used to evaluate helmet performance across youth, high school, college, and professional football. Their work has helped shape product development and purchasing decisions in a sport where head impact data is heavily scrutinized. That experience carries weight. Measuring linear and rotational forces, modeling injury risk, and comparing helmet performance is not new territory for this team.
Dr. Barry Miller and Dr. Steve Rowson explain in the video how the construction research program was structured. Industry partners funded the work, but the lab maintained full control over testing protocols and results. That independence is critical. It ensures that ratings are based on physics and biomechanics, not product positioning.
For contractors, this partnership changes the conversation. Instead of debating Type I versus Type II helmets based on habit or preference, companies now have measurable performance data from a lab that has been evaluating helmet performance at the highest levels of impact research for years.
The Construction Helmet Research Program represents a shift toward evidence-based safety decisions. Not just compliance. Performance.
For more information on the research and the 5-star ratings for the construction industry, visit Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab rating site.
Find the first video, and a list of upcoming videos, here.
