Helmets for tree work: the standards and markings by country

This page reports what regulators and standards bodies say about helmets. It is not legal advice, and the regulator or the employer decides what applies to a given job. The guide on chainsaw protection sets out what each country's sources say to wear from head to boots. This page goes into the helmet standards and their markings.

United States

The OSHA rule

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.135 says the employer must ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects. Where workers are near exposed electrical conductors that could contact the head, the helmet must be designed to reduce electrical shock hazard. The rule lists three accepted consensus standards: ANSI Z89.1-2009 and Z89.1-2003, both titled "American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection", and Z89.1-1997. The wording is on the OSHA rule page.

OSHA's page on standards for tree care says the tree care industry must comply with the general industry standards in 29 CFR 1910. It also lists ANSI Z89.1 among the voluntary ANSI standards, with the note that compliance with ANSI standards does not ensure compliance with OSHA policy. The International Society of Arboriculture says on its Z133-2026 page that the Z133-2026 safety standard for arboricultural operations has been approved by ANSI and is available, and that the previous edition, published in 2017, was effective until May 27, 2026.

Types, classes and marks

OSHA's safety and health information bulletin on safety helmets (SHIB 3-6-2024) describes the markings in the ANSI Z89.1 standard.

Type I. Offers protection from blows to the top of the head.
Type II. Offers protection from blows to the top and sides of the head.
Class G (General). Designed to reduce exposure to low voltage conductors, and proof tested at 2,200 volts (phase to ground).
Class E (Electrical). Designed to reduce exposure to higher voltage conductors, and proof tested at 20,000 volts (phase to ground).
Class C (Conductive). Not intended to provide protection against contact with electrical hazards.
HT, LT and HV. Heat resistant helmets are marked "HT". Helmets preconditioned in low temperatures before testing are marked "LT". High visibility helmets are marked "HV".

The bulletin adds that vented hard hats or safety helmets cannot be used for electrical work, and that only head protection with a reverse-wearing label or mark can be worn in reverse. It says OSHA reviewed its own work and decided Type II, Class G helmets were the most appropriate for its employees, and that employers and workers may decide on another form after their own hazard analysis. The bulletin is on the OSHA site as a PDF.

Chin straps

The same bulletin says chin straps are recognized as an effective way to keep head protection on when working in awkward positions or in a slip or fall, and that they should be considered for use with all head protection. For tasks that involve working from heights it says to consider head protection with chin straps to prevent the head protection from falling off. OSHA 1910.135 itself does not mention chin straps.

The 2026 edition of Z89.1

The International Safety Equipment Association, which publishes the standard, announced ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 on September 11, 2026. Its release page says the revision keeps the Type and Class classifications and does not replace existing requirements or make current compliant head protection obsolete. It adds a "+" designation for head protection tested beyond the base standard.

Type I+. Chin strap, enhanced retention and multi-directional impact protection.
Type II+. Chin strap and enhanced retention, with Type II impact protection.

The release page also says the HT and LT markings stay, and that "High Visibility (HV)" is renamed "Enhanced Visibility (EV)", with no change to visibility performance. OSHA's rule page quoted above names the 2009, 2003 and 1997 editions.

Canada

Helmet rules are provincial. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says in its protective headwear fact sheet that most legislation references CSA Standard Z94.1-15 (R2020), "Industrial protective headwear - performance, selection, care, and use", as the requirement for hard hat compliance. The CSA store page lists Z94.1-15 as reaffirmed in 2025 (R2025).

Types and classes

CCOHS describes three classes and two types.

Type 1. Protection from impact and penetration at the crown (top) only.
Type 2. Protection from impact and penetration at the crown and laterally (sides and back).
Class E. A 20 000 V electrical rating, for high voltage conductors.
Class G. A 2200 V electrical rating, for low voltage conductors in general trades.
Class C. No electrical rating.

Each type comes in each class. The fact sheet says the standard requires labels that include the year and month of manufacture, and that manufacturers may state the expected useful life of the headwear. It also says Z94.1 does not indicate different colours for different jobs.

Province by province

British Columbia. OHS Regulation section 8.11 says safety headgear must meet CAN/CSA-Z94.1-05 or Z94.1-15, or ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2009 or Z89.1-2014. Where a worker may be exposed to an electrical hazard, the headgear must have an appropriate non-conductive rating. Chin straps or other effective means of retention must be used when workers are climbing or working from a height exceeding 3 m (10 ft), or are exposed to high winds or other conditions that may cause loss of the headgear. Damaged headgear, or headgear with missing, mismatched or modified components, must be removed from service. WorkSafeBC's Part 8 guidelines say Type 1 gives protection from impacts and sharp objects from above and Type 2 from above and the sides, and that WorkSafeBC permits both types provided the other requirements of the standards are met.
Alberta. The OHS Code Part 18 says that where there is a foreseeable danger of head injury and a significant possibility of lateral impact, the employer must ensure the worker wears protective headwear that is appropriate to the hazards and meets CSA Z94.1-15, or ANSI Z89.1-2003 for Type II head protection, if the headwear was manufactured on or after March 31, 2023.
Ontario. The Construction Projects regulation (O. Reg. 213/91) says every worker wears protective headwear at all times when on a project, and that the shell can withstand a dielectric strength test at 20,000 volts phase to ground. The e-Laws text shows amendments (O. Reg. 112/26) taking effect July 1, 2027. They set Type 2 under CSA Z94.1 or Type II under ANSI Z89.1 for workers who may be exposed to side impact hazards, and add that a chin strap or other retention system is used where conditions may cause the headwear to dislodge. The industrial regulation (Reg. 851, section 80) says only that head protection is appropriate in the circumstances.
Quebec. The Safety Code for the construction industry, section 2.10.3, says any person on a construction site wears a safety hat designed and manufactured in accordance with CAN/CSA Standard Z94.1 as applicable at the time of manufacturing.

United Kingdom

Two standards come up in official tree work pages. HSE's leaflet Chainsaws at work (INDG317), published in January 2013, lists a safety helmet to EN 397 and recommends that arborists working from a rope and harness use a mountaineering style helmet. HSE's page on PPE for aerial tree work says the Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group (AFAG) recommends a mountaineering style helmet complying with BS EN 12492.

BS EN 397. BSI lists BS EN 397:2025, Industrial protective helmets, as current, published September 30, 2025. Its scope is requirements for design, performance, test methods and markings for helmets for general use in industry. Additional performance requirements for special applications apply only when the helmet manufacturer specifically claims them. BSI lists BS EN 397:2012+A1:2012 as withdrawn on May 2, 2025.
BS EN 12492. BSI lists BS EN 12492:2025, mountaineering helmets, as current, published October 31, 2025. Its scope is helmets for mountaineering that reduce the risk of impact injury, and it applies to activities with similar hazards, including climbing, caving, canyoning, rope courses and via ferrata climbing. BSI lists the 2012 edition as withdrawn on October 16, 2025.

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 say in regulation 5 that where more than one item must be worn together, the items are compatible and continue to be effective against the risks. HSE's chainsaw leaflet says PPE should be CE marked and should suit the user in size and fit.

Australia

The SafeWork NSW Tree works Code of Practice (March 2026) is a New South Wales document. Its table of PPE items describes safety helmets as helmets with ear and eye protection components and a chinstrap for protection against falling objects and impacts, and names AS/NZS 1801:2024 Occupational protective helmets. The Standards Australia store page lists AS/NZS 1801:2024 as current, published September 20, 2024, and describes it as specifications for protective helmets to reduce the severity of head injury from hazards associated with those occupations.

New Zealand

WorkSafe New Zealand's Safety and Health in Arboriculture code says all safety helmets shall comply with NZS 5806:1980, Specification for industrial safety helmets (medium protection), or better, and be worn at all times by all persons in or about an arboricultural operation. It also says helmets should have a chin strap to prevent accidental loss or removal while working aloft.

WorkSafe's forestry code has a standards appendix that lists, for safety helmets, AS/NZS 1801:1997, or ATV helmet standard NZS 8600:2002, or any other standard embodying the same or more stringent criteria such as EN 397. That is the forestry and harvesting code, a separate document from the arboriculture code.

Replacement and service life

Each source words this differently.

United States. OSHA's bulletin says to refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for recommended lifespan, and that service life depends on factors including storage, handling, use and exposure to harsh environments including UV rays. It says head protection that has experienced an impact or a significant force is retired immediately, even if there is no visible damage.
Canada. CCOHS says headwear should be replaced if it is struck by an object, even if there is no visible damage. BC section 8.11 requires damaged or modified headgear to be removed from service.
New Zealand. The arboriculture code says helmets shall be inspected before use and removed from service if signs of excessive wear or damage are found, and otherwise replaced as the manufacturer recommends. It says helmets should not be stored in direct sunlight, and that paints, petrol, oil or solvents can cause deterioration. WorkSafe's forestry code section on PPE adds that PPE is replaced when worn out, no longer protective or past its use-by date, and that replacing PPE on a yearly basis may not be sufficient.

Side by side

Country	Standard named	Chin strap wording
United States	ANSI Z89.1 (OSHA 1910.135)	OSHA bulletin: should be considered
Canada, BC	CSA Z94.1 or ANSI Z89.1	Required above 3 m (10 ft) or in high winds
Canada, Alberta	CSA Z94.1-15 or ANSI Z89.1 Type II	No chin strap wording in section 234
Canada, Ontario	CSA Z94.1 Type 2 or ANSI Z89.1 Type II from July 1, 2027	Where headwear may dislodge, from July 1, 2027
Canada, Quebec	CSA Z94.1	No chin strap wording in section 2.10.3
United Kingdom	EN 397 or EN 12492 (HSE)	No chin strap wording on the HSE pages
Australia, NSW	AS/NZS 1801:2024	Chinstrap named in the code
New Zealand	NZS 5806:1980 or better	Should have a chin strap

The guide on visors, safety glasses and ear defenders covers the standards for the other head and face items, and the guide on safety rules by country covers the wider rules around this gear.