AN URGENT WARNING has been issued to hurling and camogie players to cease the use of all Gola branded helmets immediately.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has said the company Gola does not make helmets and does not licence the brand to any other company to make helmets.
However, the CPPC has warned that counterfeit Gola branding has been added to batches of substandard, retro-styled helmets which do not meet safety requirements.
As the Gola brand added to these helmets is counterfeit, it is highly likely that any CE mark on the helmets is also counterfeit, the CCPC said. Hurling and camogie helmets must have a CE mark to show that the helmet meets the required health and safety standards.
The helmets bearing the counterfeit Gola brand are also manufactured without faceguards. In order to meet health and safety standards, faceguards must be added at the point of manufacture and not afterwards.
“Do not purchase one of these helmets for yourself or anyone else this Christmas,” CCPC member Patrick Kenny said.
“Our product safety officers are working to remove these dangerous helmets from the Irish market. If you currently use one of these helmets, stop using it and buy a standard, CE-marked helmet from a reputable retailer instead,” Kenny said.
Jim Bolger, chairperson of the Gaelic Games Helmet Work Group, said purchasing and using a compliant helmet is “of the utmost importance in terms of ensuring player safety and welfare in hurling and camogie at all levels”.
“It is worth noting that if a helmet system is purchased when incomplete, ie. without a compatible faceguard, it cannot be considered an item of PPE,” Bolger said.
He added: “In particular, we are concerned about juvenile players using these helmets and encourage parents and players to only buy helmets from reputable sources.”
Anyone who has safety concerns about a helmet they have already purchased can contact the CCPC consumer helpline on 01 402 5555 or at ask@ccpc.ie.
Written by Hayley Halpin and posted on TheJournal.ie
