NOCSAE Advances First Chest Protector Standard to Address
Sudden Cardiac Death OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The
National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE)
discussed a number of topics to advance athletic equipment safety at its
standards meeting in Phoenix on January 29, including introducing the world's
first chest protector performance standard for commotio cordis, and advancing
football helmet standards to address concussion risks and youth provisions.
World's First Chest Protector Performance Standard for
Commotio Cordis
NOCSAE introduced the world's first performance standard
for chest protectors for commotio cordis and moved it to proposed status at
NOCSAE's standards meeting on January 29.
Commotio cordis, a heart rhythm disruption caused by a
blow to the chest, is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in
athletes. In conjunction with research efforts by the Louis J. Acompora
Memorial Foundation, NOCSAE has funded more than $1.1 million in research to
help identify the specific cause of commotio cordis and to develop a chest
protector standard designed to significantly reduce the likelihood of
occurrence. The new NOCSAE standard applies to baseball and lacrosse, where
catchers and goalies are typically the most vulnerable to commotio cordis.
Approximately five to 15 athletes die every year from this syndrome. Most of
these deaths are males under the age of 14 who are often wearing chest
protection.
"This is an unprecedented breakthrough in sports
protection," said Mike Oliver, NOCSAE Executive Director. "Scientists have pinpointed the exact
cause of commotio cordis, including the critical moment of occurrence in the
cardiac cycle and the required threshold to prevent the injury. These findings
have allowed us to create a chest protector standard that will significantly
reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of commotio cordis."
The NOCSAE board of directors voted to advance the chest
protector standard for commotio cordis to proposed status, meaning the standard
will remain open for public comment until January 2017, at which time it will
be eligible to be voted on as a final standard unless modifications are
recommended.
Football Helmets: Pneumatic Ram Test Standard and Youth
Provisions
During the January 2016 meeting, the NOCSAE Standards
Committee Consensus Body voted to move its proposed pneumatic ram test standard
to final status. This standard includes new tests that create and measure
rotational accelerations, a crucial first step in improving the ability of
helmets to address the risk of concussion.
NOCSAE is working to revise its football helmet standard
to incorporate the pneumatic ram test for rotational accelerations. NOCSAE
received significant public comment on the existing proposed changes to the
football helmet standard. In response, a new proposed football helmet standard
was approved at the January 2016 meeting. The new proposed football helmet
standard incorporates rotational accelerations in the pass/fail specifications,
and includes provisions for adjusted pneumatic ram impact velocities for
helmets that manufacturers label as youth helmets.
Implementation of Third-Party Certification
In January 2015, NOCSAE began requiring ISO/IEC 17065
accredited third-party certification for athletic equipment to meet NOCSAE
standards. Under this requirement, a manufacturer contracts with an independent
certifying body, Safety Equipment Institute ("SEI"), to audit their
procedures and quality programs, and test, validate and certify their athletic
equipment to meet NOCSAE standards. Over the course of 2015, the transition to
third-party certification was staggered based on manufacturers' sport-specific
production seasons for equipment. As of February 1, 2016, all third-party
certification for athletic equipment has been implemented.
"Implementing the third-party certification process
in a year is a testament to the integrity of NOCSAE's standards," said
Oliver. "Now, all manufacturers are using an independent body to ensure
they're meeting the highest safety standards for their athletic
equipment."
Other Standard Developments
NOCSAE voted to move several proposed standards to final
status, including standards for field hockey headgear and balls, and revisions
to NOCSAE's corrosion testing standard. Additionally, a proposed lacrosse
headgear standard is now available for review at www.nocsae.org.
About NOCSAE
NOCSAE, the National Operating Committee on Standards for
Athletic Equipment, is an independent and nonprofit standard-setting body with
the sole mission to enhance athletic safety through scientific research and the
creation of performance standards for protective equipment. Formed in 1969, NOCSAE
is a leading force in the effort to improve athletic equipment and, as a
result, reduce injuries. NOCSAE efforts include the development of performance
and test standards for football helmets, gloves and facemasks, baseball and
softball batter's and catcher's helmets, baseballs and softballs, ice hockey
helmets, soccer shin guards, lacrosse helmets and facemasks, and polo helmets.
NOCSAE is comprised of a board of directors representing stakeholders from a
number of groups - including consumer and end users, equipment manufacturers
and reconditioners, athletic trainers, coaches, equipment managers, and
academic and sports medicine associations. These diverse interests have joined
forces in an attempt to arrive at a common goal of reducing sports-related
injuries. NOCSAE is a nonprofit, charitable organization supported by
individuals and organizations with an interest in athletics. For more
information, please visit www.nocsae.org.
