HECC’S POLICY ON WORN OFF EXPIRATION DATES ON HOCKEY HELMET LABELS 2016 - 2017

The Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) provides labels signifying HECC Certification to manufacturers of approved helmets and other equipment. The expiration date of the label is 6.5 years after the date of manufacture. Also on the outside rear of helmets are CSA labels with the year of manufacture on them. The manufacturers also provide a date of assembly/manufacture inside the helmet.

HECC has been working with its validator, Intertek, to create a more durable sticker which will hold up against substantial wear and abuse. We expect a new, more durable label to be rolled out in 2017. HECC has received some complaints this Fall that the expiration date on the HECC Label had become illegible for coaches, referees and league officials. In order to preserve the integrity of the HECC sticker, HECC cannot provide replacement labels. Some of these helmets show clear signs of abuse or misuse such was washing and drying in dishwasher or laundry machine.

Helmets are expensive and consumers have asked if there is a way to deal with the issue of damaged labels.

HECC is therefore temporarily adopting the following policy on worn labels for 2016 and 2017:

THIS POLICY APPLIES ONLY IF THE HELMET DOES NOT APPEAR DAMAGED AND ONLY IN THE INSTANCE WHERE THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THE HECC LABEL IS ILLEGIBLE. This does not apply if the HECC label is removed, totally illegible or missing. If the label is removed, totally illegible or missing, the helmet is no longer HECC Certified.

However if the helmet:

1. Does not appear to be damaged

2. Has a HECC LABEL that is identifiable except for the expiration date and

3. Has a legible manufacturing date on the CSA sticker or from the manufacturer inside the helmet that is less than 7 years from the date of play/date of inspection.

Then the League Officials may allow the player to use the helmet if the manufacturing date on the CSA label or in the helmet is less than 7 years from the date of play. If neither the CSA Sticker date nor the manufacturer's date inside the helmet is legible, then the helmet is no longer HECC Certified.