Passing the test

In all, five Snell lab techs abuse between 3,000 and 4,000 helmets each year. The testers chart the effect of their various forms of torture with computerised equipment, and Snell denies certification to any model that doesn't pass.

To start the Snell process, manufacturers must submit five helmets for each size and model. In each batch of five, one helmet is heated to 120 degrees(F) and another chilled to 5 degrees (F) before being tested to show how it would protect in [----1----]. Another is dunked in water and tested wet, and a fourth is tested at room temperature.

The fifth is stored undamaged as a "reference" model if questions ever arise about its construction or safety. Once a model is certified, manufacturers can affix a Snell sticker to the inside as [----2----] approval.

After the tests are complete and the helmets hit the market, Snell will then purchase the same models at retail stores and test them again to be sure they meet the same standards as the samples submitted by the manufacharer. If they don't, the manufacturer is alerted and told to check for problems in their manufacturing, the materials they are using or other [----3----].

The cost of safety

Such rigor has given Snell stickers clout in the [----4----] and allowed manufacturers to charge more for certified products.

"Anybody who knows anything about helmets always wants Snell," said Dodge of the Helmet Source. "We recommend it and most customers request it. Having the Snell sticker increases the product's value."

[But] if customers balk at the higher prices, Dodge said he has one response: "We tell them if you have a $5 head, then go ahead and buy a $5 helmet."

Vocabulary Focus

dunk (v) to put something into liquid for a short time
clout (n) power and influence
balk at (phr v) to be unwilling to accept something

Specialized terms

Exercises for Today:

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