Cricket Helmet, Pad and Glove Inspection

Cricket helmet, pad and glove inspection

A cricket protective gear inspection checks that every helmet carries the BS 7928:2013+A1:2019 label and matches the certified model, that grilles and straps are fixed and adjusted as tested, and that pads, batting gloves and guards match the sample in foam, cane, leather and sizing. Impact tests stay with an accredited lab or notified body.

Last reviewed 14 Oct 2026

Typical materials

ABS, polycarbonate or composite helmet shells with EPS liners; steel or titanium grilles; PU or leather pads with foam and cane; leather or synthetic glove palms; EVA and PU foams

Where it's made in India

Meerut district (ODOP sports goods: protective equipment); Jalandhar (district portal: protective equipment)

Key rules

BS 7928:2013+A1:2019 (helmets); EU PPE Regulation 2016/425 (CE); UKCA or CE for Great Britain; REACH chromium VI for leather palms

Typical AQL

General II; 0 critical, 1.5 major, 4.0 minor for helmets; 2.5 major for pads and gloves

How cricket protective gear is made in India

Meerut district names protective equipment in its One District One Product sports goods, and Jalandhar's district portal lists protective equipment among its exports. NITI Aayog's 2026 report describes cricket helmet making as labour-intensive: the shell is moulded, the EPS impact liner is moulded separately and bonded inside it, comfort pads are fitted, and a steel or titanium grille is formed, finished and mounted to the shell before straps and trims are added. The report notes that India has no domestic third-party helmet test lab, so helmets are sent to Europe for CE testing, which it says adds three to six months.

Leg pads are built from foam blocks or cane rods inside a PU or leather face, with knee rolls and straps. Batting gloves use leather or synthetic palms, finger rolls filled with foam, and a side bar on the thumb. Thigh, arm, chest and abdominal guards are foam or moulded plastic in a fabric or PU cover. Most of this is cut and sewn by hand.

BS 7928 and the PPE Regulation

BS 7928:2013+A1:2019 is the British Standard for head protectors for cricketers. Its tests include a drop test for impact attenuation and a projectile test that checks whether a ball passes through the faceguard or the faceguard touches the face. Helmets are tested against a men's ball (5½ oz), a junior ball (4¾ oz) or both, and the label must say which. The 2019 amendment added requirements for neck protectors. The ICC requires any helmet worn by a batter in international cricket to comply.

Regulation (EU) 2016/425 treats equipment designed to protect the wearer as personal protective equipment. Protective sports gear against impact generally needs an EU type-examination by a notified body, CE marking and an EU declaration of conformity. Great Britain accepts CE or UKCA marking under its own version of the rules; see CE and UKCA marking.

Neither of these can be proven at the factory. What an inspector can do is check that the goods are the model that was tested: same shell, liner, grille, sizes and labels as on the certificate and the test report.

What we check on helmets, pads and gloves

Check	How it is checked	What fails
Helmet label and certificate	BS 7928 label, ball size tested, CE mark and notified body number compared with the certificate, test report and declaration	Label missing or wrong; model or size not covered by the certificate
Helmet build	Shell for cracks and thin spots; liner bonding; grille shape and screws; peak-to-grille gap set as in the tested model	Loose grille screws, grille gap adjustable beyond the tested position, liner not bonded
Chin strap and buckle	Strap stitching, buckle function and a firm pull by hand	Buckle releasing, stitching pulling out
Pads	Height and width per size, cane or foam count, knee roll, strap length and fastening	Fewer canes or thinner foam than the sample; strap anchors weak
Batting gloves	Palm material, finger roll fill, thumb side bar, cuff closure, left and right hand	Missing side bar, thin finger protection, wrong hand in the pair
Guards	Shell cracks, edge finish, strap and cover fit	Cracked or sharp-edged abdominal guard shells
User information	Instructions, sizing and care, in the languages of the market	Missing PPE instructions or declaration reference

Common cricket helmet, pad and glove defects and how they are classed

Defect	Typical cause	Class
Helmet grille loose or gap larger than the tested setting	Missing washers, wrong spacer, careless assembly	Critical
Helmet model or size not on the certificate, or BS 7928 label missing	Uncertified variant, label not applied	Critical
Cracked shell or cracked abdominal guard	Moulding fault, rough handling	Critical
Foam or cane content below the sample in pads or gloves	Cost cutting	Major
Mismatched pair (two left gloves, mixed pad sizes)	Sorting error at packing	Major
Strap stitching weak	Short stitches, no back-tack	Major
Cosmetic marks, uneven piping	Finishing	Minor

Packing, chemicals and your purchase order

A helmet crushed in a carton can crack its liner without any sign on the shell, and a bent grille may no longer sit in its tested position. Helmets should travel in their own boxes with the grille protected; pads should be packed flat in pairs. Leather palms and PU faces can grow mould in a damp container, so the inspector checks for smell and bloom on opened cartons. Leather glove palms are in direct skin contact, so for the EU ask for a chromium VI test; see chromium VI in leather.

Put these in your purchase order:

Helmet model, sizes, ball size tested and the BS 7928 and CE certificates that cover them.
Grille type and the fixed or set position of the grille.
Pad construction (cane or foam), height per size and strap count.
Glove palm material, finger protection and side bar.
Labels, instructions and declaration of conformity text for each market.
Test reports linked to the material lots used, and samples to be sealed for re-test.

Batting gloves share leather and chemical rules with leather work gloves. Book an inspection anywhere in India.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Do cricket helmets need to meet BS 7928?

For international cricket, the ICC requires any helmet worn by a batter to comply with BS 7928. Many national boards and buyers expect it at all levels. The current version is BS 7928:2013+A1:2019, which also covers neck protectors.

Can an inspector test a helmet's impact protection?

No. The drop and projectile tests in BS 7928 need a lab rig. The inspector checks that the helmets are the tested model, with the right label, grille, liner and sizes, and can seal samples for re-testing.

Are cricket pads and gloves PPE in the EU?

Gear designed to protect the wearer is personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425, so pads, gloves and guards sold for protection need CE marking. Ask your notified body which modules apply to each product.

Why does the grille gap matter?

BS 7928 tests whether a ball can get through the faceguard or push it onto the face, and the gap between peak and grille is part of that faceguard. If the grille can be set wider than the tested position, the protection may no longer match the certificate.