Airbag standards

New safety standards for equestrian airbags

A NEW GENERATION OF AIRBAG

On horseback, falls are numerous and safety is essential. Just like head protection, upper body protection should be part of every rider's priorities. Sometimes restrictive, upper body protections have been improved and airbags have appeared with the aim of offering riders more freedom of movement and comfort.

With the intention of rethinking the riding airbag vest, Horse Pilot decided to partner with In&motion, a specialist in airbags (airbag integrated into clothing) and awarded multiple times for its innovations. The challenge was to offer a high-performance solution while bringing advances compared to existing systems.

For the Airbag Twist'Air, this solution is based on a mechanical airbag system relying on 2 key elements:

• An evolution of the unique and patented gas system: a compact and ergonomic multi-cartridge system.
• A specific airbag cushion covering vital areas and which can be worn under a suitable training or competition jacket.

For the Airbag E-Twist'Air, this solution is based on an electronic airbag system relying on 3 key elements:

• A technology capable of anticipating falls before they occur
• A specific airbag cushion covering vital areas and which can be worn under a suitable training or competition jacket.
• The inflator, a high-performance generator that contains high-pressure gas allowing the airbag pocket to inflate to optimal pressure in less than 30ms.

NF S72-800:2022 IS THE FIRST AND ONLY STANDARD DEVELOPED FOR RIDING AIRBAG VESTS

Any safety product intended to be marketed in Europe must obtain CE Certification, issued by a notified body that relies on existing standards. This certification attests to the product's proper compliance with the regulation on personal protective equipment. The Airbag Twist'Air is among the first riding airbags to meet the criteria of the NF S72-800:2022 standard, as part of its CE Certification. Aliénor, a subsidiary of CRITT and a notified laboratory, was responsible for carrying out all the tests on the product.

NF S72-800:2022 is the first and only standard developed for riding airbag vests. It is the result of 3 years of work by the French expert committee* of which In&motion is a part and was published in February 2022. Before it, no official standard existed, so riding airbag vests were certified according to an internal protocol of the notified body resulting in an "expert opinion" certification.
*Committee composed of CRITT, engineers, manufacturers, consumer associations and research units.

Any new airbag vest to be certified by a French laboratory must meet the criteria of the NF S72-800:2022 standard to obtain CE certification. Currently, a committee of European experts is working on updating the European standard EN 13158, based on the protocol of the NF S72-800:2022 standard.

THE EVALUATION CRITERIA IN RELATION TO HORSE ACCIDENTS

It is important to have a product standard dedicated to a specific use and practice. For example, the standard for motorcycle airbags does not take into account specifications related to riding. The expert committee therefore based itself specifically on riders' accident and injury statistics to design a series of product tests aimed at evaluating the protective performance of an airbag intended for riding.

• Areas covered: thorax, abdomen, back and neck
• Evaluation of triggering energy
• Mechanical resistance of the cable system
• Shock absorption
• Determination of operating pressure
• Retention device
• Ergonomic requirements

If we look at the frequency of horse falls and ultimately injuries, they are more significant in leisure riding. Conversely, if we look at the severity of injuries, show jumping competitors are the most seriously injured with traumas mainly located on the torso: rib fractures, collarbone fractures as well as haemo/pneumothorax, lumbar and thoracic injuries.

The location of injuries due to a horse fall varies according to the level of injury severity. If we focus on severe injuries (AIS4+), the most affected areas are the thorax (40%), the head (23%) and the spine (23%). Concerning the typology of traumas, the most observed lesions in the torso area are rib fractures, vertebral fractures, collarbone fractures and lung injuries.

Aware of all these elements, Horse Pilot and In&motion work together to innovate daily on high-performance, reliable and comfortable protection solutions for riders. Limiting the consequences of a fall and keeping the pleasure of riding intact.

Discover the Airbag Twist'Air and the Airbag E-Twist'Air.

REFERENCES

[1] Carmichael et al. On and off the horse: mechanisms and patterns of injury in mounted and unmounted equestrians. Injury. 2014

[2] AIS: Abbreviated Injury Score. The AIS allows for standard classification of an injury level on a scale of 1 to 6. 1 being a minor injury, AIS 4 and above include severe and fatal injuries.