'SK Ino Yukseong' Woosisan Develops 'Lightweight Safety Helmet' Recycled from Used Safety Helmets

Developed in Collaboration with Ulsan City and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency

Social enterprise Usisan, nurtured and supported by SK Innovation, is introducing a 'lightweight safety helmet' made by recycling safety helmets used and discarded in the workplace.

Social enterprise Usisan announced on the 25th that it has developed a lightweight safety helmet using discarded safety helmets and PET bottles in collaboration with Ulsan City, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Korea Railroad Corporation, Korea Mold, Black Yak, and others. Usisan plans to accelerate commercialization with its partner organizations and showcase the product at the Kintex International Safety and Health Exhibition in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in early July, followed by an official launch.

SK Innovation-supported and nurtured social enterprise Woosisan's CEO Byeon Eui-hyun (left in the photo) is holding a lightweight safety helmet made from used safety helmets and used PET bottles, posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by SK Innovation

The lightweight safety helmet developed by Usisan is characterized by being lighter and sturdier compared to regular safety helmets. It enhances shock absorption and adds antibacterial functions. In particular, the company explained that it has significant resource circulation meaning, as it not only recycles discarded safety helmets but also involves Black Yak in the lightweight safety helmet outer shell work using domestically recycled PET bottle yarn. According to Usisan, more than 500,000 safety helmets discarded at industrial sites are incinerated annually without being recycled.

The lightweight safety helmet is mainly used in places where there is no risk of falling or flying objects, worker falls, or electric shocks. Accordingly, Usisan plans to supply the developed lightweight safety helmets to logistics companies such as courier services and sanitation workers. These are workplaces where the risk of falling is low but lightweight helmets are needed due to the nature of tasks requiring workers to bend their heads for long periods.

Usisan expects that if the lightweight safety helmet is made in a general cap shape, it can be used not only at industrial sites but also during everyday activities such as golf and hiking. In the future, Usisan plans to sequentially develop industrial safety helmets for fall and electric shock prevention that require safety certification by recycling discarded safety helmets.

Byun Eui-hyun, CEO of Usisan, said, “The project to rebirth discarded safety helmets into new safety helmets is the first of its kind nationwide,” and added, “We hope more institutions and companies will participate in the safety helmet recycling business.”

Kim Hyung-seok, Head of ESG Management Performance Office at Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, stated, “We will support the successful promotion of the discarded safety helmet resource circulation project,” and added, “It is expected to contribute to various fields such as safety, environment, and job creation.”

Won Jong-cheol, Head of Future Strategy Office at Korea Railroad Corporation, said, “Upcycling discarded safety helmets will greatly contribute to eco-friendliness and the circular economy, and Korail will actively participate in practicing carbon neutrality.”

Ko Il-ju, Chairman of Korea Mold, said, “Safety helmets that have served their purpose can now be used again for safety,” and added, “We will continue to collaborate with Usisan and others to create various upcycled safety products.”

Kim Jung-hoe, Executive Director of Black Yak, said, “We are pleased to participate in this project that ensures worker safety in industrial sites exposed to harsh external environments while simultaneously practicing environmental sustainability,” and added, “We will continue collaboration so that our PET bottle resource circulation technology can protect the safety of people and the environment in everyday life.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.