Mash, you bring up another aspect of "safety management," one that doesn't get discussed nearly enough.
OSHA regs generally require that all safety (or protective) equipment be provided by the employer, at no cost to the employee. This rule has some "unintended consequences."
The gear is selected on a "one size fits all" basis. Everybody gets the exact same gear, without regard to any individual differences in use, size, or applicability.
It is also often purchased by either a secretary -who never worked the trade- or by someone who hasn't done any climbing (or crawling) for years. Too often, the decision to purchase is driven by the price, and a pretty picture in the catalog.
Rock climbers, and skateboarders, use protective headgear that just might be more appropriate in some situations. However, there are sufficient differences in the various test methods that one CANNOT say thay something that passes, say, Z89, would also pass Z89.1. The load applied differs in size and shape, and the "test head" is different.
There is an attitude that assumes that "more is better." This is not always the case.
