About 4,000 helmets were returned to the field improperly during 2005 and 2006. According to National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) certification, companies must not only visually inspect the helmets for cracks and other problems but also subject about 2 percent to drop tests in which they are hit with substantial forces from different angles.
Circle System, Inc. failed to meet these standards. It is not known whether any players were hurt in a helmet reconditioned by Circle System, which did much of its business in the Northeast and so it is highly unlikely that any football players in the Pacific Northwest were wearing these refurbished helmets.