Helmets for every head Whether for industry, sports or combat, helmets may be worn with pride or grudgingly accepted as an obligation. In every case, however, helmets are more than just an accessory: they are a major vector of personal safety.

	A technology to deal with extreme conditions Some types of equipment are technological gems. Energies paid a visit to the world’s leading manufacturer of fire helmets: in this business, there is no room for mistakes.

	A matter of culture Do people all over the world see personal protective equipment in the same light? Not really. But you don’t have to go far to observe differences in attitude: even within a given country, perceptions differ according to trades and traditions.

	Protective equipment and risk reduction What developments lie ahead for safety helmets in the industrial sector? Specialists in the field are focusing their efforts on two main areas: performance and comfort.

	Safety: more than just a helmet Over the coming years, world energy demand is bound to increase. Two experts, Joe Stanislaw and Pierre-René Bauquis, comment on the world’s future energy mix.

	Still a bright future for oil Analyses and predictions about the world’s oil and gas reserves and how long they will last range from extreme pessimism to bright optimism. Total has recently made significant progress in producing reserves previously considered inaccessible, and Jean-Marie Masset, Senior Vice President, Geosciences Exploration & Production division, is reasonably confident about the future: there should be no shortage of oil in the next few years (2005) but the prospect cannot be ruled out in the longer term.