Choosing the right safety shoes
How to choose your safety footwear?
Style and colour may be your first thoughts when choosing new safety boots or shoes, but it should be the fit, suitability for your job and the protection standards that should be at the forefront of your mind.
The safety footwear standards is the same across Europe: EN ISO 20345:2011.
Under this standard, all safety footwear (be that work boots, wellingtons, safety shoes, safety trainers etc) must protect the toes against a 200-joule impact.
All safety footwear falls under the same regulations. A pair of safety trainers is comparable to a pair of steel toe-capped Wellington Boots. A pair of non-slip safety clogs for a hospital has the same legal regulations as the ratings for the safety boots you would wear in construction: EN ISO 2034:2011. So whatever footwear you need to use for your work tasks to keep your feet safe from injury or disease, you would follow the same guidelines and codes as for any safety boot.
EN ISO 20345:2011 is not as complicated to understand as it first appears, and it specifies the basic safety footwear requirements to meet the standard.
- EN– This is the current applicable standard across Europe
- ISO– All footwear PPE products must meet the minimum safety standards as defined by the International Organization for Standardization.
- 20345– This is the assigned legislation number.
- 2011– This is the year the safety standard around footwear was updated.
Safety footwear abbreviations and codes to look out for
There is an array of foot protection in the form of boots or shoes available apart from the standard toe-cap. For instance, some PPE foot protection are anti-static, some ECD (Electro-Static Discharge) resistant, some footwear offers protection for the metatarsal, some have steel plates in the sole to prevent penetration and others prevent cuts.
As is usual in PPE and Health & Safety, codes and abbreviations are used to describe these features. See the table below for a non-exhaustive list that is sure to grow with time.
What do the safety footwear ratings mean?
Note: After SB, all the standards feature the SB basics.
- SB – Safety Basic– This is the basic standard for safety footwear and must have toe protection that can withstand a 200 Joule impact. There can be (and most likely will be) other standards alongside the SB which will appear as other symbols as mentioned above. EG: SB-FO would have the basic standard of safety toe-cap, but also features a Fuel/Oil Resistant Outsole.
- SBP– This is the same as the basic standard for safety footwear but includes a mid-sole plate (steel, or composite material) to protect the foot against penetration.
- S1– S1 footwear is anti-static, resistant to fuel oil and features energy absorption at the heel. As with SB, other symbols can be added, EG: S1-HI would be an S1 shoe or boot but is also insulated against heat.
- S1P– S1P footwear the same as S1 footwear but including a steel or composite plate in the Mid-Sole to protect against penetration from under foot.
- S2– S2 footwear has all the aspects of S1 footwear but adds prevention of water absorption for the upper. Again, codes can be added as they are with S1 and SB.
- S3– You will find the same safety elements as contained in S2, plus a penetration resistant midsole. Again, codes can be added as they are with S2, S1 and SB.
- S4– An S4 boot encompasses the same level of protection as an S1, however it is moulded from a polymer or rubber that makes them completely waterproof and leak-proof. A safety welly would be S4 at the least, and other codes can be added when the boot achieves other safety standards.
- S5– S5 gives you all the safety footwear features of the S4, plus midsole penetration resistance.
The non-slip/anti-slip footwear standards
Slips account for a huge percentage of workplace accidents, so it is absolutely vital that there are separate safety standards so workers and employers can rate the slip-resistance of safety footwear.
Slipping is measured using two different lubrication mediums on two different surfaces, or both, using a “Pendulum Slip Test” system – a type of “Tribometer”. A tool that measures the tribological quantities of the interacting surfaces in relative motion.
Here are the 3 standards:
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| Slip resistance is tested on ceramic tile which has been saturated with Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (the active ingredient in soap) | Slip resistance is tested on Steel plate which has been saturated with Glycerol | Slip resistance is tested and passed against the same conditions as SRA and SRB |
How to choose your safety footwear?
- Ensure to get the correct level of foot protection
For example, if you work with fuels or inflammables/flammables, you should use an anti-static and oil resistant footwear, if working with electricity, you should consider electrical resistant footwear and if working with food, in a medical lab or clean room, you will probably need a safety shoe that is slip-resistant, washable and white.
- Lightweight without compromising on comfort, flexibility and also style. The added weight on your feet makes every step more difficult and the consequence is pure misery.
- Get the correct size and fit
- Absolutely NEVER use or buy second-hand safety footwear
Look after your footwear and it will look after you
It is the same with all your PPE, the best thing to do is protect your footwear like it protects you. If boots or shoes are well cared for, will last much longer, which saves you money in the long-run.
- If they get muddy, clean them.
- If they are wet, dry them naturally.
- Use laces properly (don’t slip them on and off and stretch them).
- Store them carefully, don’t let them rattle around in the back of the van.
- Invest in some Dubbin for leather boots or shoes
Most importantly, if you have an incident where the protection level may have been compromised, CHECK your footwear thoroughly for any failures. If in doubt, replace them immediately. You need your feet.
