5 criteria to consider when choosing work shoes

Do you feel overwhelmed by the different types of work shoes and do not know which type of professional footwear to recommend to your employees ?

To guide you in your choice, Shoes for Crews experts offer five criteria covering essential elements for assessing work shoes. This will enable you to offer models suited to the risks associated with your workforce’s activities, as fatigue, pain, discomfort and instability can quickly arise when unsuitable footwear is worn. Making the right choice will help improve your employees’ working conditions.

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Work shoe assessment criteria

Compliance with standards 

As stated in Articles L4121-1 and following of the French Labour Code, French occupational health and safety legislation requires employers to take preventive measures to protect the health of their workers. After assessing the work environment, the employer must take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards at their source. If risks cannot be eliminated, control measures must be adopted to reduce them. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), including work shoes, is one such measure.

First, you should consider the compliance of the footwear with the applicable standard. Does the level of safety correspond to the risks associated with the job? Does the role require work shoes or safety shoes? 

The different categories of work shoes, as well as their conditions of use, are defined by ISO standards, namely:

• EN ISO 20347:2022, which specifies the requirements for work shoes that do not require protection against mechanical risks (impact or crushing).
• EN ISO 20345:2022 which covers safety shoes, marked with the letter “S”, fitted with a protective toe cap resistant to a 200-joule impact and 15 kN compression.

Within this standard, there are several classes covering different levels of protection, which we will outline below to better understand their differences and implications.

• Class SB: this basic category includes the fundamental characteristics of safety shoes: a protective toe cap and slip resistance.
• Class S1: shoes in this category meet the fundamental requirements of category SB. In addition, they must have antistatic properties and energy absorption in the heel area.
• Class S1P: in addition to the previous requirements, these shoes have a puncture-resistant sole that prevents sharp objects such as nails or shards of glass from penetrating the sole and injuring the foot.
• Class S2: suitable for dry and wet conditions, as well as flat, low-hazard surfaces, S2 safety shoes meet the requirements of category S1 and are made with water-repellent upper material.
• Class S3: in addition to the characteristics of class S2, this category also includes a puncture-resistant sole.
• Class S4: this category applies only to safety boots, which must be made entirely of rubber or polymer and meet the requirements of class S1. In addition, they must be completely waterproof.
• Class S5: safety boots in this category meet the requirements of class S3. They must be completely waterproof and made entirely of rubber or polymer.
• Class S6: ideal for very wet surfaces, shoes in category S6 meet the requirements of the S2 standard, with the added resistance to water penetration of the entire shoe.
• Class S7: designed for very wet and hazardous surfaces, this class covers the requirements of the S3 standard and also introduces resistance to water penetration of the entire shoe.

Not all standard-compliant products are equal, so it is worthwhile choosing products that offer performance beyond the standard and including the following criteria in your assessment.

Comfort

Many professions require standing for prolonged periods or walking several kilometres at a fast pace during a shift. It is essential to choose comfortable models that will not hinder your employees in their activities.

Durability

Consider how well they hold up. Will they last over time, or will they need to be replaced frequently? This would involve an additional expense, but could also affect your employer brand.

Appearance

The style of professional footwear should not be overlooked. Some work environments may require certain shoe styles due to a dress code or uniform.

Price

Company budgets for purchasing professional footwear vary; however, selecting shoes that offer good value for money is always a sought-after option. When making the final choice, this criterion should be considered alongside the product’s durability.

In summary, work shoes must both protect against external hazards while providing stable, comfortable walking. With our list, after analysing your employees’ work environment and the associated risks,   you will be able to offer an appropriate selection of models. As a leading manufacturer of slip-resistant work shoes, we invite you to contact our team of experts to receive information about our catalogue.