New European slip-resistant footwear standards: discover how EN ISO 20344:2021 has changed

In the last decade, the market for slip-resistant footwear has changed significantly, especially with new materials coming on the scene. The workplace is also evolving at a faster rate and looks much different compared to previous years. More women are at work than ever before and many manufacturers are crafting footwear specifically designed for their needs with lighter, more stylish shoes being the preferred choice. 

Along with these market changes, slip-resistant footwear standards have also been tested and proven effective time and again. One important fundamental change that stands out is the implementation of the new European PPE Regulation. Europe is the world leader in the use of PPE (personal protective equipment), and the revision of such safety standards will have a positive impact on the global market, including the UK.  

In this article, we will focus on and discuss how EN ISO 20344:2021 has changed. We will give you the most important and updated information you need to know to make an informed decision about your company’s next workplace footwear purchase. 

 What does ISO stand for? 

The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards were put into place in 1946 to establish levels of quality assurance in the service industry, product development and corporate management that allowed companies to demonstrate their excellent results in a straightforward manner. Thanks to those standards, which were defined by 781 committees and subcommittees and distributed among 164 countries, companies can now compare themselves equally.  

Just as technology and the needs for specific markets are constantly changing, the ISO standards evolve in order to adapt to each industry. Due to those factors, the standards are revised and updated every so often according to the same rate as companies and consumer demands.  

 What regulations were in place for EN ISO 20344:2021 before the change?  

The test procedures for safety footwear slip-resistance and their corresponding certifications have been changed. EN ISO 20344:2021 focuses on teams that wear PPE and it was published as a way to update the previous standard, EN ISO 20344:2011. 

Basic requirements for work shoes were based on design, slip-resistance, materials used and water resistance, to name a few. Shoes that met these requirements were labelled as follows:  SB: safety shoe with basic requirements

• PB: protective shoe with basic requirements 
• OB: occupational shoe with basic requirements 

Work shoes that met slip-resistant footwear standards received one of the following three classifications: 

• SRA: work shoes that provide slip-resistance on a ceramic tile floor with lauryl sulphate 
• SRB: safety shoes that provide slip-resistance on a steel floor with glycerol 
• SRC: work shoes that combine the slip-resistance of SRA and SRB, providing the highest slip-resistance 

In order to ensure the quality of safety footwear standards, different positions of the foot were tested on a scale of 0.0 to 1, where 0.0 is without slip-resistance and 1, very high slip-resistance (on dry carpeted floors).

 What is new with EN ISO 20344:2021?

The EN ISO 20344:2011 standard was updated recently and it will now be classified as EN ISO 20344:2021. It will continue to improve and strengthen workplace safety footwear against slips and trips. However, any safety shoes that are already on the market will not need to be certified according to the new standard until their certificate expires. EU type certificates have a validity of 5 years.

Previous certifications consisting of ‘SRA’, ‘SRB’ and ‘SRC’ will no longer be used. In addition to the shoe passing a slip-resistant test on ceramic tile with a cleansing agent, companies can perform another slip test which will be labelled ‘SR’ , provided the shoe passes a slip-resistance test on a ceramic tiled floor with glycerine. 

Testing footwear on tile flooring best imitates real-life workplace situations. Concerning meeting the requirements to help prevent slip-related injuries in the workplace, the following minimum standards must be achieved: 

Type of Surface	Type of substance	Position of foot	Industry Standard
Ceramic tile	Cleansing agent	Forward heel slip	0.28
		Forward flat slip	0.32
Steel plate	Glycerine	Forward heel slip	0.13
		Forward flat slip	0.18

New specific requirements 

Optional additions have been introduced in regards to slip-resistance, perforation and shoe grip. 

• Levels of protection: increases from SB-S5 to SB-S7, with sublevels of protection
• Perforation resistance: what the material protects against and what the size of the nail was used in tests.
• Ladder grip: previously marked as “heel grip for ladder,” no longer exclusively applies to footwear for firefighters

Moreover, the number of additional requirements has increased from 12 to 18 in addition to the basic certifications:

• PL: Perforation resistance (4.5 mm nail, non-metal insert)
• PS: Perforation resistance (3.0 mm nail, non-metal insert)
• C: Party conductive footwear
• A: Anti-static footwear
• HI: Heat insulation
• CI: Cold insulation
• E: Energy absorption of seat region
• WR: water resistance
• M: Metatarsal protection
• AN: Ankle protection
• CR: Cut resistance
• SC: Scuff cap abrasion
• SR: Slip-resistance on ceramic tile floor with glycerine
• WPA: Water penetration and absorption resistance
• HRO: Resistance to hot contact
• FO: Resistance to fuel oil
• LG: Ladder grip

Work shoes from Shoes For Crews and EN ISO 20344:2021 

Shoes For Crews is synonymous with durability and slip-resistance. As leaders in slip-resistant outsole technology with almost 40 years of experience, we offer a range of high-quality footwear combining smart styles with optimum support. Our patented outsoles can reduce up to 80% of slips and trips in the workplace. We run our products through all the necessary tests to guarantee their quality and safety for your employees. 

In August 2022, Intertek Testing Services Shenzhen Ltd put Shoes For Crews’ slip-resistant technology to the test to see if they would meet the new industry standards that were established as per EN ISO 20344:2021. Just as we have seen in the past, the results indicated that our patented outsoles surpassed the minimum standards with the following results: 

It is important to note that footwear overall is subject to many different conditions and exterior factors encountered in everyday use and that it is impossible to make work footwear resistant to slips in all conditions. Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that problems are minimised if the new guideline coefficients of friction are achieved. 

The slip-resistant outsoles of Shoes For Crews’ footwear continue to perform above industry standards, especially on slippery ceramic tiling inside a wide variety of workplaces around the UK. If you would like to learn more about specific shoe styles for employees across many different professions, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.