Safety Boots: Standards and Features

In retail or manufacturing professions, your employees are exposed to multiple risks, both due to their working environment and the activities they carry out there. While it is the employer’s duty to ensure the safety of their teams through the personal protective equipment (PPE) provided, including safety boots, it is important to recognise your employees’ needs in order to choose the appropriate safety models accordingly.

Choosing safety boots: what features should they have?

Here are your teams’ main footwear and safety boot needs:

• Grip : reduce the risk of falls and slips with slip-resistant soles. Slip-resistant shoes are essential for workers who are constantly on the move, as is the case in retail.
• Comfort : improve your employees’ working conditions, especially when they need to maintain a prolonged standing position, by providing them with comfortable, high-quality footwear.
• Protection against falling objects : protect your employees’ feet with a safety toe cap that prevents crushing when handling heavy objects. For example, safety boots complying with EN ISO 20345:2021 marked with the letter “S” feature a protective toe cap that withstands an impact of 200 Joules. This feature is essential for manufacturing work, which often involves handling heavy objects.
• Waterproofing : enable your employees to keep their feet dry throughout the day and avoid certain occupational illnesses. This property is particularly ideal for fishmonger work, where workers are constantly on wet floors.
• Thermal protection : essential for employees working in hot or cold environments or where temperatures change. Butchery or delicatessen work, for example, involves frequent visits to cold rooms where meat is stored; good thermal protection will protect your teams.
• Splash protection : safety shoes and boots are made from durable, waterproof materials that protect against splashes of liquids or chemicals that could damage your employees’ clothing and feet. Choose this feature for tasks carried out with chemicals or cleaning products.

Safety boot classes: EN ISO 20345:2021

To identify safety shoes and boots and choose models suited to your employees’ activities, it is important to differentiate between models according to their properties. 

While work shoes are governed by EN ISO 20347:2012, safety boots and shoes must comply with EN ISO 20345:2021. This standard specifies test methods for safety footwear designed as personal protective equipment (PPE) for the entire shoe, upper, lining, tongue, insole, sock liner and footbed, as well as the outsole. The tests associated with this standard make it possible to distinguish the performance and safety level of these different components.

Within this same standard, there are various protection levels divided into classes :

Safety shoe classes

There are nine safety shoe classes within EN ISO 20345:2021. The essential characteristics of safety shoes are, first and foremost, the protective toe cap and slip resistance. The higher the class, the more features it includes. Antistatic properties, energy absorption in the heel, puncture-resistant sole, water-repellent material and resistance to water penetration are all criteria that ensure the comfort and safety of your employees throughout their working day.

Safety boot classes

Also within EN ISO 20345:2021, two classes are specific to safety boots:

• Class S4: this category applies only to safety boots that must be entirely made of rubber or polymer. They feature a protective toe cap that withstands an impact of 200 Joules, grip that helps reduce slips and same-level fall risks, as well as antistatic properties and energy absorption in the heel. Fully waterproof, these safety boots help guarantee your workers’ safety while providing optimal comfort throughout the working day.
• Class S5: ideal for both dry and wet conditions, safety boots in this category meet the requirements of many safety shoes, namely a protective toe cap that withstands an impact of 200 Joules, grip that helps reduce slips and same-level fall risks, antistatic properties and energy absorption in the heel, as well as a puncture-resistant sole. In addition, these safety boots must be perfectly waterproof and entirely made of rubber or polymer.

Safety boots are essential for protecting your teams and minimising occupational risks, which is why it is vital to choose a model suited to their activity. Fortunately, at Shoes For Crews, our wide choice of models enables you to ensure the safety and comfort of all your employees. In addition to complying with the EN ISO 20344:2021 standard, our products exceed the standard’s requirements for slip resistance and grip. Please feel free to contact our team of experts to find out more.