New European standard for safety shoes
From 2023 there will be a new ISO standard for safety shoes. The ISO 20345:2021 standard (NBN EN ISO 20345:2022) mainly includes additional options regarding the safety of the shoe, but also the ergonomic aspect of the shoe. Shoes that comply with the old ISO standard (ISO 20345:2011) can still be used for a maximum of 6 years
What does the new standard say?
The safety shoes remain divided into the three important categories, but additional options are added here. This allows for a better choice to be made during the risk assessment for personal protective equipment. We list the key points of both the old and new standard. A handy overview can be found in our infographic.
The "old" standard speaks of:
- S1: shoes with shock and crush-resistant toe caps
- S2: S1 + waterproofing
- S3: S2 + puncture-resistant sole
- S4 & S5 safety shoes are safety boots that must meet the respective S1 and S2 requirements
The new standard talks about much more:
- SB: becomes the new basic requirement for a safety shoe instead of S1. Slip resistance is an additional basic requirement. In the old standard, this was marked as SRA.
- S1: has new additional requirements:
- A: antistatic
- E: shock-absorbing heel
- Closed back
- S1 also has one less requirement:
- FO: resistance of the sole to hydrocarbons. This still exists as an additional possible feature but is no longer mandatory for S1 (and therefore not standard for S2 and S3).
- S6 and S7: are new forms for water-resistant boots that also protect the ankle. Due to this new classification, footwear worn by firefighters and the military now also falls within the PPE regulations. These boots must also comply with the additional WR requirement (water-resistant footwear/ensemble) as standard.
- SR: in the old standard, the term “grip” was used. This is now replaced by the term “slip resistance”. In the old classification, SRA, SRB and SRC existed.
- P, PL, PS: shoes with perforation-resistant soles are now divided into 3 categories
- P: perforation resistant by means of a metal plate
- PL: perforation resistant with a so-called “wide point” of 4.5 mm (shoe equipped with a textile or composite anti-perforation plate)
- PS: perforation resistant with a so-called “small point” of 3 mm (shoe equipped with a textile or composite anti-perforation plate)
- LG: lowered heel, new requirement for increased grip and stability on a ladder
- WPA: water resistance of the upper shoe (in old standard WRU requirement)
- SC: abrasion resistance
Don't forget that:
You may not just insert arch supports or other insoles into a safety shoe. This can affect, among other things, the static discharge of the shoe as well as the working margin of the safety toe cap.
How do I make the right choice?
At Premed, we can help with the right choice of safety shoes or safety boots by providing advice on personal protection as well as ergonomics. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
