International standard for safety shoes

The international standards for safety shoes are mainly developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and related technical committees, the most representative of which is the EN ISO 20345 standard. The following is a detailed interpretation of the EN ISO 20345 international standard for safety shoes:

First, standard overview

EN ISO 20345 is a widely adopted European and international standard for safety footwear, prepared by the Technical Committee CEN/TC161 (Foot and leg Protectors) of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the sub-committee SC3 (Foot protection) of the Technical Committee ISO/TC94 (Personal Safety - Protective clothing and equipment). The standard is designed to ensure that safety shoes provide adequate protection to the wearer in a variety of work environments.

Second, standard version

Currently, the latest version of EN ISO 20345 is EN ISO 20345:2022/A1:2024, which is fully mandatory from 1 April 2023, replacing the previous EN ISO 20345:2011 standard. The new version of the standard has been revised and improved in several aspects to adapt to the changing work environment and protection needs.

Third, major changes

New identification levels: The new standard adds two new identification levels S6 and S7, which are dedicated to identifying the WR level safety shoes that are waterproof to the whole shoe.

Classification of non-metal puncture pads: For non-metal puncture pads, the new standard divides them into two levels: large puncture nails (classic 4.5mm puncture nails, marked as PL) and small puncture nails (3mm puncture nails, marked as PS).

Mixed shoes test standard: Because the mixed shoes have the characteristics of injection shoes and the characteristics of safety shoes, the new standard clarifies the test standard of mixed shoes, so that it is no longer classified as a class or class two shoes.

Anti-slip test adjustment: The new standard has eliminated the original SRB and SRC anti-slip grade identification, and the anti-slip test requirements have been adjusted. Anti-slip testing is currently carried out mainly on tile floors, using dodecyl sulfate liquids for testing, with the possibility of adding additional tests for glycerin. The test site was also changed from the heel and middle section to the first and third section of the sole, as well as the heel and front ball.

Additional testing: The new standard also specifies a number of additional testing content, including electrical conductivity testing, antistatic testing, heat insulation testing, etc., to meet the special needs of different working environments.

Fourth, protection performance requirements

The EN ISO 20345 standard requires safety shoes to meet the following protective performance requirements:

Impact resistance: Safety shoes must be able to withstand at least 200 joules of impact energy (equivalent to a 20 kg weight falling from a height of 1,020 mm).

Compression resistance: Safety shoes must be able to withstand a compression force of 15 kilonewtons (KN) (equivalent to 1.5 tons of weight pressed on the toe area).

Puncture resistance: The midsole of the safety shoe must have a good resistance to penetration of sharp objects, including the testing of metal and non-metal puncture pads.

Anti-slip: In a wet or greasy working environment, safety shoes need to have good anti-slip performance.

Fifth, scope of application

The EN ISO 20345 standard has a wide range of applications in various industries, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture and other industries requiring safety shoes. When using safety shoes, workers in these industries should ensure that the selected safety shoes meet the requirements of the EN ISO 20345 standard to ensure their own foot safety.

In summary, the EN ISO 20345 International standard for safety shoes is a comprehensive and strict standard system, which requires safety shoes to meet specific protective performance requirements in a number of aspects. By following this standard, it is possible to ensure that safety shoes provide effective protection for the wearer in different work environments.

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