SHOE STANDARDS

The Standards that are applicable to footwear for professional use are:

  • UNE-EN ISO 20345:2011
  • UNE-EN ISO 20346:2014
  • UNE-EN ISO 20347:2012

These standards specify the basic and optional requirements for professional footwear for general use. They include the mechanical hazards, resistance to slipping, thermal hazards and ergonomic performance.

To apply them, we use methods and trials described in these and other standards, which are:

  • UNE-EN ISO 17075-1:2018 y UNE ISO 17075-2:2018 Leather. Chemical trials. Content in CR VI
  • UNE-EN ISO 20344:2012 Personal protective equipment. Footwear trial methods
  • UNE-EN 12568:2011 Protectors for feet and legs. Requirements and trial methods for caps and insoles that are resistant to penetration
  • UNE-EN 50321:2000 Electricity insulated footwear for low voltage installation tasks

Special hazards included on other complementary standards

  • UNE-EN ISO 17249:2014. Footwear resistance to chainsaw cuts
  • UNE-EN 13832-2:2007 and UNE-EN 13832-3:2007. Protective footwear against chemical products
  • UNE-EN 15090:2012. Footwear for fire-fighters
  • UNE-EN ISO 20349:2011. . Footwear against thermal hazards and molten metal spatter 
  • UNE-EN 13634:2012. Footwear for motorists

STANDARDS

CLASSES

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

IN ISO 20345:2011 STEEL TIP SAFETY FOOTWEAR 200 JOULE AND 15KN COMPRESSION

 Class I SB

S1 = SB + A + E + FO + closed heel

S2 = S1 + WRU

S3 = S2 + P + sole with grooves
Class II SB

S4 = SB + A + E + FO

S5 = S4 + P + ole with grooves

IN ISO 20346:2014 STEEL TIP SAFETY FOOTWEAR 100 JOULE AND 10KN COMPRESSION

 Class I PB

P1 = PB + A + E + FO +closed heel

P2 = P1 + WRU

P3 = P2 + P + sole with grooves
Class II PB

P4 = PB + A + E + FO

P5 = P4 + P + sole with grooves

IN ISO 20347:2012 WORK FOOTWEAR

 Class I OB

O1 = OB + A + E + closed heel

O2 = O1 + WRU

O3 = O2 + P + sole with grooves
Class II OB

O4 = OB + A + E

O5 = O4 + P +sole with grooves

SOLE RESISTANCE TO SLIPPING

SRA

Test floor: ceramic / lubricant: water with detergent

≥ 0.32 Planet

≥ 0.28 Heel (footwear tilted 7º)

SRB

Test floor: stainless steel / lubricant: glycerine

≥ 0.18 Plane

≥ 0.13 Heel (footwear tilted 7º)

SRC

Test floor: ceramic / lubricant: water with detergent

Both conditions mentioned were required sra + srb

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

P

Resistance to perforation not less than 1100N

C

CFootwear with electrical resistance not greater than 100 KΩ.

A

Heel energy absorption not less than 20 J.

E

Heel energy absorption not less than 20 J

I

Electrically insulated footwear.

WR

Water resistant footwear..

WRU

Resistance to absorption and water penetration

AN

Ankle protection

M

Metatarsal protection.

CR

Resistance to cuts.

HRO

Sole resistant to contact heat.

HI

Sole insulated against floor heat

CI

Sole insulated against floor coldness.

FO

Resistance to hydrocarbons

FOOTWEAR CLASSIFICATION

DEPENDING ON THE MATERIAL

  •  Class I: Footwear manufactured with leather or other materials, excluding all-rubber and all-polymeric footwear
  •  Class II: All-rubber footwear (vulcanised) or all-polymeric (injected or moulded)

DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION

  •  Safety Footwear: Footwear equipped with a cap resistant to an impact of 200J and compression of  15 KN. Standard UNE-EN ISO 20345:2011
  •  Protective Footwear: Footwear equipped with a cap resistant to an impact of 100J and compression of 10 KN. Standard UNE-EN ISO 20346:2014
  •  Work footwear: Footwear that does not guarantee protection against impact or compression on the front part of the foot, even though it has other safety elements. Standard UNE-EN ISO 20347:2012

DEPENDING ON THE HEIGHT

  • Shoe: A <12,1 cm
  • Short Boot: B >12,1 cm
  • Half-leg Boot: C >19,2 cm
  • High Boot:: D >30,0 cm
  • Extra-long Boot: E >30,0 cm

*Note: boot E will be Boot D + an extension

DEPENDING ON ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE

Meaning their resistance to an electrical current that passes through them, so we will have:

  •          Conductive Footwear: Electrical resistance lower than 0,1MOhm. By having negligible resistance it will be more suited for jobs in which the production of electrostatic sparks is critical, like environments with explosives, ones that are highly inflammable, fireworks, etc.
  •          Antistatic Footwear: Electrical resistance between 0,1 and 1.000MOhm. It is the most common. Dissipates static sparks in the workplace.
  •          ESD Footwear.: This is antistatic footwear but with less resistance than normal. According to standard UNE-EN 61340-5-1:2016, the earth resistance must be less than 35 Ohms to be used in a complementary way with other equipment within the Electro-static Protection Areas (EPA). These working conditions can be found in the manufacture of electronic circuits in which the static electricity may cause defects to the circuits. The floors, clothing, tools, tables, machinery, atmosphere, etc. in these areas are also ESD. The ESD equipment has a black and yellow identification icon.
  •          Insulating Footwear: Offers electrical resistance greater than 1.000MOhms. Protects the user from discharges from elements charged with static electricity.