EN 20345:2011 - Personal protective equipment - Safety footwear

(EN 20345:2011 supersedes EN 20345:2007.)

This international standard details basic and additional (i.e., optional) requirements for general-purpose safety footwear (e.g., mechanical risks, slip resistance, thermal risks, and ergonomic design) and for footwear designed for specific professions and worksite conditions (e.g. footwear for firefighters, electrical insulating footwear, protection against chainsaw injuries, protection against chemicals and molten metal splash, protection for motorcyclists).

Safety footwear that complies with EN 20345 is fitted with toecaps to ensure protection against impact when tested at an energy level of at least 200 J and against compression when tested at a compression load of at least 15 kN. 

Footwear is classified according to the following classes:

• Class I: footwear made from leather and other materials, excluding all-rubber and all-polymeric footwear (S1, S2, and S3)
• Class II: all-rubber (i.e. entirely vulcanised), all-polymeric (manufactured in one piece), and hybrid (S4, S5, and SBH = polymeric footwear with another material that extends the upper) footwear

Marking categories for safety shoes:

Category Class Additional requirements
SB I or II Basic requirements for shoes and impact resistance of toecaps; toe protection against a 200 Joule impact.
SB-P   Same features as the SB rating withg the addition of the midsole penetration protection this can be a stainless steel insert in the sole, aluminum insert in the sole or by kevlar insole.
S1 I With protective toecap, closed heels, antistatic properties, energy absorption in heel region, fuel oil-resistant. Use in dry working conditions.
S1-P   Same as S1 plus penetration resistance
S2 I Same as S1 plus water penetration and water absorption (waterproof shaft up to 60 minutes). Use in humid/wet working conditions.
S3 I Same as S2 plus penetration resistance and cleated outsole.
S4 II Boots with protective toecap, antistatic properties, energy adsorption in heel region and liquid-tight.
S5 II Same as S4 plus penetration resistance and cleated outsole.
SBH II Same as S4 or S5

 

Additional requirements:

Symbol Requirement related to Description additional safety requirements
P Whole footwear Penetration resistance
C   Conductive footwear
A   Antistatic footwear
I   Electrically insulating footwear
HI   Heat insulation of sole complex (footwear with soles resistant to hot environmental conditions)
CI   Cold insulation of sole complex (footwear with
E   Energy absorption of seat region
WR   Water resistance
M   Metatarsal protection (requirement related only to safety and protective footwear)
AN   Ankle protection
CR   Cut resistance
WRU Upper Water penetration and water absorption
HRO Outsole Resistance to hot contact
FO   Resistance to fuel oil

 

Requirements for slip-resistant footwear (e.g., resistance to slips, trips and falls): 

Symbol Description additional safety requirements
SRA Slip resistance on ceramic tile flooring with NaLS solution (sodium lauryl sulfate)
SRB Slip resistance on steel flooring with glycerin
SRC Slip resistance on ceramic tile flooring with NaLS and steel flooring with glycerin