Comprehensive guide to safety footwear standards: protection and compliance

Occupational safety is a top priority in many sectors. Safety footwear conforming to EN 20345 plays an indispensable role in protecting employees against various occupational hazards. These risks include falling objects, impacts and crushes, penetration, corrosive liquids, slipping hazards, water and high temperatures.

This guide aims to detail these standards and characteristics, and to advise employees in choosing the right safety shoes for their working environment.

Recognised at European level, EN 20345 was first established in 2004 and has been regularly updated since then. Defined by strict criteria for safety footwear, it ensures optimal protection in a range of working environments. This standard was created to harmonise safety standards within the European Union, thus ensuring uniform protection for all employees.

This standard is not to be confused with two other existing standards on the market:

• EN 20346 defines the requirements for protective footwear: these shoes offer a lower degree of protection than EN 20345 with an impact resistance of 100 joules compared with 200 for EN 20345.
• EN 20347 defines the requirements for occupational footwear: these shoes do not need impact protection but do require other types of protection, such as a non-slip or anti-static sole (which reduces or prevents static electricity).

These different standards allow precise selection according to the specific needs of each occupational environment.

These standards, including EN 20345, are essential in standardising the quality and reliability of personal protective equipment. By setting uniform standards for safety footwear, they play a crucial role in preventing accidents at work, contributing to a safer working environment. Compliance with these standards is a key element in ensuring the protection and safety of employees in various industrial sectors.

• Uniformity and reliability: Standards guarantee consistent quality in protective equipment, providing a solid foundation of trust for users.
• Safety compliance: Employees benefit from products that meet strict standards, allowing them to focus on their tasks with a reduced risk of accident caused by inadequate protection.
• Trust and security: This assurance is crucial to the safety of individuals and makes a positive contribution to the reputation of companies that prioritise a safe working environment for their employees.

EN 20345 sets out precise requirements to ensure optimum protection from safety footwear. The essential criteria of EN 20345 are as follows:

• The protective toe cap: The standard requires each shoe to be equipped with a protective toe cap that can withstand both impact and compression, defining sufficient residual space inside the shoe. In terms of impacts, the cap is designed to withstand an impact of 200 joules. This is equivalent to an object weighing 20 kg falling from a height of 1 metre. The cap must also be able to withstand significant compression, specifically up to 15 kilonewtons (kN). This is equivalent to the pressure of a mass of about 1.5 tonnes. This specification is fundamental to providing increased safety in situations where feet could be exposed to heavy loads or high pressures, a situation common in sectors such as construction and industrial workshops.
• The other constituent elements of the shoe are also subjected to tests. In particular, the top part of the shoe — the upper — is tested for abrasion resistance, tearing, flexion and even chemical content. The same applies to the insole and the outsole. For the latter, the new version of the 20345:2022 standard now incorporates additional protection with a specific test for slip resistance. Other tests focus on ergonomics and comfort, incorporating these fundamental criteria. The ultimate aim is always to achieve the best possible protection for the user.
• The additional requirements of standard 20345: Depending on the specific needs of each profession, the standard includes many additional requirements such as penetration resistance, heat protection, cold protection, water resistance, electrical conductivity and energy absorption at the heel. All these elements aim to prevent and reduce the risk of injury.

These requirements ensure that safety footwear certified in accordance with EN 20345 offers comprehensive protection that is suitable for a wide range of professional situations.

Footwear conforming to EN 20345 is classified into several categories, each adapted to specific requirements.

Each category is distinguished by unique symbols and marks, indicating the type of protection provided.

This classification makes it easier to choose a safety shoe that is perfectly adapted to the protection needs of each working environment.

Understanding the different categories of safety footwear is essential to choosing the appropriate footwear for different working environments.

Each category offers specific levels of protection, adapted to the various risks encountered in the professional environment.
Below is a detailed overview that describes the requirements and recommended working environments for each category. It will help employees to make an informed choice based on their use.

In addition to the standard categories S1, S2 and S3, EN ISO 20345 also includes the specific categories S4 and S5. They correspond to an advanced range of safety footwear made entirely of rubber and polymer, making them completely waterproof.

EN 20345 was updated in 2022, with two new protection categories added:

The revision of EN ISO 20345 in 2022 saw the number of additional requirements expand, reflecting advances and changing needs in occupational safety. The following table provides an up-to-date overview of these new requirements, as well as changes to the existing criteria, to keep abreast of the latest developments in safety footwear.

The correct choice of safety footwear is essential to ensure adequate protection in a variety of professional environments. Each working environment presents specific risks, requiring careful selection of footwear according to the appropriate standards and marks.

In France, the regulation of PPE — including safety footwear — is governed by the Labour Code. Employers are therefore obliged to provide PPE adapted to the occupational risks of their employees and to ensure its effective use. For safety footwear, EN ISO 20345 is often used as a reference to demonstrate compliance with safety requirements.

At EU level, Directive 89/686/EEC has been replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/425. It establishes the general requirements for the design and manufacture of PPE. In accordance with this regulation, all PPE must bear the CE mark. This indicates its compliance with European standards and guarantees an optimal level of protection.

These technological advances make Heckel a key player in the safety footwear industry, where innovation goes hand in hand with exceptional safety and comfort: