by Anastasia Pagoulatou – Sales Advisor | STOP AEBE
Boots or shoes? Leather or rubber? SB or S3? There are so many different properties that we could read on a safety shoe label, that are displayed as symbols and are usually ignored by the users. Do we know what to choose and what kind of protection fits our needs?
The Risk
Existing risks may differ from one workplace to another. Some are obvious and easy to acknowledge and others are well hidden. Such risks may be:
• Wet surface
• Hot and cold conditions
• Slippery surface
• Electricity
• Cut and punctures
• Falling objects
• Molten Metal Splashes
Many of the risks mentioned above, could occur autonomously or simultaneously. It is necessary to recognize their existence and try to prevent possible incidents as they could cause an irreversible injury or even be fatal.
EU Norms
The safety features of footwear are tested according to EN ISO 20344:2011. The performance specifications are given in an associated set of personal protective equipment (PPE) standards:
• EN ISO 20345:2011 for safety footwear
• EN ISO 20346:2014 for protective footwear
• EN ISO 20347:2012 for occupational footwear
In this article, we will only refer to safety footwear, which are divided to the following categories:
• Class I: All footwear made from leather or other material (excluding rubber and polymeric)
• Class II: All footwear made from rubber or polymeric material
The term safety footwear may refer to a low shoe, an ankle boot, a half-knee boot, a knee-height boot, or a thigh boot. The European norm (EN ISO 20345:2011) defines the minimum requirements that at least the footwear must meet to be considered as safety footwear.
There are also some additional features that a safety footwear may have. In order to be easier to mark a safety footwear, there is also a categorization with the most widely used combinations of basic and additional requirements, as it is displayed below:
| Category | Basic Requirements | Additional Requirements |
| SB | For class I or II | – |
| S1 | For class I | – Closed seat region – Antistatic properties – Energy absorption of seat region – Resistance to fuel oil |
| S2 | For class I | S1 + Water penetration and absorption |
| S3 | For class I | S2 + Penetration resistance Cleated outsole |
| S4 | For class II | – Closed seat region – Antistatic Properties – Energy Absorption of seat region – Resistance to fuel oil |
| S5 | For class II | S4 + Penetration resistance Cleated outsole |
| SBH | Hybrid footwear |
When it comes to slip resistance, there are 2 test methods that are specified. Footwear resistant to slip on a ceramic tile floor with NaLS are marked as SRA, while footwear resistant on a steel floor with glycerin are marked as SRB. If footwear passes both tests, it is marked as SRC.
A safety footwear is marked with the number of the EU norm (EN ISO 20345:2011), the symbol appropriate to the protection provided (SB to S5) and some other information such as size, manufacturer’s identification mark, manufacturer’s type designation, year and at least quarter of manufacture. If there are any other additional symbols such as Ci or Fo etc., the manufacturer shall provide evidence to support the claim and an explanation in the user notice.
Choosing the right PPE
The first thing to consider, would be to analyze the risks that the user may face in the workplace. Some good questions for a start, would be:
• Is the work environment indoor or outdoor?
• Are there any specific conditions like heat, cold, dirty floors, type of terrain?
• Which are the risks that the wearer is exposed to?
• How often could the user face the risks?
• Does the user have any specific demands?
• Are there any medical issues that the user is facing?
We should take into consideration that safety always comes in combination with comfort. The user will not wear his PPE, although he may understand its necessity, if it is not ergonomically designed and comfortable. Every person is different and so are their demands regarding the selection of the proper shoe. Needless to mention, the final user would be obliged to wear the specific footwear for 8-10 hours, so we should be careful when it comes to selection and always hear what the final user has to say.
Confirm the fit and proper use
We should always advise and educate the end users for issues such as proper use and care instructions. Although this article refers to shoes, we should not forget that a safety shoe has multiple specifications, which are meant to protect, in case of an incident. To achieve that, we must follow the user instruction manual by means of caring, storage, ageing etc. The user instruction manual may differ from one manufacturer to another, so every time we buy a new safety footwear, we should spend some time to read it. In terms of comfort, it is mandatory to take the feedback that the end user has to give. Listen to him carefully, try to be in his shoes and understand his needs. Transfer the information given to your footwear supplier and try to find the best solution. Your coworkers will be happy, protected and you will win their trust.
How to make your coworkers understand the need
First thing to do is to educate your coworkers often and gradually create a health and safety mentality. When supervising, try to have an advisory role than a punishing one. Organize safety events and try to make it look like more as a ceremony and less than a lesson. For example, many companies organize some Health & Safety days or even weeks that many events take place. If there is a consistent refusal, demonstrate some bad injuries that may occur due to the lack of safety culture. Ask your partners to participate and share their perspective. Giving examples of good practices on the field, usually helps the user to understand and see that there is always place for improvement.
Stay safe and remember, safety shoes are easier to replace than feet.
Bibliography
https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/manufactfoot.htm
https://www.hsmemagazine.com/article/the-origin-of-safety-shoes/