Safety Footwear Standards

You use them for probably 8 hours a day so what you wear on your feet really matters. Getting the right footwear will make life safer and easier. Wearing the wrong footwear can distract you with the pain or make you prematurely tired which has direct implications on safety and efficiency. Saving a few pounds by buying safety boots and shoes is frankly bonkers.  Employers are legally responsible for providing the correct footwear so get it right. Not only will your employees thank you for it and feel more valued, the boss should also be impressed with lower accident figures due to fatigue and better productivity.

EN345 / EN ISO 20345:2007

The safety footwear standard is referred as EN345, EN ISO 20345:2004, and EN ISO 20345:2007. All footwear designed before 2004 and still manufactured up to today carries EN ISO 20345:2004. However, there have been a lot of material and design improvements in the last 8 years so make sure that footwear carrying this standard is up to the mark. EN ISO 20345:2007 is the latest standard for footwear designed or retested after 2007 and this standard sets out minimum requirements that safety footwear must be successfully tested against.

The standard specifies all safety footwear must have toe protection. All Safety Footwear in this standard is at least SB which means it has toe protection against a 200 Joule impact.

Please note that there is another standard, EN346 which requires protective footwear to withstand a minimum impact of 100 Joules but we will not be dealing with this here as the majority of safety footwear being sold is EN345 compliant.

In addition to this there are different protective features for footwear that are represented by a combination of letters.

Rating Features:

SB 
SB-P P
S1 A + FO + E
S1-P A + FO + E + P
S2 A + FO + E + WRU
S3 A + FO + E + WRU + P
S4 A + FO + E + Waterproof
S5 A + FO + E + P + Waterproof
 


Toe protection (SB):

Toe protection must withstand a 200 joule impact. A joule is the unit of energy and this standard is very specific. A heavy weight falling from a low height could have a lot less energy than a lighter weight falling from a much higher height. As well as impacts the toe area must withstand a resting mass of well over one metric Tonne.

It is important to note that the protection does not have to be steel. In fact, alternative non-metallic protection, sometimes referred to as composite or even aluminium can be equally as strong but lighter. Lighter boots can be significantly more forgiving on your lower back over long periods of time.

The rating SB indicates that the safety footwear has a minimum 200 joule toe protection, it can have additional features but it is the most basic and essential for safety footwear.

SB-P:

SB-P has the same features as the SB rating with the addition of the midsole penetration protection.

S1:

S1 in addition to the 200 joule toe cap, is classed as antistatic footwear and the sole is also resistant to fuel oil and has energy absorption in the heel area.

S1-P:

S1-P has the same features as the S1 rating with the addition of the midsole penetration protection.

S2:

S2 in addition to the 200 joule toe cap, is classed as antistatic footwear and the sole is also resistant to fuel oil and has energy absorption in the heel area. It also has a water resistant upper.

S3:

S3 has the same features as the S2 rating with the addition of the midsole penetration protection.

S4:

S4 in addition to the 200 joule toe cap, is classed as antistatic footwear and the sole is also resistant to fuel oil and has energy absorption in the heel area.

S5:

S5 has the same features as the S4 rating with the addition of the midsole penetration protection.

All safety footwear can have more features than are listed above but these are the minimum requirements to meet each of the safety ratings. So you could have a S1 CI or S1 HI. We have listed the main ratings above. There are more but these are the most common.

Key Description:

Antistatic protection (A):

Clothing, seating materials, and climate factors can cause a build up a static charge of electricity in the body. Some materials in footwear can over insulate the body causing the charge to be held. When you then touch something the charge can rush from your body quickly causing a spark and a small uncomfortable shock. Antistatic footwear will significantly reduce this effect but does not offer full protection for exposure to electronics and explosives work. You will need Electro-Static protection, often referred to as ESD, for this.

Electro-Static Discharge (ESD):

ESD footwear is designed for the electronics, gas and explosives industry and has to meet ESD CEI EN61340-5-1 standard. This footwear has a significantly lower resistance and allows the current to pass to earth more easily. Please note however that there are other factors that need to be taken into account when kitting out your personnel working in such industries. What other clothing are they wearing in order for the charge to earth through the footwear and, as odd as this may sound, we have anecdotal evidence that suggests that ‘larger’ personnel wearing ESD footwear can sometimes fail an overall earthing test.

Midsole penetration protection (P) - SB-P, S1-P, S3, S5:

Sharp objects where we walk and stand are significant risk not only in the workplace but also outdoors and at home. Midsole protection will guard against nails and other objects. To meet this standard the footwear must be able to resist a penetration force of 1100 Newtons.
Midsole protection is provided by using one of several methods:

Stainless steel or Aluminium insert in the sole.

Kevlar / Lenzi  or other flexible fabric insole.

The Aluminium and fabric solutions are the most flexible and lightest and cover the greatest area of the foot and the fabric insoles also offer much higher thermal insulation.

Insulation against heat (HI):

Insulation against heat: tested for 30 minutes at 150°C.

Insulation against cold (CI):

Insulation against cold: tested for 30 minutes at 1 -20°C.

Energy Absorption (E):

Energy Absorption in the heel region.

Heat Resistant (HRO):

Heat resistant Outsole: To resist 300°C for 60 seconds.

Resistance to fuel oil of outsole (FO):

Water Resistant Upper (WRU):

Water resistant upper, not used on all rubber or polymeric footwear.

Metatarsal (M):

Safety boots or shoes with metatarsal protection.

Cut Resistance (CR):

Safety shoes or boots with cut resistance.

Non-metallic footwear:

Safety footwear containing no metal parts are ideal for workplaces with metal detectors like airports eliminating the hassle of removing them and remember, lighter boots can be significantly more forgiving on your lower back.

There are several other classifications which need to be considered such as:-

BS4676:2005 for use in molten metal environments.

EN13832-2 (&) 3: 2006 Footwear protection against chemicals.

EN15090: 2006 Footwear protection for fire-fighters.

EN ISO 17249:2004 Safety footwear for use with chainsaws.

EN5321:2000 Electrically insulating footwear for working on low voltage installations.

BS7971-5:2004 Footwear protection for use in violent or training situations.

Notes:
CEN/ISO TR 18690:2006 Guidance for the selection use and maintenance of safety, protective and occupational footwear.

For information on how the various performance levels and classifications are assessed and their relevance to practical situations, contact:

HSL-Personal Safety Unit in Buxton on: 01298 218329.

New for October- A new and well developed range of Rock Fall Safety Footwear

At Granite this month we are extending our safety footwear collection to include the addition of a new range of Rock Fall Safety boots.

This range of lightweight safety footwear, all with composite toe caps and midsoles, is perfect for working on rail projects, civils and quarrying. Keep your feet safe and put less stress on your lower back – you will be a lot fresher at the end of a hard day.

The Rock Fall ‘Flint'

Now in stock is the Rock Fall ‘Flint’, with a lightweight composite toecap and anti-penetration protective midsole. For just £42.95, the ‘Flint’ provides excellent value for money – this water resistant safety boot is ideal for walking on ballast with its shock absorbing footbed making it the perfect footwear for the rail industry and ground works.

The Rock Fall ‘Titanium’

Later throughout this month you will be able to order the ‘Titanium’ and ‘Alaska’ Rock Fall safety footwear. The ‘Titanium’ safety boot is waterproof and features R-Ten abrasion resistant stitching thread and a lightweight composite toe cap and midsole. Perfect for the rail industry, utilities, civils, quarries and highways, this product is priced at just £59.95.

The Rock Fall 'Alaska'

The lightweight ‘Alaska’ Rock Fall safety boot has a temperature operating range of between –40°c to +300°c, as well as featuring Thinsulate© B600 thermal lining and a slip resistant rubber sole. Only £59.95 these boots are perfect for when the temperatures really drop.

For the use in the most demanding conditions, Rock Fall safety footwear will endure the toughest of situations, to view our full product collection visit Granite Workwear online or get in touch by calling us on 0115 964 0111.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE is defined as “Personal protective equipment”  which would include ‘all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety’ e g safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing and safety footwear.

The main requirement of the PPE at Work Regulations is that personal protective equipment is to be supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways.

Here are some potential hazards and ways to protect yourself against possible harm.

The hazards and types of PPE:

Eyes

Hazards: chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation.
Options: safety spectacles, goggles, face shields, visitors.
Our Solution: Safety Glasses, shields and visors

Head

Hazards: impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair entanglement.
Options: a range of helmets and bump caps.
Our Solution: Safety Helmets, headsets and chinstraps

Breathing

Hazards: dust, vapour, gas, oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
Options: disposable filtering face piece or respirator, half- or full-face respirators, air-fed helmets, breathing apparatus.
Our solution: Facemasks and respirators

Protecting the body

Hazards: temperature extremes, adverse weather, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, impact or penetration, contaminated dust, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing.
Options: conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, specialist protective clothing, eg chain-mail aprons, high-visibility clothing.
Our solutions: Flame retardant overalls, shirts, vests, pants, socks, sweat shirts and jackets

Hands and arms

Hazards: abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, skin infection, disease or contamination.
Options: gloves, gauntlets, mitts, wrist cuffs, armlets.
Our Solution:  WeldersGauntlet, rigger gloves, high vis, gripper gloves, Nitrile gloves, foam gloves,chemical gloves and safety gloves

Feet and legs

Hazards: wet, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and punctures, falling objects, metal and chemical splash, abrasion.
Options: safety boots and shoes with protective toe caps and penetration-resistant mid-sole, gaiters, leggings, spats.
Our solutions:  Safety boot, shoes, trainers toe caps and wellingtons

Choosing your Safety Footwear

Often people are unhappy with wearing Safety Footwear because they have a perception of inadequate comfort, little cushioning abilities or high and weight.

Granite Workwear have a large range of different types of Safety Footwear for every eventuality and we believe that you will be able to find comfortable and practical footwear that will serve you well and keep you safe.

There are three levels of protection in footwear depending on the risk.

1) Occupational footwear (EN ISO 20347) doesn’t need a toe cap; there are no requirements for any impact and compression tests.
2) Protective footwear (EN ISO 20346) is equipped with a toe cap and has to pass impact and compression tests of the toe region when tested with the lower loads. Impact protection of 100 Joules is mandatory.
3) Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345) is equipped with a toe cap and has to pass impact and compression tests of the toe region with higher loads. Impact protection of 200 Joules is mandatory.

There are special standards required for Chainsaw Protection EN ISO 17249.

In buying your safety footwear, you might deal with making a choice between a shoe and a boot. But no matter which type of safety footwear you plan to buy and irrespective of the amount of money you are willing to spend, the most important factor in choosing your safety footwear, is the manner in which your feet fits inside them. Unlike ordinary footwear they should last for a long time and you will be wearing them for lengthy periods. Therefore you have to choose what you think is the best and most comfortable pair for you.

The problem with safety shoes is that they are harder and they may seem inflexible unlike ordinary leather shoes. This is generally overcome with the use of a flexible midsole as opposed to a steel midsole. So some people tend to buy safety shoes that are a little oversized to give more room for the feet. Oversized shoes can cause injuries like sprains and even bone fractures. You may find the need to wear a pair of thick socks to ensure the best comfort.
It is generally good advice to pay a little more for a pair of good quality safety boots / shoes. Generally worn for at least eight hours a day a pair of uncomfortable or inflexible safety boots can cause excessive tiredness which in itself leads to accidents.

Also ensure that the footwear is maintained in a good condition a regular application of Chelsea leather food available from our website is recommended.

Chainsaw Boots from Arbortec

Granite Workwear has recently added a range of Arbortec® forestwear chainsaw protective boots. These boots have been designed to incorporate a number of technical and comfort features, that we believe make them an outstanding addition to our range.

They are designed to exceed CE standards in Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 giving a full range of protection.

The range includes the brand new Lightning boot that importantly gives Class 2 protection all round the boot even at the back; this boot is especially good for heavy duty use but is also extremely comfortable thereby reducing fatigue which is important to improve safe working. This also comes in X Large sizes 13, 14 and 15.

Also in the range are the Aquafell® Xpert™, Hydrofell®, Fellsman® Xpert™, Fellsman® Basic and the Challenger™ which is a Class 3 Wellington boot.

The Fellsman® Basic is particularly aimed at the more casual user with a very competitive price but does not compromise safety still giving full Class 1 protection.

Chainsaw Protection Standards

The EN ISO Standard 17249:2004 is specifically designed for Forestry Footwear and tests for three levels of protection:

Class 1 - the footwear has to withstand a chainsaw blade moving at 20 metres per second.
Class 2 - the footwear can withstand a blade moving at 24 metres per second.
Class 3 - the footwear can withstand a blade moving at 28 metres per second.

This protection can be afforded in a number of ways; obviously if the boot has a steel toecap then this gives a very good protection in that particular area. On the rest of the boot there is normally a padding inside made up of multiple layers of synthetic fibres that when the blade touches them causes snagging that clogs the blade and stops it. In a number of the boots in the Arbortec® range these are made of polyester.

In the Aquafell® Xpert™ and the Fellsman® Xpert™ the clogging system is the use of six layers of Kevlar® fibre which has a very high strength and is often used in body armour.
Comfort and Safety

Comfort is a very important part of a quality boot as they are worn for long periods of time and often in less than ideal weather conditions. If the boots are not comfortable then fatigue will happen quickly and this then causes loss of concentration which significantly increases the risk of accidents.

The Arbortec® range has shock absorbing properties built in and the soles have an anti-twist steel insert so that there is less danger of damage to the foot. Apart from the Challenger™ which is made from rubber the range has breathable properties and in most cases moisture absorbance to reduce the build up of sweat. For ease of use they all have speed lacing systems and padded collars.

The soles all feature specially designed tread patterns to reduce the risk of slipping and all the leather boots have a specially defined heel to fit spikes.

All the boots have steel toecaps and conform to the EN ISO 20345:2004 standard for Safety Footwear.

We at Granite believe that these boots are of exceptional standard and worthy of inclusion in our Forestry range in line with our philosophy that we offer the best products that we can find for use by professionals who are discerning in their choice of equipment.

Safety Footwear

It makes commonsense to wear protective footwear wherever there is danger and in fact in a workplace it is often mandatory. Damage to your feet can have a major effect on your life and may in fact cripple you.

Common Injuries

There are a number of common injuries that can occur:

Injuries	Common Causes
Crushed or broken feet, amputation of toes or feet	Feet trapped between objects or caught in a crack, falls of heavy objects, moving vehicles (lift trucks, bulldozers, etc.), working with large animals, conveyor belts (feet drawn between belt and roller)
Punctures of the sole of the foot	Loose nails, sharp metal or glass objects
Cuts or severed feet or toes, lacerations	Chain saws, rotary mowers, unguarded machinery
Burns	Molten metal splashes, chemical splashes, contact with fire, flammable or explosive atmospheres
Electric shocks	Static electricity, contact with sources of electricity
Sprained or twisted ankles, fractured or broken bones because of slips, trips or falls	Slippery floors, littered walkways, incorrect footwear, poor lighting

Types of Safety Footwear

The most common type is the safety boot or shoe, fitted with a steel toecap and possibly a steel midsole. These are used for construction or agricultural work, and may also be needed for those involved in maintenance or manual handling. They usually have slip resistant soles, which may be resistant to oils or other chemicals.

Other footwear for specialist applications includes Wellington boots, chain saw boots, foundry boots (for molten metal resistance), anti-static footwear (which reduces the danger from igniting flammable atmospheres and gives some protection from electric shock) and conductive footwear (particularly suitable for handling static-sensitive devices, but giving no protection against electric shock).

However there are a number of products available that give protection against crushing of the toes and penetration of the midsole, but make use of composites so that they are totally non-metallic. For example see the Granite range under Non Metallic Safety on the website.

Standards

Safety footwear should comply with EN 345 Footwear with anti-static or slip resistant properties should conform to EN 347.

EN 345: Specifications on Safety Shoes for Professional Use

This standard defines the basic and additional (optional) requirements on safety shoes for professional use.

These shoes include devices to protect the user against injuries caused by accidents liable to occur in the industrial environment for which the shoe has been designed, fitted with safety toe-cap intended to deliver a protection against impacts with an energy level equal to 200 joules. This means the steel toe-cap will withstand the impact of 20kg in weight falling from a height of 10.2 metres. The protection standard in protective footwear also relates to compression corresponding to approximately 1.5 tonnes resting on the toe area. Safety Footwear is often generally referred to as EN345 but the full reference is: BS EN ISO 20345:2004

Class 1: All materials except natural or synthetic polymers

S1: Basic properties and closed back, anti-static properties, heel energy absorption
S2: All S1 characteristics plus waterproof
S3: All S2 characteristics and anti-puncture sole, studded sole
Class 2: Natural and synthetic polymers

S4 Basic properties and anti-static properties, heel energy absorption
S5 All S4 characteristics and anti-puncture sole, studded sole

Selection

The choice of safety footwear should first be made on the basis of the protection required, but comfort is a significant issue and should not be ignored. The most important factor in choosing your safety shoes or boots is how your feet fit inside them. Your safety footwear unlike ordinary shoes, should last for a long time and therefore you have to choose what you think is the best and most comfortable pair for you.

Unlike ordinary footwear that can adjust to the form of your feet over time, safety shoes do not easily and conveniently mould into the unique shape of your feet. So you need to set aside ample time in choosing your footwear before making the purchase. It is also a good practice to try the shoes wearing the socks that you will use in daily life. If you found a pair that you think fits, try walking around in it. If they still feel comfortable after leaving the shoes on for a few minutes, then you may have found your perfect safety shoes.

Resist the urge to buy bigger safety shoes, the problem with safety shoes is that they are harder and they seem inflexible unlike ordinary leather shoes. So some people tend to buy safety shoes that are a little oversized to give more room for the feet. Oversized shoes can cause injuries like sprains and even bone fractures. If your safety shoes are oversized, try wearing thick socks to compensate for too much space inside your shoes.

A choice of makes and styles may have to be offered to ensure that appropriate footwear is always worn when needed. Boots, not shoes, must be worn where ankle protection is needed.

Care should be taken in the choice of anti-static and conductive footwear; both give protection against the hazard of static electricity and anti-static footwear also gives some protection against electric shock. However conductive footwear provides no protection against electric shock and must not be used where this is a risk.

Maintenance

Footwear should be checked for wear or damage and replaced if necessary; certainly if the footwear has been in an impact situation then the integrity of the toecap may have been damaged.

At Granite Workwear we are fully conscious of the requirements for safety footwear and we stock products for all types of risk. We are distributors for a number of well known brands; Haix, Fortec, Dickies, Goliath and Muck Boots. If you have any questions on the best product for your needs then please contact us.