When choosing the correct safety shoes, it is important to take account of environmental factors, your work activities, comfort and personal requirements, such as the width of your foot, the height of the instep and so on.
In this article, we will examine the most important considerations when choosing safety shoes.
Work shoes or safety shoes?
When choosing between safety shoes and work shoes, it’s all about the extent of protection that you need in the workplace.
- Safety shoes: Have a reinforced toecap to protect your toes from falling objects. Are designed according to strict standards to protect against specific risks, such as falling objects. A safety shoe can protect you against electrical and chemical hazards but it is not mandatory.
- Work shoes: No reinforced toecap or strict safety specifications. Offer general protection.
1. Choose the model on the basis of working conditions and preferences
Safety shoes are essential for protection on the work floor but choosing the right model can make a huge difference in comfort and functionality.
- Low model: Flexible, light and perfect for tasks which require squatting or kneeling. More freedom of movement and ventilation, especially on hot days.
- High model: Offers sturdiness and support around the ankles and heel, which provides extra stability and protection. More effective at repelling dirt and resistant to cold temperatures.
- Sandal model: Light, well-ventilated and ideal for warmer environments. Offers adequate protection for less hazardous tasks.
- Boots: Offer extensive protection and support, principally in dirty and wet environments. Ideal for cold weather and offer stability around ankles and heels.
2. Protects against the appropriate risks
As a first step, analyse your working environment and review the specific hazards in your workplace. You can identify the risks by drafting a risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E).
Please note! You usually need protection against more than one risk simultaneously.
Read this blog article: EN 20345:2022 – a summary of the most important updates
Below, you can see the different risks you may encounter. Your answer to these questions will affect your shoe selection:
- Protection against falling objects (toecap): Is there a risk of falling objects? Then you need safety shoes with a reinforced toecap. This can be made of composite, steel, aluminium, kevlar or fibreglass. Shoes with reinforced toecaps can be identified via markings such as S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 and S7.
- Composite toecaps: Offer great protection compared to steel, but are more lightweight, making them comfortable for long periods. Also offer good insulation.
- Steel toecaps: Offer excellent protection against impact and compression but are somewhat heavier than other materials and this can affect comfort if worn for long periods. You can also have perforated steel toecaps with holes on the top; this makes them lighter and more breathable.
- Aluminium toecaps: Offer the same protection as steel but they are lighter and this increases comfort.
- Kevlar toecaps: Extremely strong and offer excellent protection against impact and cuts while also being extremely light, making them comfortable to wear and ideal for situations where protection against cuts and stabs is required.
- Fibreglass toecaps: Robust and durable, offer great protection against impact while being relatively light.
- Protection against sharp objects (sole): Do you face the risk of standing on sharp objects (which could pierce the sole)? Then choose shoes with a steel or kevlar anti-perforation sole. These are shoes of the type S1P, S3, S5 and S7.
- Steel soles offer excellent protection against sharp objects and are robust and durable. The disadvantage is that they are heavier and less flexible than Kevlar, and this can lead to tiredness if worn for long periods.
- Kevlar soles are lighter and more flexible than steel but offer great protection against sharp objects. The disadvantage is that they are more expensive than steel soles.
- Working indoors or outdoors: Do you work indoors or outdoors? This is important for the materials used for the shoe and whether it is waterproof or ventilated. For outdoor work, waterproof shoes (WR or WPA) are vital but breathable materials are often preferable for indoor work.
- Protection against slips: Is there a risk of slipping? Then choose a shoe with anti-slip properties. Designed to prevent slips on smooth surfaces and ideal for damp working environments. You can identify these by the letters SRA, SRB or SRC.
- SRA: Resistant to slipping due to test of heel and sole on a smooth, tiled floor with cleaning fluid
- SRB: Resistant to slipping due to test of heel and sole on a metal floor with oil
- SRC: The shoe must fulfil the requirement for SRA and SRB
- Contact with chemicals: Do you come into contact with chemicals? And, if so, which ones? Choose safety shoes that are resistant against the specific chemicals that you use at work.
- Protection against heat or cold: Do the shoes have to protect you from extreme heat or cold? Wear shoes that are lined or insulated and offer protection against extreme temperatures.
- Working with molten metals: Do you work with molten metals? Wear shoes with a specific walking sole, such as VIBRAM, which offers protection against molten metal.
- Working on your knees (over-toe): Do you often work on your knees? Choose shoes with an over-toe for extra protection when kneeling.
- Protection against electrical risks: Do you work in an environment where there are electrical risks (conductive)? Then choose electrostatic dissipative (ESD) shoes. These prevent electrostatic discharge, which is vital for working with sensitive electronics.
- Working in a clean-room (ESD): When working in a clean-room, you must also choose ESD shoes, as they are designed to minimise contamination.
- Autoclave: Do you need washable shoes? Then choose shoes that are resistant to the high temperatures and cleaning products used in an autoclave.
Specific features
Safety shoes may have different, specific features that are chosen based on tests and identified with letters. These tests are not mandatory for every type of shoe. A letter may be added to indicate a shoe’s specific feature.
For example:
An S1 shoe with a perforation resistant sole is S1P. Perforation resistance is not a requirement for an S1 shoe; that is why the P has been added.
An S3 shoe, by contrast, always contains a perforation-resistant sole because this is a requirement for S3. That is why a letter P will never be added.
Below, you can see the different, specific features that a shoe can have, based on the risks, environment, etc., as described above:
- P: Perforation resistance metal anti-perforation sole
- PS: Non-metal anti-perforation soles tested with a thin nail (Perforation Small)
- PL: Non-metal anti-perforation soles tested with a thick nail (Perforation Large)
- C: Conductive footwear
- A: Anti-static footwear
- HI: Heat insulation of the sole
- CI: Cold insulation of the sole
- M: Metatarsal protection
- AN: Ankle protection
- FO: Resistance of the sole to oils (hydrocarbon resistant)
- E: Energy absorption in the heel zone (damping)
- CR: cut resistance
- WR: Waterproof footwear
- WPA: Upper section of work shoes is waterproof (water penetration and water absorption)
- HRO: Resistant to heat contact to max. 300°C for 60 seconds
- SRA: Resistant to slipping due to test of heel and sole on a smooth, tiled floor with cleaning fluid
- SRB: Resistant to slipping due to test of heel and sole on a metal floor with oil
- SRC: The shoe must fulfil the requirement for SRA and SRB
- SR: Slip test with glycerine on a ceramic surface with both forward heel slip and backward slip of the forefoot
- LG: Ladder grip
- SC: Evidence that over-toe ensures that the toe wears out less quickly (Scuff Cap)
Different combinations of an outsole
An outsole may be single, double or triple layered, and as such, may contain various combinations of materials. When different materials are indicated for an outsole, (e.g. PU/Nitrile), the material that is named first is the one that lies nearest to the foot. The last-mentioned is on the outside of the sole, i.e. this is the material that is in contact with the environment.
The combination is frequently used to create shoes that are as comfortable (and light-weight) as possible, yet provide a certain degree of protection (e.g. high temperatures, wear, etc.).
- Rubber (neoprene or nitrile): High density and weight, high temperature and chemical resistance, good mechanical resistance.
- PU: Liquid injected plastic in varying densities. Flexible, non-slip, but with limited chemical and heat resistance.
- TPU: TPU has the same properties as PU, but with improved wear resistance.
A summary of the different combinations of outsoles and when they should be used:
- PU/PU (Polyurethane/Polyurethane): PU/PU-outsoles are tough, shock-absorbing, oil and acid resistant and also offer good grip on various surfaces. With a softer mid-layer for damping and a harder mid-layer for stability, these soles are lightweight and offer a great deal of comfort.
- PU/TPU (Polyurethane/Thermoplastic Polyurethane): This combination offers the damping and flexibility of a PU combined with the sustainability and hard-wearing characteristics of TPU. PU/TPU outsoles offer good grip and stability on both dry and wet surfaces. They are suitable for different working environments, including outdoor areas and situations where greater protection against wear and tear is required. They also do not leave dark stripes on the surfaces and are resistant to heat up to 110 degrees.
- PU/NITRILE: A PU/Nitrile sole offers excellent shock-absorption, is hard-wearing, and offers superlative resistance to oils, fats and chemicals. Suitable for heavier work and resistant to heat up to 300 degrees for short periods.
- Rubber/NITRILE: This combination offers maximum resistance to oils, fats, chemicals and heat. Rubber/NITRILE soles are very robust, can cope with wear and tear, and offer excellent grip on various surfaces, making them ideal for use in extreme working environments.
When choosing your outsole, bear in mind your specific working conditions as discussed above.
3. Choose the best fit
Safety shoes are available in various models, such as high, low, sandal and boot. Shoes that fit well offer the best protection and prevent foot issues in the long term. Always try different sizes to find the best fit. The right fit is not just a question of length but also of width. Some brands offer footwear in various widths while others supply different insoles.
Some safety shoes also offer fitting options for improved comfort, including adjustable closures, removable insoles or wider sizes. Consider these options if you need extra comfort and support.
4. Choose your own comfort and preferences
Always choose comfortable safety shoes. Note the properties such as flexibility, damping and grip, as these contribute towards comfort. Soft linings and an ergonomic design can significantly improve wearer comfort. When selecting the inner lining, there are various options, including textile, leather, wool, nylon, PVC or synthetic material. The right type of lining depends on the working conditions and personal preferences. The shoe's closure is also important. This could involve Velcro, laces, zips, instep-styles, or the innovative BOA closure system. Find out which options suit your needs and work.
Also read: What is the BOA lacing system and how does it compare to ordinary laces?
5. Sustainability and life-span of safety shoes
The most sustainable shoes are those that last the longest. Circular shoes are not yet available. There are brands which offer shoes with a material passport or shoes which have components made of recycled materials. These are great initiatives but, in the end, the most sustainable shoes are the shoes that last the longest. So, choose safety shoes made of top quality materials which will withstand wear and tear and regular use.
Don't forget to check the condition of Safety shoes (for wear and tear) regularly, maintain them and, if necessary, replace them to guarantee optimum protection. Make sure that they are also cleaned adequately and dried properly.
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