Complete overview of EN ISO 20345
Before exploring different types of protective footwear, it is important to understand the standards governing occupational footwear classification. The EN ISO 20344 standard defines general requirements and test methods for protective footwear, which is then classified according to EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20346, and EN ISO 20347 standards.
SHOES COMPLIANT WITH EN ISO 20345 ARE MARKED WITH THE LETTER “S” (SAFETY)
Safety footwear (S-SAFETY) offers protective features including toe protection using steel or composite toe caps tested for impact energy of 200J and compression force of 15KN. Requirements for safety footwear are defined by PN-EN ISO 20345 and PN-EN ISO 20345:2012 standards.
Depending on basic requirements, footwear can be divided into levels: SB, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5. Additional optional features are marked with specific abbreviations explained below.
SHOES COMPLIANT WITH EN ISO 20346 ARE MARKED WITH THE LETTER “P” (PROTECTIVE)
Protective footwear (P-PROTECTIVE) provides protective features including toe protection with toe caps tested for impact energy of 100J and compression force of 10KN. Protective footwear requirements are defined by PN-EN ISO 20346 and PN-EN ISO 20346:2014-08 standards.
SHOES COMPLIANT WITH EN ISO 20347 ARE MARKED WITH THE LETTER “O” (OCCUPATIONAL)
Occupational footwear (O-OCCUPATIONAL) provides protective features designed to prevent injuries that may occur during workplace accidents. They are intended for everyday use where toe protection using toe caps is not required. Occupational footwear requirements are specified in PN-EN ISO 20347 and PN-EN ISO 20347:2012 standards.
TYPES OF FOOTWEAR DEFINED IN THE EN ISO 20347 STANDARD INCLUDE:
OB – Basic properties, energy absorption in the heel area.
O1 – Basic properties with a closed heel, resistance to hydrocarbons and diesel, anti-static properties of the sole, and energy absorption in the heel area.
O1P – Like O1 with additional penetration-resistant sole (1100N).
O2 – Like O1 with water impermeability.
O3 – Like O2 with sole penetration resistance and additional tread pattern.
O4 – Basic properties, anti-static properties, and energy absorption in the heel area.
O5 – Like O4 with sole penetration resistance and tread pattern.
