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Safety footwear certified to EN ISO 20345
Safety footwear certified to EN ISO 20345
EN ISO 20345:2022 is the current version of the safety footwear standard, replacing the 2011 version. If you buy safety footwear for your team, or wear it yourself, here is what you need to know.
Under the old standard, slip resistance was an optional add-on marked SRA, SRB or SRC. Under the 2022 version it is a basic requirement that every certified boot has to pass, so those three markings were removed altogether and there is no longer an SRC marking to look for. A boot marked SR has passed an additional, tougher test on ceramic tile with glycerine. If your PPE policy currently demands SRC, update it: specify the performance class (S1P, S3 and so on) and add SR if you want the enhanced slip test, because new footwear cannot carry the SRC marking at all.
Every EN ISO 20345-certified boot carries one primary class. Higher numbers mean more protection requirements stacked on top.
Safety Basic
Minimum protection: steel or composite toe-cap, 200 joule impact resistance.
SB + antistatic + closed heel
Adds antistatic properties and energy-absorbing heel seat. For most indoor industrial use.
S1 + penetration-resistant midsole
Full puncture protection from nails and sharp objects underfoot. Most common specification.
S1 + water-resistant upper
Water-resistant upper, not full waterproof, but handles light wet conditions.
S2 + penetration-resistant midsole
The most common all-round boot specification: antistatic, water-resistant, fully puncture-proof. Default choice for construction, utilities, and outdoor work.
S3, non-metallic midsole (4.5mm nail)
S3 protection where the penetration-resistant midsole is a textile or composite insert rather than a steel plate, tested against a 4.5mm nail. Nothing to do with lacing.
S3, non-metallic midsole (3.0mm nail)
The same non-metallic insert tested against a thinner 3.0mm nail, which is the harder of the two tests. The highest level of midsole protection in the standard.
Polymer upper, antistatic
Fully moulded (rubber or PU) upper, fully waterproof by construction. Ideal for wet environments, food production, agriculture.
S4 + penetration-resistant midsole
Full waterproof upper with midsole puncture resistance. The wellington boot specification.
S2 + whole-boot water resistance
New in the 2022 version. Everything S2 gives you, with the whole boot tested for water resistance rather than the upper alone.
S3 + whole-boot water resistance
New in the 2022 version. Everything S3 gives you, plus the whole-boot water resistance test. The class to look for if S3 boots let water in over a long wet shift. Metatarsal protection is a separate marking, M.
These appear alongside the primary class in the product name, e.g. "S3 ESD HRO SR". Each adds a specific protection requirement.
An optional extra test on ceramic tile with glycerine, above the slip resistance every certified boot must now pass as standard. This marking replaced SRA, SRB and SRC.
Protects the bones on top of the foot as well as the toes. Specified on some quarry, heavy plant and foundry sites.
Limits charge build-up. Required for electronics manufacturing, data centres, cleanrooms.
Outsole withstands contact with surfaces up to 300°C for 60 seconds. Metalworking, foundry, welding.
Insulates the foot from heat conducted through the sole. Used alongside HRO in hot environments.
Insulates against cold floors (-17°C). Cold stores, outdoor winter work.
The whole boot is tested for water resistance, not just the upper. This is the test behind the S6 and S7 classes, and it can also appear on its own.
The upper resists water penetration and absorption. This is the requirement built into S2, S3, S6 and S7.
Provides lateral ankle support, relevant for uneven terrain and manual handling roles.
Outsole geometry designed to grip ladder rungs. New in the 2022 version, and specified for work at height.
The rubber overlay on the toe survived 8,000 abrasion cycles without wearing through. New in the 2022 version, and a real durability signal for kneeling work.
Outsole resists fuel and oil. Optional since the 2022 version, where it used to be automatic on S1 to S3, so check for it rather than assuming it.
Upper resists cutting by chainsaws or similar. Forestry, groundswork.
Warehouse, logistics, manufacturing
Puncture protection is the core requirement, and slip resistance is now built into every certified boot. S1P is the most widely specified class in UK warehousing.
Construction and groundworks
Water-resistant upper and puncture midsole are required. S3 is the de-facto site standard across the UK construction industry.
Agriculture and outdoor work
Full waterproof construction (S5) for very wet conditions; S3 boots for drier outdoor work, or S7 where the whole boot needs to resist water.
Electronics, cleanrooms, data centres
ESD rating is essential. Many cleanroom specifications also require non-marking soles.
Metal, foundry, welding
Heat-resistant outsole and heat-insulating midsole protect against hot surfaces and metal splash.
Cold stores, food production
Cold insulation (CI) protects against prolonged contact with cold floors. S5 for wet cold-store environments.
Office-based, site managers, facilities
Full protection in a lighter, smarter silhouette. Composite toe-caps avoid the metal detector at airport and secure-site security.
Is footwear certified to the old standard still legal to wear?
Yes. Certificates against the 2011 version were still being issued into late 2024 and run for five years, so footwear marked EN ISO 20345:2011 is legitimately on sale and legitimately in use for some time yet. You do not need to replace anything early. When you next buy, buying to the 2022 version keeps your PPE policy simple.
How do I tell which standard a product is certified to?
The CE / UKCA marking on the boot and the product documentation state the standard it was tested to, either EN ISO 20345:2011 or EN ISO 20345:2022. A quick shortcut: if you see SRA, SRB or SRC on the boot it was certified to the older version, because those markings no longer exist. If you are unsure, contact us and we can confirm.
Does steel toe-cap or composite toe-cap matter for the standard?
Both achieve the same 200J impact and 15kN compression test requirement. The material is a practical choice: composite is lighter, non-metallic (no airport/security issues), and better at insulating against heat and cold. Steel toe-caps are generally cheaper and have a longer track record in heavy industry.
My PPE policy specifies SRC, does that still apply under the new standard?
No, and it is worth updating. SRA, SRB and SRC were removed in the 2022 version, so footwear certified to the current standard cannot carry the SRC marking at all. Specify the performance class instead (S1P, S3 and so on), which now includes slip resistance as a basic requirement, and add SR if you want the tougher optional slip test on top.
What is the difference between S3, S3L and S3S?
The letter describes the penetration-resistant midsole, not the style of the boot. Plain S3 uses a steel plate. S3L uses a non-metallic insert tested against a 4.5mm nail, and S3S uses a non-metallic insert tested against a thinner 3.0mm nail, which is the harder test. All three satisfy a policy that asks for S3, and the non-metallic versions are lighter and do not conduct heat or cold.
Each safety footwear style states its own rating on its product page, and that page is the reference for what the style is certified to. We also carry accessories such as socks, insoles, laces and boot care, which are not certified footwear. Use the filters to narrow by protection class.
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