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Close-up of industrial protective safety footwear

Foot ProtectionTECHNICAL PPE LIBRARY

EN ISO 20345

Safety Footwear Standard

EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024 covers basic and additional/optional protective properties of general-purpose safety footwear; complementary standards may be required for special risks.

Product type

General-purpose safety footwear

Field focus

Code + product + conditions of use

TECHNICAL PRODUCT IDENTITY

EN ISO 20345

EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024Standard & edition

SB / S1…S7Protection class

P / PL / PSPenetration resistance

WPA / WRWater performance

Always verify the actual product label, manufacturer technical documentation and conformity markings.

Purpose

EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024 covers basic and additional/optional protective properties of general-purpose safety footwear; complementary standards may be required for special risks.

Typical use

Industrial, construction, warehouse and maintenance work with foot hazards.

What to look for?

Check the EN ISO 20345 edition, SB/S class, P/PL/PS penetration code and task-required additional properties such as SR, WPA, WR, HRO and FO.

CLASSES & SELECTION LOGIC

Technical classes in this standard

A class code is not a selection decision by itself. Interpret it together with task-specific risk assessment and manufacturer data.

Basic class

Basic requirements including protective toe-cap performance; higher S categories add properties.

S1 / S1P / S1PL / S1PS

S1 family

S1 core additional properties with optional P/PL/PS penetration-resistance variants.

S2 — Close-up of industrial protective safety footwear

S2

Adds upper water penetration/absorption (WPA) requirements to S1 properties.

S3 / S3L / S3S

S3 family

Builds on S2 with penetration resistance and cleated outsole; S3/S3L/S3S reflect P/PL/PS type.

S4 / S5…

All-rubber/polymeric

S4/S5 family covers all-rubber or all-polymeric footwear; S5 variants include penetration resistance.

Water-resistant S2

S2 properties plus WR whole-footwear water resistance.

S7 / S7L / S7S

Water-resistant S3 family

S3/S3L/S3S structure plus WR whole-footwear water resistance.

READ THE PRODUCT LABEL

Code & marking decoder

EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024Standard & editionCurrent published European/BSI edition.

SB / S1…S7Protection classCategory combination of basic and additional properties.

P / PL / PSPenetration resistanceP denotes metallic insert; PL and PS distinguish non-metallic inserts tested with different nail sizes.

WPA / WRWater performanceWPA covers upper water penetration/absorption; WR covers whole-footwear water resistance.

SRAdditional slipOptional additional slip-performance marking beyond the basic requirement.

FO / HRO / CI / HI / SC / LGAdditional propertiesDeclared additional properties such as fuel/oil resistance, hot outsole, cold/heat insulation, scuff cap and ladder grip.

READ THE PRODUCT IN THE FIELD

Where is the standard marking found?

Location varies by manufacturer and design. These are the first places to check; final verification must use the actual product and manufacturer documentation.

Standard/edition and S-category label on footwear tongue

The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.

Size and additional-property markings on inner lining / upper

The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.

P/PL/PS, SR, WPA/WR and other performance codes on box and manufacturer datasheet

The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.

STANDARD FAMILY

Standards often reviewed together

EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024

Current reference for general-purpose safety footwear with protective toe cap

EN ISO 20346

Protective footwear family has different performance requirements

EN ISO 20347

Occupational footwear is not the same as safety footwear

COMMONLY CONFUSED

They are not the same thing

S7 ≠ suitable for every special hazard

A high S category does not automatically cover special chemical, electrical, molten-metal or firefighting hazards.

WRONG-SELECTION EXAMPLE

A typical field mistake

Assuming a higher S-category such as S3/S7 is automatically suitable for hot surfaces or chemical exposure.

Why is this a problem?

Special hazards may require additional performance markings or a separate/complementary standard and product solution.

Better approach

Verify the S category together with task-specific hazards, P/PL/PS and required additional markings such as SR/WPA/WR/HRO/FO.

WHERE IN THE FIELD?

Typical applications

Construction

Petrochemical

Warehouse

Manufacturing

Maintenance

Logistics

HSE FIELD CHECK

30-second field check

Use for quick pre-checks. It does not replace certification, competent inspection or task-specific risk assessment.

CHECK FOCUS

Any damage to toe protection, upper or stitching?

CRITICAL MISTAKE

Assuming a higher S-category such as S3/S7 is automatically suitable for hot surfaces or chemical exposure.

BETTER APPROACH

Verify the S category together with task-specific hazards, P/PL/PS and required additional markings such as SR/WPA/WR/HRO/FO.

Any damage to toe protection, upper or stitching?

Is the outsole excessively worn, delaminated or punctured?

Are the S category and, where needed, P/PL/PS type suitable for the task?

Are required additional codes such as SR/WPA/WR/HRO/FO actually marked on the product?

Are size, fastening and fit secure?

RELATED SERNEM RESOURCES

Next step for EN ISO 20345

PPE master guide →

Connect selection, use, maintenance and field checks.

Related toolbox talk →

Open field training directly related to General-purpose safety footwear.

Build a risk assessment →

Assess PPE needs together with hazards and control measures.