EN ISO 20345:2022 – WHAT'S NEW?
The safety footwear standard EN ISO 20345:2011 has been updated to the new standard EN ISO 20345:2022. The standard change will take place during a transition period over the next few years, which means that there will be products on the market that are certified according to both the new and the old standard. Safety footwear certified according to EN ISO 20345:2011 will gradually receive new certificates.
1. NEW PROTECTION CLASSES
Two new protection classes have been added, S6 and S7. Footwear certified to these protection classes must be waterproof. Subclasses for protection classes have also been added; you can read more about this under the heading ‘Nail penetration protection’ below.
2. NAIL PENETRATION PROTECTION
In the previous standard, all nail penetration protection was marked with a P, and the test was carried out using a nail with a diameter of 4.5 mm. In the new standard EN ISO 20345:2022, the testing differs in that there are more subdivisions. If the shoe is tested with soft nail protection, it will be marked with an S (3 mm) or L (4.5 mm) depending on which nail it was tested against. If the shoe has metallic nail protection, it will only be marked in protection class S1, in which case it will be marked S1P.
3. SLIP RESISTANCE
The marking of slip resistance in 20345:2011 was done according to SRA, SRB and SRC. According to the new standard, there will no longer be any marking of slip resistance as this is a basic requirement. The test is similar to the previous SRA, a slip test with soap solution on ceramic tiles. However, it is possible to perform an additional test, which is then done on ceramic tiles with glycerine. This test is marked with the symbol SR. If a slip test cannot be performed on a shoe, for example shoes with studs, these should be marked with Ø.
4. WATERPROOFING AND WATER RESISTANCE
In 20345:2011, the water resistance of the upper material was marked with WRU. In the new standard EN ISO 20345:22, the water resistance of the upper material is marked with WPA. Water resistance is designated with WR, but this marking is currently mandatory in protection classes S6 and S7.
5. NEW ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES
FO (oil resistance) was previously a basic requirement, but in the EN ISO 20345:2022 version it is now an additional requirement.
SC (abrasion protection) external abrasion resistance on the toe.
LG (ladder grip) grip on ladders.
It is not mandatory to test for additional properties.
For a shoe to be classified as safety footwear, it must be certified according to a specific standard. The standard includes various protection classes, such as S1 and S3, which represent different levels of protection. Within these protection classes, there are a number of different protective properties for which the shoes can be certified. Some of the properties are requirements for the protection class, while others are optional to ensure that the shoe meets a level of protection that is not a requirement for the protection class. Examples of this are ESD and CI, which are not included as requirements in any protection class but are important properties in certain work environments.
