However, not all jobs have the same needs and conditions. That is why footwear must be adapted to the possible situations and risks that may arise from them.

The new European standard governing the requirements for safety footwear is the UNE EN ISO 23045:22. The modifications that this new standard entails compared to the previous one will be detailed below.

Requirements for safety footwear

The essential requirements for safety footwear are designed to protect the worker's feet against the weather and possible blows or impacts that they may suffer due to the nature of their work activity. That is why the requirements for this type of footwear to date have been as follows:

• Comfort, height and ergonomics of the boot or shoe.
• Resistance and non-toxicity of the materials used.
• Toe cap with an impact resistance of 200 joules and a compression of 15 kilonewtons.
• Corrosion resistance of steel ferrules and analysis of the reaction of plastic ferrules to heat and chemicals.

New requirements

The new ISO 20345 standard adds another basic requirement to the requirements mentioned in the previous section: slip resistance. Currently, it is necessary for footwear to pass a test on a ceramic tile with soap. According to previous regulations, this procedure was marked as SRA, now, as it is compulsory for all safety footwear, it will no longer be necessary to mention it. The nomenclature referring to slip resistance on steel tile with glycerine (SRB) and SRC also disappears.

Furthermore, additional requirements are incorporated such as toe wear abrasion (SC) to determine whether it is functional or aesthetic. Similarly, the heel height for ladder grip (LG) is implemented.

With regard to puncture resistance, a differentiation is made between metal (P) and textile (S) insoles. The hydrocarbon resistance test, compulsory in the previous regulation, becomes optional. Finally, water resistance (WR) will no longer be compulsory for all footwear. It will only be compulsory for S6 and S7.

In addition, it is important to purchase this type of ISO 20345 safety footwear from specialised companies. This ensures that the boots and shoes have undergone all the necessary tests to obtain the appropriate certifications. This ensures compliance with regulations and employee safety.