Regulations and categories of safety shoes

Safety footwear must comply with basic requirements regulated by specific standards, designed to ensure the safety of the worker.

There are four European standards:

• EN ISO 20344:2011 defines the general requirements and the methodology for carrying out tests on footwear designed as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
• EN ISO 20345:2011 specifies the basic and optional requirements for safety footwear. Shoes compliant with this standard are identified by the letter “S” (Safety), with toe cap resistance of 200 Joules.
• EN ISO 20346:2014 describes the requirements for protective footwear equipped with a toe cap resistant up to 100 Joules, classified by the letter “P” (Protective).
• EN ISO 20347:2012 defines the requirements for footwear not exposed to mechanical risks (impact and compression). Shoes compliant with this standard are classified by the letter "O" (Occupational) and are designed without a protective toe cap and anti-perforation plate.

Minimum safety requirements

The basic requirements that work footwear must meet are classified as follows:

In addition to the minimum requirements, the various models of work footwear may have additional features, as shown in the following table, which brings together the basic and supplementary requirements.

Beta safety footwear meets the different usage needs that vary according to the work sector (plumbing, electrical, mechanical, agricultural, etc.). To be sure of choosing the correct footwear, you can consult the list that groups the complete range and the requirements of each individual model.

N.B. All footwear certified under the old standard remains valid until the certificate expires.