EN ISO 20346:2022 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 20346:2022 - Personal protective equipment - Protective footwear (ISO 20346:2021) defines basic and additional (optional) requirements for general-purpose protective footwear. Adopted by CEN from ISO 20346:2021, this standard sets out construction, performance and testing topics relevant to mechanical risks, slip resistance, thermal risks and ergonomic behaviour. It also covers protective footwear with customized insocks and individually manufactured customised footwear. Note: the standard excludes high‑visibility properties and directs special risk scenarios to complementary job‑related standards.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard addresses the full life‑cycle of protective footwear design and assessment, including:

• Classification and designs - scope of application and footwear types for general protection.
• Whole footwear requirements - constructional performance, leak‑proofness, ergonomic features and toe protection.
• Slip resistance - criteria and test guidance for preventing falls due to slipping.
• Materials and components:
  • Upper: thickness, tear strength, tensile properties, flexing resistance, water‑vapour permeability, resistance to hydrolysis.
  • Lining and tongue: tear strength, abrasion resistance, breathability.
  • Insole/insock/footbed: thickness, water permeability, absorption/desorption, abrasion resistance; includes customized insocks.
  • Outsole: design, abrasion resistance, tear strength, flexing resistance, hydrolysis resistance and interlayer bond strength.
• Additional whole‑footwear requirements - perforation resistance and electrical properties among others.
• Marking, manufacturer’s instructions and conformity requirements (alignment with PPE Regulation considerations are included via Annex ZA).

The document’s table of contents lists many specific test and performance areas (e.g., seam strength, flexing, abrasion), providing a comprehensive framework for specification and verification without prescribing application‑specific extreme hazards.

Applications and who uses it

EN ISO 20346:2022 is primarily used by:

• Footwear manufacturers and designers to specify and validate general‑purpose protective shoes and boots.
• Product compliance and testing laboratories for developing test plans and certifying conformity.
• Procurement and safety managers selecting PPE for workplaces where general mechanical, slip or thermal risks exist.
• Regulatory and conformity bodies applying the standard as a means of presumption of conformity within EU PPE requirements.

Typical sectors: construction, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and other industrial workplaces requiring reliable general protective footwear.

Related standards

• Complementary job‑related standards are recommended for special hazards: footwear for firefighters, electrical insulating footwear, chainsaw protection, protection against chemicals and molten metal splash, and motorcycle rider protection. These specialized standards should be used alongside EN ISO 20346:2022 when specific risks are present.

Keywords: EN ISO 20346:2022, protective footwear, PPE, slip resistance, toe protection, ergonomic behaviour, customized insock, footwear standards.