Your safety is our priority!
We are committed every day to using our expertise and know-how to ensure your protection, in compliance with the strictest standards.
We are convinced that adhering to these standards and using appropriate protective equipment are essential to ensuring the safety of every worker.
Beyond the simple distinctions between work and safety footwear, the associated standards and markings play a crucial role in guaranteeing optimal protection.
The applicable standards
First and foremost, it is essential to understand the distinction between work footwear and safety footwear. This difference, though subtle, is crucial for ensuring effective protection in the workplace.
The determining factor is the presence of a protective toe cap. Regular work footwear, used for comfort and durability, lacks this feature. In contrast, safety footwear is specifically designed with a protective toe cap to ensure foot safety, in compliance with the EN ISO 20345 standard.
The standards and markings associated with safety footwear go beyond a simple distinction between work and safety shoes. They also categorize safety footwear into different classes, suited to specific levels of protection for various environments and occupational hazards.
These standards further classify safety footwear into different categories, each addressing specific protection levels, tailored to diverse environments and professional risks.
International and national safety footwear standards
In the ever-evolving field of workplace safety, the standards defining personal protective equipment, including safety footwear, are of paramount importance. We manufacture two types of footwear:
Safety footwear: EN ISO 20345 standard
Among these standards, EN ISO 20345 is fundamental. Its 2022 update marked a significant turning point, introducing notable changes compared to the previous 2011 standard.
All safety footwear placed on the European market must comply with the EN ISO 20345 standard to ensure conformity with European safety requirements. They are identifiable by the "S" marking (S1, S2, S3, etc.).
95% of the footwear we produce are safety shoes, equipped with a 200 J protective toe cap that shields the front of the foot against impact and crushing risks. Therefore, it is mainly the 20345 standard that governs our safety footwear.
Work footwear: EN ISO 20347 standard
Non-toe-capped work footwear, meeting the requirements of the EN 20347 standard, offers several levels of protection similar to those of safety footwear under the EN 20345 standard.
The different types of protection
To choose the right safety footwear, it's important to consider your work environment (indoor or outdoor), specific conditions (temperature, dry or slippery floors, etc.), and also know how to read the safety shoe markings to understand their level of protection.
Additional requirements
To help you better understand the distinctions, here is a brief summary of the main markings we will encounter:
Antistatic footwear
Shock absorption at heel
Fuel oil-resistant outsole
Water resistant
Water penetration and absorption (upper)
Ankle protection
Metatarsal protection
Insulation against cold
Insulation against heat
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Outsole resistance to hot contact
Cut resistance
Ladder grip
Scuff cap abrasion resistance
SB: the basic standards
The basic safety shoe, marked "SB", serves as the foundational model to meet European market safety requirements for the workplace. To be marked "SB", safety shoes must:
- Have a protective toe cap: with resistance to a 200-joule impact and a load of 1500 daN.
- Be composed of an upper: resistant to abrasion, tearing, twisting, and compliant with chemical and permeability tests. The upper must also adhere well to the sole.
- Have an insole: resistant to abrasion and meeting chemical standards.
- Have an outsole: that meets the requirements for slip resistance on tiled floors and sodium lauryl sulfate (NaLS) solution.
The different levels of protection
These markings indicate protection levels beyond the basic SB requirements.
S1 shoes incorporate antistatic properties (A), energy absorption in the heel (E), hydrocarbon resistance (Fo), and a closed back. S1P shoes, in addition, have a puncture-resistant sole (P) for complete protection.
Safety shoes marked S2 provide additional resistance of the upper to water penetration and absorption.
This feature is identified as Wru (Water Resistant Upper) under the older standard, and as Wpa (Water Penetration and Absorption) in the updated version of the standard.
S3 shoes are much more comprehensive.
They feature the characteristics of S2-marked shoes but also offer: a puncture-resistant sole (P) and a sole with a minimum tread depth of 2.5 mm, providing complete protection in outdoor and wet environments.
S4 and S5 safety boots are classified between Class I and Class II. The first class offers footwear made from leather and other materials, while the second features all-polymer or rubber footwear.
These are generally essential safety boots for professions such as agriculture, construction, or other demanding industries and work environments.
To allow for clearer identification of fully waterproof shoes, the new standard introduces two new markings: S6 and S7.
S6 refers to a safety shoe that possesses all the characteristics of the S2 class, with the added WR (Water Resistant) feature. This means the shoe is water-resistant but does not include a puncture-resistant sole.
S7 corresponds to a safety shoe that incorporates the features of the S3 class, along with the WR property. Thus, this shoe offers both a puncture-resistant sole and complete water resistance.
Compliance guarantee: assurance that all products meet the strictest safety standards.
To ensure the compliance and quality of our safety footwear, Lemaitre Sécurité has its own in-house laboratory where we conduct tests.
In addition, every new Lemaitre Sécurité model is systematically sent to the Technical Leather Center of Lyon (CTC) for testing and certification.
This guarantees that the product meets the required standards and, most importantly, ensures your safety!
Safety footwear protections
But your safety doesn't stop there!
While complying with current standards is essential, so is the quality of the protective elements in our safety footwear.
This is why we carefully select the protective toe caps and anti-puncture inserts to ensure your protection.
Protective toe caps
The toe caps we use are certified according to European standards and regularly tested in our own measurement and testing laboratory.
They protect you against impacts of 200 joules, equivalent to a 20 kg object falling from a height of one meter, and against crushing forces of up to 1500 kg.
We use four types of protective toe caps in the design of our products, depending on their composition:
+ Aluminum toe caps, thin and very lightweight
+ Stainless steel toe caps, thin and relatively wide to ensure comfort of movement
+ Polycarbonate toe caps, offering high thermal resistance, lightweight, and non-magnetic
+ Composite fiber toe caps, also non-magnetic and insulating against heat and cold
Puncture-resistant insert
We do everything possible to ensure the safety of your feet.
The use of puncture-resistant inserts protects you when walking on sharp objects or nails at a worksite.
The ISO 20345 standard determines the necessary resistance level to protect you from mechanical puncture risks.
A puncture-resistant insert must withstand a static force of 1100 Newtons, equivalent to the force exerted by an 80 kg person stepping on a truncated head nail with a diameter of 4.5 mm (for shoes marked P or PL) or 3 mm (for shoes marked PS).
Two types of inserts are used for personal protective equipment:
+ High-tenacity composite textile inserts: Known for their thermal insulation, they are flexible and lightweight. Non-metallic, they are non-magnetic and cover 100% of the foot’s surface since they are stitched during the assembly of the upper.
+ Stainless steel inserts: More resistant but less flexible.
At Lemaitre, your safety is our top priority. We are committed to providing high-quality safety footwear that meets the strictest standards, ensuring your protection in all work environments.