BETA Safety shoes Basic shoe nose steel BE7243PL/39

General information - Protective and work shoes.

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO STANDARDS AND MARKINGS

Protective footwear is designed to protect feet and legs from external factors that may cause mechanical damage, chemical, burns, or from the effects of heat, cold, and moisture.

Footwear most often protects against several types of hazards simultaneously. The degree of protection mainly depends on the materials used for their manufacture, the construction of the footwear, and any additional elements such as: toe caps, puncture-resistant insoles, metatarsal protection, ankle protection.

Footwear without protective features, intended only for use in the workplace due to technological, sanitary, hygienic requirements, or the need to protect employees' own footwear from damage or dirt, is not considered personal protective equipment, but only as work footwear.

Division of protective footwear

Applicable standards divide protective footwear according to various criteria.

In terms of construction the following types of footwear can be distinguished:

• low shoes
• ankle boots
• boots
• knee boots
• boots with extended uppers

In terms of level of hazards, against which the footwear should protect, a division has been standardized into:

• Safety footwear (S - "safety") - has protective features including toe protection with toe caps, whose strength is tested at an impact energy of 200 J.

The requirements for safety footwear are specified by PN-EN ISO 20345.

• Protective footwear (P - "protective") - has protective features including toe protection with toe caps, whose strength is tested at an impact energy of 100 J.

The requirements for protective footwear are specified by PN-EN ISO 20346.

• Occupational footwear (O- "occupational") - has protective features intended to protect against injuries that may occur during accidents in workplaces.

It is intended for daily use where toe protection with toe caps is not required.

The requirements for occupational footwear are specified by PN-EN ISO 20347. Such footwear is often referred to as work footwear.

Marking of protective footwear

Each pair of footwear should be marked in a clear and durable manner by stamping or embossing the appropriate symbols. Protective footwear should be supplied with an instruction manual in Polish, containing information about its protective properties, adjustment, use, maintenance, and storage.

The marking of footwear should include:

• size,
• brand mark,
• manufacturer's designation,
• production date - quarter and year,
• country of manufacturer,
• number of the relevant standard (EN 345, EN 346, EN 347),
• marking with the symbol of the appropriate protective category according to the tables below,
• marking with additional symbols depending on the presence of additional protective properties according to the tables below.

To facilitate marking, footwear categories with the most commonly used combination of requirements have been distinguished: