PRACTICAL GUIDE

A practical risk assessment for choosing the right safety shoe

Start with the workplace, not the shoe
Choosing the right safety shoe doesn’t start with a shoe type, a safety standard or a classification. It starts with the workplace. And with the risks that occur there every day.

If you are responsible for safety footwear within your organisation, you know that no two work environments are the same. That’s why there is no single standard answer to the question of which safety shoe is required.

To determine which safety shoe best fits your organisation, it is (legally) required to carry out a risk assessment. By asking the right questions for each (potential) risk, it becomes clear which protection is needed and which safety shoe matches that.

In the risk assessment, we refer to European safety standards (such as S1P, S2, S3) and classifications (such as SR, FO, WR and ESD). These are based on the latest ISO standard: EN ISO 20345:2022.
 

Question 1: is protection against impact and sharp objects required?

Every risk assessment for safety footwear starts with this question: is there a risk of impact, crushing or penetration by sharp objects to the foot?
Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there a risk of objects falling onto the foot?
• Could the foot get trapped between materials or vehicles?
• Is there a risk of the foot being run over?
• Are there sharp objects on the floor, such as nails, metal fragments or glass?

Is the answer to one or more of these questions yes? Then the shoe must protect the foot against impact and penetration.

 
What does this mean for the shoe?

• If there is a risk of falling objects or crushing, a protective toe cap is required.   This means a safety shoe with an S safety standard is necessary.
• Are sharp objects present on the floor as well? Then penetration protection is required. Depending on the situation, this can be metal penetration protection (P) or PS: non-metallic protection (tested at the highest level, using smaller, sharper nails).
  • In work environments where people kneel, crawl or work in confined spaces, shoes are subjected to extra wear. In that case, an additional classification such as a wear-resistant toe cap, also known as a Scuff Cap (SC), is a logical consideration.

 
Which safety shoes match this?

The combination of impact and penetration protection often leads to:

• S1P or S1PS – for dry workplaces with sharp objects
• S3 or S3S – for heavier conditions, often combined with moisture

Which option is most suitable depends on the answers to the next questions.
 

Want to explore the different safety shoes already? Visit  emmasafetyfootwear.com and click on “collection” to see an overview of all safety standards.

Question 2: how safe is the surface?

Many workplace accidents are not caused by falling objects, but by slipping. That’s why it’s important to clearly assess the surface of your work environment.
Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the floor slippery or can it become slippery?
• Are water, oil, grease or other liquids present on the floor?
• Is work carried out on slopes, loading bays or ladders?
    

What does this mean for the shoe?

• If there is a risk of slipping, slip resistance is an essential classification. Shoes with high slip resistance (SR) provide proven grip on slippery surfaces.
• If work is regularly carried out on ladders, extra stability is important. In that case, ladder grip (LG) is a logical additional classification.
   

Which safety shoes match this?

Slip resistance and ladder grip are additional classifications. They are always combined with the safety standard that fits your work. In practice, this often means:

• Safety shoes with SR, regardless of the S safety standard
• Additional LG when regularly working on ladders or at height

TOP 3 SHOES FOR THIS CLASSIFICATION

Connect Sport DISC O2	E-BOUNCE S1PS White-lime	CrossForce Fly high

Question 3: are you working in damp, wet or extreme conditions?

Not every wet work environment requires the same level of protection. It’s important to distinguish between occasional moisture and working in consistently wet conditions.
Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the shoe occasionally come into contact with moisture or splashing water?
• Is work carried out for long periods in rain, wet grass or puddles?
• Is work done on hot or cold surfaces?
   

What does this mean for the shoe?

• For occasional moisture, a water-repellent upper is often sufficient. This prevents the shoe from becoming soaked too quickly.
• In consistently wet conditions, this is not enough. Fully waterproof footwear (WR) is required to keep feet dry.
• Temperature also plays a role. Hot surfaces require a heat-resistant outsole (HRO) or heat insulation (HI). Cold surfaces require cold insulation (CI).
   

Which safety shoes match this?

• S2 – for damp indoor environments without penetration risk
• S3 / S3S – for outdoor work and changing conditions
• Additional classifications such as WR, HRO, HI or CI depending on the situation

TOP 3 SHOES FOR THESE STANDARDS AND CLASSIFICATION

Roy (S2)	CrossForce Flex high (S3S)	Primus (S3, HRO, Hi, Ci, WR)

Question 4: do oil, fuel or chemicals play a role?

In many industrial environments, floors are contaminated with oil, fuel or other substances.
Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there a risk of oil or fuel spills?
• Is work carried out in an industrial or chemical environment?
   

What does this mean for the shoe?

• In these situations, an oil- and fuel-resistant outsole (FO) is important. This prevents material degradation and helps maintain grip on contaminated floors.
   

Which safety shoes match this?

FO is an additional classification that is combined with the previously selected protection and safety standard.

TOP 3 SHOES FOR THIS CLASSIFICATION

Nestor (S3,FO)	Billy (S3,FO)	Pluvius (S3,FO,HRO, Hi, Ci, WR)

Question 5: are there requirements for electrical properties?

In some work environments, electrostatic discharge plays a role.
Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is work carried out with sensitive electronics?
• Are there requirements to prevent electrostatic discharge?
       

What does this mean for the shoe?

• In many situations, antistatic footwear (A) is sufficient. This dissipates static electricity and mainly prevents shocks for the wearer.
• If you work in ESD-sensitive environments, such as clean rooms or assembly areas, ESD-certified footwear is required. This dissipates static electricity in a controlled and much faster way, protecting both the wearer and sensitive equipment.

Which safety shoes match this?

• Safety shoes with A for general applications
• ESD shoes for specific electronic environments

TOP 3 SHOES FOR THESE CLASSIFICATIONS

Ringo (S2,Antistatisch)	E-BOUNCE S1PS DISC Black-orange (S1PS, ESD)	Crossforce Fly low (S3S, ESD)

Metal-free safety shoes   

When working near electrical installations, metal can pose an additional risk. Metal-free shoes do not conduct electricity, making them ideal for environments with electrostatic discharge.
They are also particularly comfortable in colder working conditions, such as outdoor work or cold storage areas. Because they do not conduct cold, feet often stay warmer and feel more comfortable during work.
Important to know: metal-free safety shoes are just as safe as shoes with metal, as long as they meet European safety standards.
 
Read more about metal-free safety shoes

TOP 3 METAL-FREE SAFETY SHOES

E-BOUNCE S1PS Black-lime (S1PS, metaalvrij)	Boston (S1P,metaalvrij)	Clay (S3,metaalvrij)

• If question 1 leads to impact + penetration risks in a dry environment, S1P/S1PS is often suitable (adding SR if the floor is slippery).
• If moisture or heavy outdoor conditions are involved, this often shifts towards S3/S3S (with WR relevant for truly wet work).
• If a protective toe cap is not required, but grip and water resistance are important, O2/O3 with SR is often the right choice.

Once you have both the appropriate safety standard and the correct classifications, your choice is logical and well-founded.

 
How to use this risk assessment
Choosing the right safety shoe means asking the right questions about the workplace. Step by step, it becomes clear which protection is required.
By first identifying workplace risks, you make a more targeted choice. This prevents over- or under-protection and contributes to safety footwear that is not only safe, but also comfortable and durable.