Overview
EN ISO 20345:2022/A1:2024 (Personal protective equipment - Safety footwear - Amendment 1) is a CEN-endorsed amendment to ISO 20345:2021 that updates performance, testing and material requirements for safety footwear. Approved by CEN in 2023 and published in 2024, this amendment aligns the European standard with ISO revisions and clarifies test criteria for toecaps, outsoles, materials and water‑vapour properties. It also supports conformity to PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (see Annex ZA).
Key topics and technical requirements
The amendment introduces specific, practical updates that affect design, testing and certification of safety footwear:
- Normative references updated - ISO 20344:2021 is superseded by ISO 20344:2021+Amd.1:2024; other referenced titles (e.g., EN 13832-3:2018) have revised wording.
- Non‑metallic toecap testing - Impact energy specified at (200 ± 4) J; clearance and integrity requirements reference ISO 22568-2:2019 and forbid cracks through the material; perforations are treated specially (perforation light‑through criterion excluded).
- Toecap crack language clarified - Removal of the term “delamination” in crack criteria; cracks through the material (light‑transmittance) are not permitted.
- Water vapour permeability (WVP) and coefficient (WVC) - Two compliance routes for uppers: limited non‑permeable area (max 10% or max 50%) with corresponding minimum WVP/WVC performance thresholds as detailed in the amendment.
- Chromium VI limit for leather - Leather parts must have chromium VI content < 3,0 mg/kg when tested per ISO 20344:2021+Amd.1:2024, 6.11.
- Outsole flex and damage limits - For flexible outsoles: cut growth ≤ 4 mm after 30 000 flex cycles; defined limits on crack depth (>1,5 mm), length (>4 mm) and count (>5) that are unacceptable; multi‑layer outsole bond strength ≥ 4,0 N/mm (or ≥ 3,0 N/mm if tearing occurs).
- Other clarifications - Hybrid footwear area definitions, insole/lining test exceptions, metallic insert assessment direction, and scuff cap nomenclature updates.
Applications and users
This amendment is relevant to:
- Footwear manufacturers updating product designs to meet revised performance criteria.
- Test laboratories performing ISO 20344 series tests and reporting conformity.
- Certification bodies and notified bodies assessing PPE conformity to EU Regulation 2016/425.
- Procurement and safety managers specifying compliant safety footwear for workplaces (construction, manufacturing, logistics, chemical handling).
Related standards and compliance
- ISO 20344:2021+Amd.1:2024 (test methods)
- ISO 22568-2:2019 (toecap clearance)
- EN 13832-3:2018 (footwear protecting against chemicals - updated title)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (PPE conformity and presumption of conformity when cited)
For manufacturers and safety professionals, EN ISO 20345:2022/A1:2024 is essential for ensuring safety footwear meets the latest European and international test and material requirements.
