Wearing safety shoes when is it mandatory?

The success of some professions requires risky activities. The risks and accidents to which workers are exposed are high. Their consequences are mostly very serious. The main accident factors in a workplace are falls, shocks, crushing or even cuts. PPE or personal protective equipment have been developed to prevent or avoid these types of accidents. There are many types of PPE and safety shoes are one of them. Is it mandatory to wear safety shoes?

Why wear safety shoes?

Foot accidents in the workplace account for 7% of occupational accidents. Apart from sprains, fractures, strains and other foot injuries caused by slipping, workers are exposed to mechanical, chemical, electrical, biological and thermal risks. The use of PPE is therefore essential.

Safety shoes are not only anti-shock shields and anti-corrosive and harmful micro-agents. They also provide comfort and support for work with complex postures, especially in case of false movements. This equipment promotes air circulation and allows good ventilation of the feet to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria and prevent the formation of blisters and infections.

Wearing safety shoes according to the labor code

Several European countries have agreed on the obligation of employers to ensure the protection of their employees. This convention is established in the Treaty of Amsterdam and forms a fundamental basis for labor codes. This treaty also contains minimum recommendations regarding the use of PPE in the workplace.

In the general case, the labor code assigns a precise definition to personal protective equipment. It orders employers to equip their employees to ensure their safety and to verify compliance with the use or wearing of these PPE in a given workplace. Overall, the labor code encompasses all the obligations of the employer as well as the employees regarding protective equipment, including safety shoes.

The employer's obligations

Employers have a duty to protect their employees. To do this, they must provide the PPE necessary to protect personnel in their workplace. The maintenance and upkeep of this equipment is their responsibility and they must also ensure its use. If employees have difficulty using these materials, managers must train them. Training is essential in the use of sophisticated PPE such as women's safety shoes.

If ever an accident occurs and the employee is injured, the employer or the owner of the company concerned is held responsible. This rule applies civilly and criminally. Even if the employee makes a mistake leading to his own loss, the owner is liable to penalties and fines.

Employee obligations

The employee, in return for the PPE provided, has the duty to ensure his own health and safety by wearing the PPE in accordance with the established instructions and training within the company. He is also required to take care of the PPE given to him and to inform his managers in the event of damage or wear.

Wearing safety shoes compulsory, which sectors are concerned?

No law or official text provides for the obligation to wear safety shoes. However, they are essential in certain sectors of activity.

Wearing safety shoes is mandatory in construction companies (Building and Public Works), handling work, maintenance of green spaces and forestry work, cleaning and industrial maintenance, industrial environments , carpentry, heavy industries and so many other sectors of activity.

The regulation of safety shoes according to the standards in force

Safety shoes are governed by the EN ISO 20345: 2011 standard. This standard includes safety standards SB, S1, S1P, S2 and S3. These standards specify the qualities required according to the work environment where the safety shoes will be worn.

The SB standard is the fundamental standard for safety shoes that verifies the aspects of robustness, resistance to abrasion, tearing, non-slip soles and impact resistance.

S1 standards (Dry working environment)

Closed at the back

A: Antistatic

E: Energy absorption at the heel

FO: Resistance to mineral oils and hydrocarbons

S1P standards (Dry working environment)

A: Antistatic

E: Energy absorption at the heel

FO: Resistance to mineral oils and hydrocarbons

P: Puncture resistant soles

S2 standards (Damp work environment)

A: Antistatic

E: Energy absorption at the heel

FO: Resistance to mineral oils and hydrocarbons

WRU: Water repellent, resistance to penetration and water absorption of the upper

S3 standards (Damp working environment)

A: Antistatic

E: Energy absorption at the heel

FO: Resistance to mineral oils and hydrocarbons

WRU: Water repellent, resistance to penetration and water absorption of the upper

P: Anti-perforation soles

Low or high safety shoes, clogs or boots, each type of shoe is designed to adapt to a type of job or according to the work environment.

Do we have to return safety shoes at work?

safety shoes are provided by the company to protect its personnel. In the event of the departure of an agent, regardless of the reason, the employer has the right to order the return of the donated equipment. This agreement is not provided for by any legal text, it is optional.

How many pairs of safety shoes should you buy per year?

The number of safety shoes provided for an employee annually is not limited. He has a duty to report to the person in charge in the event of wear or deterioration of his equipment and the employer must replace this equipment to ensure the safety of the worker, regardless of their number. However, the wearer must take care to take care of the equipment provided to him.