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Safety Footwear Standards Guide: EN ISO 20345 vs 20347

Choosing safety footwear starts with two European standards: EN ISO 20345 for safety footwear and EN ISO 20347 for occupational footwear. This guide explains the difference, decodes the protection classes and helps you pick the right pair for your job.

EN ISO 20345 vs EN ISO 20347: the key difference

EN ISO 20345 (safety footwear) requires a protective toe cap tested to 200 joules of impact and 15 kN of compression. That is roughly a 20 kg object dropped from 1 metre onto your toes.

EN ISO 20347 (occupational footwear) has no toe cap requirement. It covers work shoes that protect against slips, static and weather, ideal where falling objects are not a risk: logistics, healthcare, catering, light service work.

Simple rule: risk of heavy objects falling on your feet means EN ISO 20345. No such risk means EN ISO 20347 gives you lighter, more flexible footwear.

Protection classes explained (EN ISO 20345)

  • SB - the baseline: 200 J toe cap.
  • S1 - SB plus closed heel, antistatic properties, energy absorption in the heel and fuel-oil resistant outsole.
  • S1P - S1 plus a penetration-resistant midsole (P). New Balance uses non-metallic inserts that stay light and flexible.
  • S2 - S1 plus water penetration and absorption resistance in the upper.
  • S3 - S2 plus penetration resistance and a cleated outsole. The all-rounder for construction and outdoor work.
  • S3L - the 2022 revision of S3 with a non-metallic perforation insert tested with a 4.5 mm nail.

Occupational classes (EN ISO 20347)

  • OB - baseline occupational footwear.
  • O1 - closed heel, antistatic, energy-absorbing heel.
  • O2 - O1 plus water resistant upper.

Additional markings you will see

  • SR - slip resistance tested on ceramic tile with glycerine (the 2022 standard replaced SRA/SRB/SRC).
  • FO - fuel-oil resistant outsole.
  • HRO - outsole resistant to hot contact up to 300 degrees C.
  • SC - scuff cap abrasion resistance.
  • WR - water resistant footwear (whole shoe).
  • ESD - electrostatic discharge protection for electronics environments.
  • A - antistatic, E - energy absorption, P / PL / PS - perforation resistance types.

Which New Balance model fits your work?

  • Construction, heavy trades: safety boots in S3 or S3L, such as Calibre or Allsite (waterproof).
  • Warehouse, manufacturing, active indoor work: safety shoes in S1P or S1PL, such as Speedware, Logic or Elite Lite.
  • Logistics, services, hospitality: occupational shoes to EN ISO 20347 with SR slip resistance, such as the 906 SR or 515 SR.

Fit and sizing

New Balance Industrial footwear uses EU sizing with half sizes available on most models. Roomy fits are engineered for all-day wear. Check the size guide on each product page. If in doubt between two sizes, take the larger one; you can exchange free within 14 days.