Safety Shoes: Are They Necessary?

This is a question that many companies rightly wonder: Are safety shoes required within the company? If so, in what situations are they used? And are companies required to provide them to their employees? French personal protective equipment (EPI) manufacturer Parade Protection explains what you need to know.

Wearing Safety Shoes: What the Law Says

First of all, it is important to know that our safety footwear offers the highest level of protection for your employees in all situations. We have a wide range of products to suit all industrial sectors: industry, logistics, automotive, maintenance, trade, distribution, green space, construction, food and beverage... In our online catalogue you will find models to suit your needs, your job and your budget.

Is wearing safety shoes a legal requirement? Let’s look at this in the context of potential workplace risks. Foot injuries account for nearly 7% of all work-related accidents every year, so to protect against punctures, crushing, slipping, fractures, or injuries, safety shoes are definitely a must-have for some companies.

This requirement is a result of the employer's duty to provide safety shoes to employees when the working environment requires them, as clearly stated in the Labor Law, Article R4323-95. In addition, the employer is also responsible for providing new safety shoes when necessary.

Safety Footwear: Enforcement and Effective Standards

From the moment the first employee is hired, every company is required to prepare a DUERP (Document Unique d'Évaluation des Risques Professionnels), a document that assesses the occupational risks to which the employee is exposed. The employer must provide technical solutions appropriate to the risks identified in the DUERP. Personal Protective Equipment (EPI), such as safety footwear, is therefore an ideal solution.

If the DUERP, along with the company’s internal regulations, states that there is a risk that requires the wearing of safety shoes, these safety shoes will become internal company regulations.

There are also formal footwear divided into two categories: work shoes and safety shoes. They meet the standards EN ISO 20347 and EN ISO 20345 respectively. Shoes that meet the EN ISO 20345 standard have a puncture-resistant grid and are highly resistant to mechanical hazards and crushing failures.

Safety footwear is also divided into several categories, that is, the classification of protection levels, from S1 to S7. Crashes, crushing, slipping, thermal risks... Such safety footwear has technical features that make it highly effective against these risks. All the safety footwear you will find in the Parade Protection catalogue is in perfect compliance with all EN ISO 20345 standards.