UK Safety Trainers: The Complete Standards Guide

1. The governing standard: EN ISO 20345

All safety footwear sold in the UK, including trainers, boots, shoes, and wellingtons, must comply with EN ISO 20345, published in the UK as BS EN ISO 20345. This standard defines the minimum protection requirements for footwear classified as personal protective equipment (PPE). It is given legal weight by the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, which requires employers to provide compliant protective footwear wherever a foot-injury risk has been identified and cannot be controlled any other way.

2. The 2022 & 2024 updates - what changed

The standard was significantly overhauled in 2022, with a further amendment published in 2024. Here's what the updates changed for buyers and wearers:

Slip resistance is now a basic requirement

Previously, slip resistance was an optional extra. Under the 2022 standard, every safety trainer must pass a basic slip test - on ceramic tiles with a sodium lauryl sulphate solution - before it can carry any S-rating at all. The old SRA, SRB, and SRC markings have been replaced by a single SR marking for footwear that passes an enhanced test.

Two new protection classes: S6 and S7

The standard added S6 and S7 to address full water resistance - see the S-ratings section below for a full breakdown.

New perforation resistance codes

The old single P code has been expanded into three: P (steel inserts), PL (non-metallic, large nail test), and PS (non-metallic, small nail test). A single piece of footwear can carry only one of these - not a combination.

Water resistance tightened up

The old WRU (water-resistant upper) marking allowed up to 3cm² of water penetration. The new WPA (water penetration and absorption) code requires zero water penetration detected - a significantly tougher test.

New ladder grip test

An optional LG (ladder grip) certification was introduced, testing whether the outsole geometry provides adequate grip on ladder rungs. Given that falls from height are one of the most common causes of serious workplace injury in the UK, this is a meaningful addition for construction, maintenance, and utilities workers.

3. Basic requirements every safety trainer must meet

Before a trainer can carry any S-rating at all, it must pass these non-negotiable baseline tests:

Toecaps can be made from steel, aluminium, or composite materials (fibreglass, carbon fibre, Kevlar). Composite caps are increasingly common in trainers - they're lighter, don't conduct cold, and won't set off metal detectors. Under the 2022 standard, the label must now indicate whether the cap is metallic or non-metallic.

4. The S-rating system: SB through S7 explained

Beyond the basics, safety footwear is categorised into protection classes. Each higher class builds on the one before it (within its material category). Under the current standard there are eight main classes:

5. Optional protection codes decoded

Beyond the S-rating, trainers can carry a range of additional letter codes. These appear after the S-rating on the label or box.

6. Which rating does your industry need?

The right rating depends entirely on a risk assessment of the specific hazards in your workplace. That said, here are the most commonly specified ratings by sector:

7. How to read the label on a safety trainer

Every compliant pair of safety trainers must be permanently marked, either directly on the footwear or on a label inside. Here's what a typical marking looks like and what each part means: