Safety footwear S1-S3, EN 388 gloves and SNR ear defenders

Footwear marks S1-S3 tell you what the boot passed in testing: S1 has a toe cap, a closed heel and antistatic properties, S2 adds a water-resistant upper, and S3 also adds a puncture-resistant sole. Gloves are read from the EN 388 code, and ear defenders from the SNR value.

What do the footwear marks S1, S2 and S3 mean?

The letter S marks safety footwear under the EN ISO 20345 standard. Such a boot has a toe cap that withstands an impact of 200 J and compression of 15 kN. The classes build on one another, so S3 includes everything in S2 and S1.

Sole resistance to hydrocarbons (FO) is no longer part of classes S1-S3 in the current edition of the standard. If the job description requires it, check whether the boot has it marked separately.

How does S footwear differ from O footwear?

Occupational footwear with the letter O meets the EN ISO 20347 standard, which does not require a toe cap. Where the workstation instructions require safety footwear, a boot with the letter O does not meet that requirement.

What changed in the EN ISO 20345:2022 standard?

The 2022 edition of the standard is in force, but older boots may still carry a mark under the 2011 edition. The new edition introduced:

• class S6, meaning S2 with a waterproof whole boot, and class S7, meaning S3 with a waterproof whole boot,
• variants S1P, S1PL and S1PS, meaning S1 with a puncture-resistant sole,
• three types of anti-puncture insert: P (steel, tested with a 4.5 mm nail), PL (non-metallic, 4.5 mm nail) and PS (non-metallic, 3 mm nail),
• a new mark for water resistance of the upper: WPA instead of the former WRU,
• new slip-resistance requirements and the LG option, meaning heel grip on a ladder rung.

How do you read the EN 388 glove code?

Gloves that protect against mechanical hazards carry a hammer pictogram with a code of digits and letters below it, for example 4121X or 3X43D. Each position in the code stands for a different test:

1. Abrasion, result up to 4.
2. Cut resistance by the coup method (rotating blade), result up to 5.
3. Tear resistance, result up to 4.
4. Puncture resistance, result up to 4.
5. Cut resistance by the TDM method under ISO 13997, a letter from A to F, where F is the highest resistance.
6. Optionally the letter P, when the glove passed the impact resistance test.

The higher the digit and the later the letter, the better the result. X means the property was not tested, so the glove gives no confirmed protection in that respect. The code 3X43D reads like this: abrasion 3, coup cut not tested, tear 4, puncture 3, TDM cut at level D.

When working with sheet metal and sharp edges, look mainly at the second digit and the fifth letter. General rules for wearing gloves, boots and clothing at the workstation are described in the text on work clothing and protective equipment.

What does SNR mean on ear defenders?

SNR is a single number in decibels that gives the attenuation measured in a laboratory. It is compared with the C-weighted equivalent sound level (LC) measured at the workstation. The highest permitted noise level is 85 dB over an 8-hour day or working week.

Real attenuation can be lower than the SNR:

• with impulse noise (impacts, presses) it can be lower by 10 or even 20 dB,
• with long low-frequency impulses, muffs with an SNR above 30 dB are recommended,
• foam earplugs attenuate as described only when they go into the ear canal to about three quarters of their length.

A better picture of real protection comes from the APV values (assumed protection for individual frequencies), which the manufacturer gives in the instructions next to the SNR.

Where are these marks useful in practice?

The boot class, glove code and type of ear defenders are given in the workstation instructions, and you check them when you collect the equipment, before you start your first shift. The list of things to check that day is in the text on the first day at a new job. In warehouse and logistics work the toe cap protects the foot from impact, and the glove code shows how well the gloves resist abrasion and cuts.

Frequently asked questions

Does a glove with the code 4121X protect against a knife?

Only to a small degree. The second digit 1 is a low result in the coup cut test, and the X in fifth place says the TDM test was not carried out.

Is an S1P boot the same as S3?

No. S1P has a puncture-resistant sole, but its upper has no water-resistance requirement. S3 combines both features, because it includes all the requirements of class S2.

Do earplugs and muffs attenuate as much as the packaging says?

The SNR comes from a laboratory test, so on the shop floor attenuation is usually lower, especially with impulse noise. The way you wear them also matters, for example a foam earplug inserted too shallowly.

What does the hammer pictogram on a glove mean?

It is the mark of protection against mechanical hazards under the EN 388 standard. The code below the pictogram gives the results for abrasion, cut, tear, puncture and, where applicable, impact.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.