Explaining CE marking: our experts offer their insight and advice to increase your understanding of personal protective equipment regulations and usage, in particular for PPE footwear.

 

For PPE footwear users

The obligations are set out in the “PPE users” directive, namely Directive 89/656/EEC of 1989-11-30 and related legislation (2009/104/EC and 2019/1832).

Employers are required to put in place comprehensive measures to protect their employees. PPE provides protection against residual risks. The employer must ensure that the PPE is appropriate to the risks, in collaboration with the company’s various internal committees.

PPE that offers the appropriate level of protection must be made available to employees free of charge. It must include:

• CE marking to certify conformity;
• complete user information on each pair of shoes;
• manufacturer’s declaration of conformity.

 

What does a CE-type examination involve?

 

PPE manufacturers and European Regulation (EU) 2016/425

The products that PPE footwear manufacturers place on the market must comply with the essential requirements of European Regulation (EU) 2016/425. 

To this end, manufacturers must abide by the following procedure:

1. Characterise the level of risk against which their PPE footwear is going to protect its user. This will define the certification rules (see A).
    
2. Precisely define all the risks. This will set all the necessary standards during the certification process (see B).
    
3. The manufacturer will choose its notified body, in this case CTC.
   • The majority of PPE footwear (see C) is Category II.
   • For Category III PPE footwear, an annual control system should be established (Module C2 with CTC or Module D with another notified body).
      
4. The manufacturer will send the notified body (NB) a product specification sheet, which includes:
   • the risks covered by the PPE as well as its field of use;
   • a complete description of production (materials, assembly site, etc.);
   • the results of tests confirming the conformity of the products (see B);
   • the final marking of the PPE footwear (see D);
   • the PPE instruction manual.
      
5. Once the notified body (NB) has awarded an EU-type certification number, the manufacturer:
   • issues its declaration of conformity;
   • affixes the CE marking on its products;
   • may sell its PPE footwear throughout the European Union and in many other countries;
   • remains at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities;
   • undertakes an annual production control for Category III footwear.

 

A. Characterise the level of risk

Certification rules for PPE - Safety footwear

Certification rules	Category I	Category II	Category III
CLASSIFICATION	Minor risks	Other risks	Fatal or irreversible risks
EXAMPLES	Rain boots for professional use	Footwear for mechanical risks	Footwear for chemical risks
MANUFACTURER'S OBLIGATIONS	Provide and distribute a technical file on the product (including user instructions) Put in place inspection procedures to guarantee uniformity of production Produce a declaration of conformity Affix the CE mark to the product	Category I + Obtain an EU type-examination certificate from a Notified Body such as CTC (module B)	Category II + Choose a Notified Body to carry out annual surveillance of its production process (module C2 or D) Affix the number of the Notified Body responsible for surveillance to the marking

 

B. Choose the PPE footwear standard(s)

 

EN ISO 20345	Safety footwear
EN ISO 20346	Protective footwear
EN ISO 20347	Occupational footwear
EN 13634	Protective footwear for motorcycle riders - Requirements and test methods
EN 13832-2	Footwear protecting against chemicals - Part 2: requirements for limited contact with chemicals
EN 13832-3	Footwear protecting against chemicals - Part 3: requirements for prolonged contact with chemicals
EN 15090	Footwear for firefighters
EN ISO 17249	Safety footwear with resistance to chain saw cutting
EN ISO 20349-1	Footwear protecting against risks in foundries
EN ISO 20349-2	Footwear protecting against risks in welding and allied processes
EN 50321-1	Live working - Footwear for electrical protection - Insulating footwear and overboots
ASTM F2413	Performance requirements for protective (safety) toe cap footwear (standard for the US market)

 

C. Choose your notified body (NB)

In 1992, CTC became one of the very first PPE notified bodies (NB), assigned number 0075. Since this date, we have issued more than 45,000 EU type-examination certificates for safety footwear, protective gloves and protective clothing.  

Our competencies are assessed and guaranteed by our ISO 17025 (Testing) and ISO 17065 (Certification) accreditations. 

The professionalism and validity of our physical and technical tests help our clients make the safest PPE footwear.  

CTC has extensive and long-standing experience in the safety testing of materials and products. The European REACh legislation is the strictest in the world. CTC will help you determine which relevant critical substances to test for. Incorporating safety requirements helps to ensure that the products comply with Annex XVII of the REACh Regulation. 

CTC participates actively in PPE standardisation as well as in the coordination of notified bodies.

 

	CTC Shanghai and CTC Dongguan CNAS-accredited laboratories CTC Shanghai: CNAS L4577 CTC Dongguan: CNAS L5912
CTC Asia, HKAS-accredited laboratories in Hong Kong

 

D. Marking system for shoes and boots

The following markings were developed to help consumers choose their shoes.

EN ISO 20345 with 200 J toecap	EN ISO 20346 with 100 J toecap	EN ISO 20347 without toecap
Class I
SB :   Basic requirements S1 :   SB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption in the heel S2 :   S1 +   water penetration   and absorption S3 / S3L / S3S :   S2 +   perforation   cramponed sole S6 :   S2 +   water resistance S7 / S7L / S7S :   S3 +    water resistance	PB :   Basic requirements P1 :   PB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption at the heel P2 :   P1 +   water penetration   and absorption P3 / P3L / P3S :   P2 +   perforation   cramponed sole P6 :   P2 +   water resistance P7 / P7L / P7S :   P3 +    water resistance	OB :   Basic requirements O1 :   OB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption at the heel O2 :   O1 +   water penetration   and absorption O3 / O3L / O3S :   O2 +   perforation   cramponed sole O6 :   O2 +   water resistance O7 / O7L / O7S :   O3 +    water resistance
Class II
S4 :   SB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption in the heel S5 / S5L / S5S :   S4 +   perforation   cramponed sole	P4 :   PB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption at the heel P5 / P5L / P5S :   P4 +   perforation   cramponed sole	O4 :   OB +   closed heel area   antistatic properties   energy absorption at the heel O5 / O5L / O5S :   O4 +   perforation   cramponed sole

 

Other standardised characteristics may be used, as an option, alone or with the basic requirements of the above products:

Requirement		Symbol
Whole shoe	Puncture resistance (type P metal insert) Puncture resistance (non-metallic insert)     - Type PL     - Type PS	P PL PS
	Electrical properties     - Partially conductive footwear     - Antistatic footwear	C A
	Resistance to aggressive environments     - Outsole complex thermal insulation     - Cold insulation of outsole complex	HI CI
	Energy absorption of heel region	E
	Water resistance	WR
	Metatarsal protection	M
	Ankle protection	AN
	Cut resistance	CR
	Abrasion resistance	SC
	Slip resistance (on a tiled floor with glycerine)	SR
Upper	Water penetration and absorption (replaces WRU)	WPA
Outsole	Hot contact resistance	HRO
	Hydrocarbon resistance	FO
	Grip system for ladders	LG

 

PPE safety footwear design