Overview
ISO/TR 18690:2012 is an ISO Technical Report giving practical guidance for the selection, use and maintenance of safety and occupational footwear and other personal protective equipment (PPE) that provide foot and leg protection. Published in 2012 (second edition), it is an informative document intended for footwear manufacturers and suppliers, employers, self‑employed people, safety engineers and other users, and it also supports preparation of national guidance. The report complements product standards by explaining classification, marking, risk assessment and good practice for workplace use and upkeep.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and purpose: Guidance on choosing appropriate PPE footwear after applying collective risk controls; footwear should be used only when residual risk remains.
- Design, construction and classification: Describes construction elements and the two material classes:
- Class I - leather/other materials (non all-rubber/polymeric)
- Class II - all‑rubber or all‑polymeric footwear
- Safety performance of toecaps: Safety toecaps meet impact resistance (200 J) and compression resistance (15 kN).
- Marking and categories: Required markings include size, manufacturer ID, type, date (year and quarter), standard number and protection symbols. Example symbols: SB (basic), P (penetration), A/C (antistatic/conductive), HI/CI (heat/cold insulation), E (energy absorption), WR/WRU (water resistance/upper), M (metatarsal), HRO/FO (hot contact/fuel oil resistance), CR (cut resistance).
- Selection guidance / risk assessment:
- Prioritize slip resistance - slips are the most common workplace hazard.
- Assess type, duration and frequency of risks and human‑factor issues (training, behavior).
- Combine protective features (e.g., toecap + slip resistance) to match hazards.
- Use: Practical guidance on mechanical, slip, chemical, electrical and thermal hazards, job‑related footwear and orthopaedic considerations.
- Maintenance: Recommendations on inspection, testing, cleaning, care and repair to preserve protective properties.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
- Employers, safety managers and HSE professionals - for PPE selection, procurement specs, workplace risk assessments and training.
- Footwear manufacturers and suppliers - to design, mark and document protective footwear and to provide user/maintenance instructions.
- Occupational health practitioners and safety engineers - to develop national or corporate guidance, maintenance schedules and selection checklists.
- Procurement teams - to create compliant tender specifications referencing categories (S1–S5, O1–O5, SB, etc.).
Related standards
- ISO 20345 - Personal protective equipment - Safety footwear (normative reference)
- ISO 20347 - Personal protective equipment - Occupational footwear (normative reference)
- EN 50321 is noted for electrically insulating footwear requirements where applicable.
Keywords: ISO TR 18690:2012, safety footwear, occupational footwear, PPE selection, risk assessment, slip resistance, footwear marking, footwear maintenance, ISO 20345, ISO 20347.