Overview
EN ISO 20349-1:2017 - Personal protective equipment - Footwear protecting against risks in foundries and welding - Part 1: Requirements and test methods for protection against risks in foundries (ISO 20349-1:2017) specifies requirements and test methods for footwear intended to protect users from hazards encountered in foundries. It is a CEN-adopted European version of the ISO document and supersedes the 2010 edition. The standard sets performance criteria, sampling and conditioning rules, and specific test methods (including an Annex A test for resistance to large quantities of molten metal).
Key Topics
- Scope and purpose: Defines protective performance for footwear used in foundry environments and notes that compliant footwear also provides protections defined by ISO 20345.
- Classification and sampling: Rules for classifying footwear types and sampling units for testing.
- General requirements: Durability, construction, and usability criteria relevant to workplace safety.
- Specific requirements:
- Height of upper and overall footwear design considerations for molten metal splash protection.
- Resistance to effects of molten metal - dedicated test methods to assess protection against molten metal contact.
- Contact heat transmission and burning behaviour of materials used.
- Heat insulation of the sole complex to limit heat transfer to the foot.
- Surface shrinkage of leather and material ageing effects.
- Footwear removal time - ergonomics and emergency removal considerations.
- Innocuousness - materials safety and absence of harmful substances.
- Marking and manufacturer information: Required labels, user information, and declarations (including data for perforation inserts, electrical properties, and insocks).
- Test methods: References ISO 20344 and includes normative Annex A for molten metal testing.
Applications
- PPE manufacturers and designers: Use the standard to design and validate foundry footwear that meets industry performance expectations.
- Testing laboratories and certification bodies: Apply the specified test methods and sampling rules to assess conformity.
- Occupational safety professionals and purchasers: Reference the standard when specifying, selecting or procuring footwear for foundry and metalworking environments.
- Regulatory compliance: Supports conformity assessment and, where applicable, provides a presumption of conformity with EU Directive 89/686/EEC (see Annex ZA).
Related Standards
- ISO 20345 - General safety footwear requirements referenced for additional protective features.
- ISO 20344 - Test methods for footwear used by laboratories.
- ISO 11612 - Protection by gaiters/over-boots and clothing against molten metal (complements this standard for leg protection).
Keywords: EN ISO 20349-1:2017, foundry footwear, protective footwear standard, molten metal resistance, safety footwear test methods, PPE for foundries.