Decoding Safety Footwear Standards: A Practical Guide for Managers and Workers

From ASTM codes to slip resistance and electrical ratings, this guide breaks down the alphabet soup of safety footwear standards and shows how to apply them in real-world workplace decisions.

• By Tony Bleak
• Nov 20, 2025

Safety footwear plays an outsize role in injury prevention and productivity. The right pair reduces fatigue, limits slips and punctures, and adds a margin of protection when other controls fail. Yet many managers and workers find the alphabet soup of markings: ASTM codes, EH, PR, SD/ESD, and “slip resistant”, confusing. This guide clarifies what the common U.S. standards and markings mean, how they’re tested, and how to use them in day-to-day decision-making.

1) Two pillars: ASTM F2413 (performance) and ASTM F2412 (test methods)

In U.S. practice, protective footwear revolves around two companion ASTM documents:

1. ASTM F2413 sets the performance and labeling requirements for protective (safety-toe) footwear. If the shoe states it complies with ASTM F2413, it has met defined minimum performance thresholds for the protections declared on the label.
   
2. ASTM F2412 details the laboratory test methods used to evaluate footwear against those protections (impact, compression, puncture resistance, electrical properties, etc.)

Together, these underpin employer obligations in OSHA’s foot protection rule (29 CFR 1910.136), which requires employers to ensure workers wear protective footwear appropriate to the hazards present.

2) Decoding the label: what the letters mean in practice

Safety footwear that meets ASTM F2413 must be marked to reflect the protections it provides. Typical codes you’ll see include:

1. I/75 & C/75 – Impact and Compression protection for the toe cap at the highest commonly used rating under F2413. In plain English: protection against dropped or rolling loads at the toe.
   
2. Mt – Metatarsal protection (top of the foot). Consider this for tasks with higher risk of mid-foot strikes or falling objects.
   
3. PR – Puncture-resistant plate underfoot to help prevent sharp objects (e.g., nails) from penetrating the sole.
   
4. EH – Electrical Hazard protection: footwear provides a secondary barrier that helps reduce the risk of electric shock under dry conditions. This is for incidental contact with live parts, not a substitute for dielectric boots or electrical PPE. (See Section 4 for when EH is appropriate.)
   
5. CD, SD, or ESD – Conductive / Static-Dissipative / Electrostatic-Dissipative properties for static control. Use these when the primary concern is safely channeling static electricity (e.g. around sensitive electronics or volatile compounds), not shock from live circuits. (More in Section 4.)
   

Manager tip: Check that at least one shoe in the pair is legibly marked with the current standard and applicable designations (e.g., “ASTM F2413-” followed by codes). This avoids guesswork during audits and simplifies fit-for-purpose checks.

3) Slip resistance: the method (F2913) and the newer performance spec (F3445)

Slips and trips remain leading causes of injuries. In the U.S., the widely used ASTM F2913 method measures the dynamic coefficient of friction of footwear on various floorings and contaminants with a “whole-shoe” tester; it’s used for comparative, lab-controlled evaluation.

To move beyond “tested” and toward minimum performance, ASTM released F3445, a slip-resistance performance specification that sets baseline requirements (using F2913 as the test method) for labeling footwear as “slip-resistant.” This helps safety managers specify against a common yardstick instead of relying on marketing claims.

Manager tip: When slips are a material risk, look for footwear tested by F2913 and, where practical, conforming to F3445 performance requirements, then validate in the field on your actual surfaces and contaminants. Lab ratings guide selection; they don’t replace real-world verification.

4) Electrical terms clarified: EH vs. SD/ESD vs. Conductive

Electrical markings address different hazards:

1. EH (Electrical Hazard) footwear: a secondary protective layer to help reduce shock risk from inadvertent contact with live circuits (dry-condition use; not for standing in water). Appropriate for general construction/maintenance where incidental contact is possible.
   
2. SD (Static-Dissipative) / ESD (Electrostatic-Dissipative): footwear designed to mitigate static buildup by bleeding off charge at a controlled rate, protecting sensitive electronics or preventing static sparks near flammables. Not for shock from live power.
   
3. Conductive (Cd): very low electrical resistance to rapidly equalize charge, used in certain explosive/volatile atmospheres under strict programs; incompatible with EH needs.
   

Manager tip: Decide first which hazard you’re controlling: live power (choose EH) or static (choose SD/ESD or Cd per your program). You can’t have both at once because the electrical properties are opposite by design. Document the rationale in your hazard assessment.

5) When to require PR, Mt, or other reinforcements

1. PR (Puncture-Resistant) plates are warranted where underfoot penetrations are credible (demolition, re-roofing, scrap/yard work). Pair PR with regular sole inspections and housekeeping; PR is a layer of defense, not a license to ignore debris.
   
2. Mt (Metatarsal) guards make sense in heavy materials handling or where mid-foot strikes are likely (rigging, foundry, some fabrication and quarry tasks).
   
3. Toe cap (I/C) remains the baseline for dropped or rolling load risk. If the risk profile is low and toe protection isn’t required, F2892 (soft-toe protective footwear) may be appropriate, but verify against your hazard analysis.
   

6) Fit and fatigue: translating standards into all-day comfort and safety

Standards define protection; fit determines whether workers can wear it all day without trading protection for discomfort. Practical checkpoints:

1. Toe room & last shape: Ensure adequate clearance at the protective toe; cramped toes reduce circulation and increase fatigue.
   
2. Heel hold: A secure heel limits shear and blisters; excessive lift signals sizing or lacing issues.
   
3. Arch & midsole support: Match support to task (standing vs. climbing vs. uneven ground).
   
4. Lacing & ankle stability: Encourage proper lacing; on ladders or rebar, ankle stability reduces missteps.
   
5. Try-on timing: Fit late in the day when feet are slightly swollen; test with work socks and any approved insoles.
   
6. Weight balance: Heavier, overbuilt footwear can increase cumulative fatigue; select the lightest footwear that still meets the necessary protections.
   

Manager tip: A 10-minute, documented fit session often prevents months of discomfort complaints and non-compliance.

7) Care and replacement: keeping protections intact

Protective properties degrade with use. Set a simple, enforceable policy:

1. Drying: Air-dry only; avoid high heat that can degrade adhesives, midsoles, and electrical properties (important for EH).
   
2. Cleaning: Remove contaminants that reduce traction (oils, mud). Periodically clean outsoles to keep tread edges sharp for grip.
   
3. Inspection interval: Train crews to check tread wear, midsole compression, seam separation, and plate integrity (for PR).
   
4. Electrical integrity: Treat EH footwear as compromised if soaked, cut, or heavily contaminated—replace per your program.
   
5. Service life: Replace when tread is worn smooth, the upper or plate is breached, the fit changes materially, or after any incident that could have affected the protective system.
   

8) Procurement checklist: matching footwear to hazards

Use this quick flow when writing specs or approving purchases:

1. Hazard assessment (OSHA 1910.136): Identify dropped/rolling loads, puncture, slips, and electrical/static risks.
   
2. Select protections:
   
1. Toe protection (I/C), PR, Mt as indicated.
   
2. Slip resistance: Require testing to ASTM F2913; where appropriate, specify F3445 performance.
   
3. Electrical: choose EH or SD/ESD/Cd per the hazard (not both).
   
3. Confirm labeling: Footwear marked to ASTM F2413 (or F2892 for soft-toe) with applicable codes.
   
4. Pilot wear test: Trial on actual surfaces/contaminants with a small crew; verify comfort and traction.
   
5. Fit protocol & training: Document try-on, sock policy, lacing, care, and inspection responsibilities.
   
6. Re-evaluate annually or after process changes (new flooring, new chemicals, seasonal conditions).
   

9) Common pitfalls (and quick fixes)

1. Assuming “slip-resistant” is generic: Ask what standard/method supports the claim (F2913 test; F3445 performance), then field-validate.
   
2. Mixing EH with static-control needs: EH and SD/ESD have opposing electrical properties—pick based on the hazard you’re actually controlling.
   
3. Ignoring labeling: If the marking is missing or illegible, you can’t easily prove compliance—avoid no-name purchases.
   
4. Skipping fit: Poor fit drives non-compliance; build fit checks into issuance and replacement.
   
5. Letting tread go slick: Traction degrades gradually; define a visible replacement threshold (e.g., when lug edges round off).
   

Closing Thoughts

Footwear standards are meant to simplify selection, not complicate it. By tying your hazard assessment to the right ASTM protections, verifying slip performance with appropriate standards, and enforcing basic fit and care practices, you reduce injuries and fatigue while improving compliance. Keep it simple, document choices, and re-check as conditions change, your crews (and your incident rates) will thank you.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.