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Australian Footwear Standards Explained

Written by ATOM | Aug 19, 2022 4:47:21 AM

AS/NZS 2210.3 - Personal protective equipment, Part 3: Safety footwear (ISO 20344:2011, MOD)

Footwear that conforms to AS/NZS 2210.3 must be fitted with safety toecaps as a basic requirement. Safety toecaps at this standard meet the requirements of impact resistance at an energy level of 200 Joules and the requirements of compression resistance at a compression load of 15kN. Footwear conforming to these standards should be selected where there is a risk of injury to toes from objects falling or striking the feet.
 Impact Resistance
Impact resistance is tested when a steel striker with a mass of 20kg is adapted to fall freely from a height of a metre and strike the safety toecap. A clay cylinder is placed under the cap and the clearance is measured after the test.
 
Compression Resistance
Compression equipment is used to test the resistance of a toecap by subjecting the toecap to a load of 15kN. As per the impact resistance test, a clay cylinder is placed under the toecap and the clearance is measured.
 

AS/NZS 2210.5 - Personal Protective Equipment, Part 5: Occupational footwear (ISO 20347:2012, MOD)

The AS/NZS 2210.5 Standard is commonly referred to as the Occupational Footwear Standard and can meet all the other criteria of Safety Footwear with the exception that there is no safety or protective toecaps incorporated into the shoe.
 
Common areas of testing to ensure compliance with the standard:
 
  • Slip resistance of soles - The shoes must pass a minimum resistance test on both steel and tiled surfaces.
  • Testing of specific ergonomic features - The footwear is put through a variety of testing including walking, kneeling and crouching, climbing stairs and more. Suitability is then recorded.
  • Upper and lining materials testing - Includes a recording of the thickness, tear strength, flexing, pH value, chromium V1 content and abrasion resistance of the shoe.
  • The outsole of the shoe is tested on its tear strength, abrasion resistance, flexing resistance, hydrolysis and resistance to fuel oil.
 
Get in touch with the ATOM Safety team to assess your team's footwear requirements.
 
View our Safety Footwear Selection Guide for detailed information on which safety footwear is appropriate for you.
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