Standard explainer · EN ISO 20345:2022
Safety footwear's rulebook was revised in 2022, and the shelves now carry two generations of labels: boots certified to the 2011 edition still sold legitimately alongside 2022-certified kit whose codes look subtly different. Nothing was recalled and nothing old became unsafe — but a buyer reading S1PS for the first time deserves the translation.
The changes
The headline: perforation-resistant midsoles got honest letters. Under the old system, S1P said 'midsole' without saying which kind. The 2022 edition splits it: S1PS means a steel midsole, S1PL a textile one tested against a larger, more realistic nail — ending the quiet ambiguity our boot-codes guide and composite-vs-steel pages have always had to explain. S6 and S7 join the ladder as waterproof versions of S2 and S3 logic.
Slip resistance was rebuilt. The old SRA/SRB/SRC trio is retired: baseline slip performance is now mandatory for certification (tested on ceramic with detergent), with an optional SR marking for the tougher glycerine test — plus new optional codes like SC (scuff-cap abrasion) and LG (ladder grip) for trades that need them.
What didn't change: toe protection is still 200 joules, the familiar S1–S5 ladder still reads the same way, and 2011-certified boots remain legal to sell and wear while certificates run — which is why both label styles will share shelves for years yet.
The translation
| You knew | 2022 says | The note |
|---|---|---|
| S1P (any midsole) | S1PS (steel) or S1PL (textile) | The L test uses a thinner nail — textile midsoles are now proven harder |
| S3 | S3S / S3L by midsole type | Same logic up the ladder |
| SRA / SRB / SRC | Baseline (unmarked) + optional SR | All 2022-certified footwear passes a slip test now |
| — | SC scuff cap, LG ladder grip | New optional extras worth knowing for ladder trades |
| S2/S3 waterproof variants | S6 / S7 | Waterproof whole-boot versions join the ladder |
Buying notes
Questions
They're the 2022 split of the old S1P: S1PS has a steel perforation-resistant midsole, S1PL a non-metal textile one tested against a smaller-diameter nail than before. Protection intent is the same; the letters finally say which construction you're getting.
On boots certified to the 2011 edition, yes, while those certificates run. The 2022 edition retired the SRA/SRB/SRC system: baseline slip resistance became mandatory for certification, with an optional tougher SR marking. You'll see both systems on shelves during the transition.
No — the 2022 revision changed testing and labelling for new certifications; it didn't invalidate existing kit. Replace boots on condition and fit as always. For new fleet specifications, writing requirements in the 2022 codes avoids ambiguity.
Everything decoded here is stocked as certified garments and PPE, embroidered where it makes sense.