Safety Footwear Tester Guide ISO 20346 with Buying Tips

If you work in manufacturing, quality control, lab testing, or PPE compliance, you know how critical it is to verify safety footwear performance. The global benchmark for general‑purpose protective footwear is ISO 20346—and you need the right tester to validate compliance reliably.

ISO 20346 is the international standard for general‑purpose protective footwear (PPE) covering medium mechanical risks, slip resistance, ergonomics, and material safety. It defines mandatory and optional performance requirements for footwear used in workshops, logistics, light industry, warehousing, and general occupational environments.

Unlike ISO 20345 (heavy‑duty safety footwear) and ISO 20347 (occupational footwear without toe protection), ISO 20346 focuses on balanced protection for daily work use.

A safety footwear tester is specialized equipment that performs all required physical and mechanical tests to confirm footwear meets ISO 20346 limits.

1. Confirm Standard Compliance

Ensure the tester explicitly lists ISO 20346 in its specifications. Some testers only support ISO 20345 (200 J impact, 15 kN compression) – which is too high for 20346 and may damage lighter shoes. Check that impact energy is adjustable or factory-set to 100 J and compression to 10 kN.

2. Look for Easy Calibration

You need annual calibration. Choose a tester with accessible load cells and documented calibration procedures. Verify that the supplier provides traceable calibration certificates.

3. Check Anvil and Penetrator Sizes

ISO 20346 specifies precise anvil dimensions. The supplier must include the correct anvils and any optional penetrators for toe cap tests. Don’t accept “universal” anvils unless they match the standard drawing.

4. Evaluate Data Recording

Insist on a tester that saves results to USB or network. You will need records for audits. Avoid testers with only a digital display and no memory.

5. Ask About Software Updates

Standards change. The software may need updates to test parameters. Ask if updates are free or paid, and whether you can perform them yourself.

As Professional safety shoes tester Manufacturer, GESTER is designed for performance testing and quality control of safety footwear, compliant with ISO 20344, EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20346, EN ISO 20347, ASTM F2412 / F2413 and other international standards.

These testing machines provide accurate and reliable test data for manufacturers, laboratories and inspection institutions, helping ensure safety shoes meet protection requirements for construction, mining, manufacturing, chemical engineering and other industrial environments.