How Many Kilograms Can Safety Shoes Withstand?

The purpose of safety shoes is to protect your feet from injuries at work. However, many wonder how much force the shoes can really withstand. The protective caps in safety shoes are standardized according to EN 20345. This standard states that the protective caps must withstand energy of about 200 joules. Specifically, this means that a work boot with 200 joules can withstand a fall of 20 kg from a height of 1 meter. At a fall height of zero, a 200-joule cap can withstand about 1,500 kg. Your safety shoes should also protect you if, for example, a small car drives over your foot.

Note: If an object falls on your foot, the toe cap may be damaged and the protective mechanism may no longer function. In this case, the work shoes must be replaced.

In reality, toe caps can withstand more than "just" 200 joules. The 200-joule limit of a toe cap in footwear must not fall below the value specified in the relevant standard. Therefore, orthopedic insoles without appropriate certification must not be placed in shoes, as they reduce the distance between the cap and the sole. This means the shoe no longer complies with the standard. Information on this can be found in DGUV 112-191.

What Does the Unit "Joule" Mean?

A joule is a unit of energy or pressure force. This energy depends on several variables, such as the weight of the object and the fall height. The greater the fall height, the greater the speed of the object and the greater the energy. The same object has a different pressure force depending on the fall height.