Sometimes, the difference between an injury-free workplace and one that’s a hotbed of hazards all comes down to safety footwear. You should also know how long your work boots should last and if they need replacing to provide you with the highest level of safety protection.

That’s why the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) provides a range of consensus standards that protect workers from a variety of common workplace dangers. Through the ASTM, companies, and business owners have a comprehensive set of criteria for implementing proper safety measures among their staff.

But what are the ASTM safety standards when it comes to work boots? Keep reading for everything you need to know about safety footwear.

A Guide To ASTM Work Boot Standards

The ASTM provides specific safety standards for a range of products, from electronic devices and medical equipment to, you guessed it, the protective footwear you and your coworkers wear every day.

Compliance with ASTM boot standards as outlined in ASTM F2413-18 means that manufacturers have designed their boots to protect against a variety of common workplace hazards, like:

• Electric shock
• Force trauma
• Cuts and punctures

There has also been a more recent ASTM standard introduced in 2021, ASTM F3445-21, which refers to standard performance specifications for slip resistance and must appear on any footwear making slip resistance performance claims.

In order to receive the ASTM standard seal of approval, protective footwear must be tested by an independent third-party laboratory, which issues a Certificate of Conformance. This certificate states that the footwear meets ASTM consumer product standards. From there, the manufacturer is free to label their steel toe, composite toe, or any other safety shoes according to their ASTM ratings. Only shoes bearing these labels are certified by ASTM.

The ASTM standards date to 2005 but they have been updated as recently as 20181, so let’s take a closer look at what those standards entail.

Impact Resistance

The first safety measure that the ASTM boot standards require is that the toe area of the boot is impact resistant up to a force of 75 lbf, or pound-force.₂

The ASTM’s standard for impact resistance doesn’t require that the toe area be made out of a specific material. However, most ASTM safety shoes with sufficient impact resistance feature protective toes made from one of the following materials:

• Steel
• Aluminum
• An alloy or composite metal

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? Work boots that meet this requirement will have an “I” on the consumer product label. Having an “I” rating refers to the impact resistance, such as a falling object.

Compression Resistance

The ASTM requires that workplace safety shoes carry a level of compression resistance up to 2,500 lbf in the toe area.² This can reduce the risk of serious injury to your toes if they get crushed under the weight of a heavy object.

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? Boots with sufficient compression resistance are labeled with a “C”. You may see a “C” rating which refers to the compression resistance, when subjected to a compressive force of 2500 lbf, like a truck rolling over your shoe.

Metatarsal Protection

The ASTM isn’t only concerned with protecting workers’ toes. ASTM boot standards also suggest protections for the metatarsal area of the foot. The metatarsal area refers to the five bones that stretch along the top of your foot from just below your ankle to your toes.

When you see this safety standard label, you can rest assured of two things:

• The metatarsal area is impact-resistant – ASTM-compliant footwear can help protect the top of your feet from impacts of up to 75lbf.
• The boot fits safely – This safety standard label also means that the men’s work boots or women’s work boots provide at least one inch of clearance between your foot and the interior top of the toe cap.

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? A label of “Mt” is given to ASTM safety toe footwear that meet this standard.

Conductive Properties

ASTM safety shoes provide protection against a range of conductive risks associated with the build-up of static electricity..Safety toe Footwear that meets ASTM standards reduces that build-up, helping to protect against dangers that can come from igniting volatile materials, like:

• Explosives
• Chemicals
• Volatile air particles

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? Conductive cap footwear must have a resistance of 0 to 500,000 Ohms.

Electric Shock Resistance

The risk of suffering electric shock is a hazard in many workplaces. That’s why the ASTM standards mandate that workplace-safe shoes provide resistance to electric shock.

Similar to the men’s Caterpillar boots collection, Electric shock-resistant work boots feature soles that are made from non-conductive materials, like rubber, or dielectric insulation. For electricians, contractors, and others who work with and around live electric wires, this is a necessary protection. It is also helpful to know how to keep your feet dry in work boots, to help further prevent additional moisture from wearing your boots down over time and affecting any interior insulation in your boots.

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? A label of EH is given to safety shoes that meet these requirements.

Static Dissipative Properties

In professions where workers could encounter live electrical circuits, that static electricity that naturally builds up when we walk across surfaces is a huge risk. ASTM safety shoes don’t hold a static charge but create a pathway for bodily static electricity between the users foot and outsole before safely redistributing it into the ground.₃

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? ASTM standards include three rating levels for the static dissipative properties of work boots, measured in megohms. They’ll be labeled on the composite toe shoes in one of three ways:

• ESD 100
• ESD 35
• ESD 10

The higher the number, the more resistant the composite toe boots are to static electrical properties. Depending on your work environment, you will want to understand which ESD rating is required on your job site.

Puncture Resistant

Finally, the ASTM requires that compliant workplace footwear is also puncture resistant. This standard protects feet against injury sustained from stepping on or otherwise coming into contact with sharp objects, like:

• Nails
• Knives
• Chainsaws

Do your work boots meet ASTM standards? In most cases, puncture-resistant boots feature a layer of durable rubber or another material between the insole and the outsole.

Boot World, For The Highest Level Shoe Expertise And Standards

Boot World is the leader in ASTM-safe workplace footwear. Since 1975 we’ve been connecting customers with the best-fitting, safest shoes designed and crafted using cutting-edge shoe technology.

Each of our work boots has the highest ASTM standards for impact, compression toe, and foot protection, and we provide an extensive selection of Electrical Hazard (EH) and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) footwear.

Whether you’re looking for men’s construction boots, women’s construction boots, or boots for everyday undertakings, look no further than Boot World.

Reviewed By:

Ed Stone brings over 45 years of footwear knowledge and passion to his role as President of Boot World, a family-owned company and an industry leader in safety and occupational footwear. A second generation "shoe dog” Ed's footwear knowledge is unparalleled, serving as an informal advisor for some of the worlds largest footwear brands including Wolverine, Timberland PRO, and Reebok Works.

A lifelong Southern California resident, and ardent conservationist, Ed enjoys hiking and open water swimming.