Safety Trainers

Get superior protection and high-level comfort with our range of safety trainers. Available in a wide range of styles and featuring state-of-the-art protection technology, from non-slip safety trainers, cut resistant, composite toecap and more.

Here at Cromwell, we have a wide range of men's and women's safety trainers from leading brands such as Puma®, Dunlop® and 3M™.

What are safety trainers?

Passable as everyday casual wear, safety trainers are a more relaxed style of safety footwear. Ideal for those who require padded and lightweight safety shoes, safety trainers are an excellent alternative to safety shoes.

Why safety trainers?

Safety trainers appear just like regular trainers, and, while they deliver the same standards of safety as their shoe or boot counterparts, their fit is often wider and more flexible. This appeals to those who dislike traditional safety shoes and prefer the trainer style for all day wear.

When are safety trainers used?

Like other types of Personal Protection Equipment, safety trainers are required where a risk assessment has identified a potential hazard, which may cause accidents or injury to workers. Safety toecaps and mid-sole protection is a requirement for areas of construction and skilled trades, such as plumbers, electricians, and plasterers. While delivery drivers and couriers favour the comfort that safety trainers provide while driving.

Safety trainer types

All safety trainers must always conform to EN 20345:2011 standard and be CE marked. However, they can be defined using safety ratings, also known as S ratings. Safety trainers are available in a wide range of types and features, and these ratings help to identify the protection you require.

• SB   -   Safety Basic (features a toecap)

• SBP   -   SB plus the addition of mid-sole protection against penetration

• S1   -   SB plus an enclosed heel, energy absorption and anti-static properties

• S1P   -   S1 plus with additional mid-sole protection against penetration

• S2   -   S1 plus resistance to water penetration and absorption

• S3   -   S2 plus mid-sole penetration resistance and a cleated out sole

• S4   -   [Waterproof wellingtons] S1 level protection

• S5   -   [Waterproof wellingtons] S1P plus a cleated out sole

Considerations when choosing a safety trainer

Fitting - a good fit is essential for a safety shoe to perform correctly and protect against injury, while it's also a must to avoid health issues such as corns or bunions.

Upper - choose from a variety of options to suit the kind of protection you require. Most safety trainers feature moisture-wicking properties and vents for aeration to keep the feet comfortable.

Insole - often features support technology to protect the arch and is mostly removable so the end-user can customise.

Mid-sole - some trainers feature a steel or composite mid-sole to protect against puncture injuries.

Sole - typically made from materials like rubber, polyurethane or PVCM, durable soles feature anti-slip and impact protection properties.

Heel - for trainers worn for longer than four hours, the heel should be no higher than 2cm, for anything less than that, 4cm or less is adequate.

Heel fit - should be snug to prevent the trainer slipping and causing painful, rubbing injuries.

Toe fitting - toes should have wriggle room with a comfortable space between them and the safety toecap.

Weight - toecap and mid-sole materials are no longer exclusively made from steel, and now include composites and aluminium for a lightweight option.

Safety trainer jargon buster

We want to make it easy for you, so here are some key terms that will help you understand the range and applications a little better.

What does the safety footwear standard EN ISO 20345:2011 mean?

EN ISO 20345:2011 is not as complicated to understand as it first appears, and it specifies the basic/additional safety footwear requirements to meet the standard.

Let's break it down...

• EN - This is the current applicable standard across Europe

• ISO - All footwear PPE products must meet the minimum safety standards as defined by the International Organization for Standardization

• 20345 - This is the assigned legislation number

• 2011 - This is the year the safety standard around footwear was updated. It now requires that safety footwear must now protect against a 200 Joule impact at the toes before failing

FAQs

Can I wear safety trainers on site?

Yes. When chosen correctly to provide the protection required for your working environment, a safety trainer delivers in the same way a safety shoe would.

What's the difference between safety shoes and safety trainers?

The materials used to make the upper and sole of a safety trainer differs from those used for a safety shoe and can make them more lightweight. Also, safety trainer design is often wider and more casual than shoes or boots.

For more information on safety trainers see our Safety Footwear Guide...
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/info/safety-technical-safety-footwear

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