ASTM F3445-21
(Specification)Standard Specification for Performance Requirements when Evaluating Slip Resistance of Protective (Safety) Footwear using ASTM F2913 Whole Shoe Test Method
Standard Specification for Performance Requirements when Evaluating Slip Resistance of Protective (Safety) Footwear using ASTM F2913 Whole Shoe Test Method
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers minimum slip resistance requirements for the performance of protective (safety) footwear and is intended to help reduce potential injuries. Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with this performance specification shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which individuals may be exposed to.
1.2 The cited Test Method F2913 allows for testing of alternative flooring or contaminates, or both. It is suggested that testing those alternatives be considered should specific workplace hazards exist.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 14-May-2021
- Technical Committee
- F13 - Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear
- Drafting Committee
- F13.30 - Footwear
Relations
- Effective Date
- 01-Jan-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-Aug-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Aug-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Nov-2017
- Effective Date
- 01-Nov-2017
- Effective Date
- 01-Sep-2017
- Effective Date
- 15-May-2016
- Effective Date
- 01-Jan-2013
- Effective Date
- 01-Jul-2012
- Effective Date
- 01-Nov-2011
- Effective Date
- 01-Jul-2011
- Effective Date
- 01-Jul-2011
- Effective Date
- 01-Mar-2005
- Effective Date
- 01-Mar-2005
- Effective Date
- 01-Mar-2005
Overview
ASTM F3445-21 sets performance requirements for the slip resistance of protective (safety) footwear using the ASTM F2913 whole shoe test method. Developed by ASTM International, this standard aims to reduce workplace injuries by establishing minimum slip resistance criteria for safety footwear used in diverse occupational settings. While the standard provides guidance for controlled laboratory testing, it emphasizes that these tests don’t guarantee slip performance in every real-world scenario. Its purpose is to offer manufacturers, buyers, and safety professionals a consistent benchmark for evaluating protective footwear, helping ensure worker safety and compliance with global best practices.
Key Topics
- Minimum Slip Resistance: Sets a baseline coefficient of friction (COF) requirement for both heel and forepart contact points, ensuring that safety footwear provides reliable grip on specified surfaces.
- Standardized Testing Procedures: Employs ASTM F2913, which measures whole shoe slip resistance under both wet and dry conditions using specific flooring types such as quarry tile.
- Applicability Across Footwear Types: Encompasses all protective footwear, including those conforming to ASTM standards F2413 (protective toe cap footwear) and F2892 (soft toe protective footwear).
- Performance Recertification: Stipulates retesting and recertification in cases of changes to key components, materials, or manufacturing processes to maintain compliance.
- Labeling and Marking Requirements: Mandates clear identification on footwear confirming compliance with ASTM F3445-21 for traceability and end-user assurance.
- Reporting and Documentation: Requires third-party laboratory certification and detailed reports after testing, ensuring transparency and credibility.
Applications
ASTM F3445-21 is essential for organizations seeking to mitigate slip-related risks in the workplace by specifying reliable protective footwear. Common applications include:
- Occupational Safety Programs: Employers can specify this standard when selecting or procuring safety footwear for warehouses, manufacturing plants, food service environments, healthcare, construction, and more.
- Footwear Manufacturers: To design, test, and market compliant safety shoes, manufacturers use ASTM F3445-21 to validate slip resistance properties and differentiate their products.
- Risk Assessment: Safety managers and industrial hygienists utilize results from ASTM F3445-21 tests to identify and control slip hazards in specific environments, particularly where alternative flooring or contaminants are present.
- Regulatory Compliance: Adoption of ASTM F3445-21 can help demonstrate conformance with safety regulations and corporate occupational health requirements.
- Third-party Certification Bodies: Testing laboratories apply the standard’s protocols to certify footwear, supporting supply chain confidence in product safety attributes.
Related Standards
Several other ASTM standards align closely with ASTM F3445-21, offering complementary coverage in the area of protective footwear safety:
- ASTM F2913: Standard Test Method for Measuring the Coefficient of Friction for Evaluation of Slip Performance of Footwear and Test Surfaces/Flooring Using a Whole Shoe Tester.
- ASTM F2413: Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear.
- ASTM F2892: Specification for Performance Requirements for Soft Toe Protective Footwear (Non-Safety/Non-Protective Toe).
- ASTM F1646: Terminology Relating to Walkway Safety and Footwear.
By implementing ASTM F3445-21, safety-conscious organizations can better protect workers, prevent accidents, and meet global footwear safety expectations relating to slip resistance. This standard plays an important role in standardizing slip resistance evaluation, ensuring reliability and consistency for both manufacturers and end users.
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Frequently Asked Questions
ASTM F3445-21 is a technical specification published by ASTM International. Its full title is "Standard Specification for Performance Requirements when Evaluating Slip Resistance of Protective (Safety) Footwear using ASTM F2913 Whole Shoe Test Method". This standard covers: SCOPE 1.1 This specification covers minimum slip resistance requirements for the performance of protective (safety) footwear and is intended to help reduce potential injuries. Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with this performance specification shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which individuals may be exposed to. 1.2 The cited Test Method F2913 allows for testing of alternative flooring or contaminates, or both. It is suggested that testing those alternatives be considered should specific workplace hazards exist. 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
SCOPE 1.1 This specification covers minimum slip resistance requirements for the performance of protective (safety) footwear and is intended to help reduce potential injuries. Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with this performance specification shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which individuals may be exposed to. 1.2 The cited Test Method F2913 allows for testing of alternative flooring or contaminates, or both. It is suggested that testing those alternatives be considered should specific workplace hazards exist. 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
ASTM F3445-21 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 13.340.50 - Leg and foot protection. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
ASTM F3445-21 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to ASTM F2913-19, ASTM F2892-18, ASTM F2413-18, ASTM F2892-17, ASTM F2413-17, ASTM F2913-17, ASTM F1646-16, ASTM F1646-13, ASTM F1646-12, ASTM F2913-11, ASTM F2892-11, ASTM F2413-11, ASTM F1646-05e1, ASTM F2413-05, ASTM F1646-05. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
ASTM F3445-21 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:F3445 −21
Standard Specification for
Performance Requirements when Evaluating Slip
Resistance of Protective (Safety) Footwear using ASTM
F2913 Whole Shoe Test Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3445; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope F2413 Specification for Performance Requirements for Pro-
tective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear
1.1 This specification covers minimum slip resistance re-
F2892 Specification for Performance Requirements for Soft
quirements for the performance of protective (safety) footwear
Toe Protective Footwear (Non-Safety / Non-Protective
and is intended to help reduce potential injuries. Controlled
Toe)
laboratory tests used to determine compliance with this perfor-
F2913 Test Method for Measuring the Coefficient of Friction
mance specification shall not be deemed as establishing per-
for Evaluation of Slip Performance of Footwear and Test
formance levels for all situations to which individuals may be
Surfaces/Flooring Using a Whole Shoe Tester
exposed to.
1.2 The cited Test Method F2913 allows for testing of
3. Terminology
alternative flooring or contaminates, or both. It is suggested
3.1 For general definitions of terms, refer to Test Method
that testing those alternatives be considered should specific
F2913 along with Terminology F1646.
workplace hazards exist.
3.2 Definitions:
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information 3.2.1 protective footwear, n—footwear that is designed,
constructed, and tested in accordance with noted ASTM
only.
standards to protect the wearer from a potential hazard or
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
hazards.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
4. Classification
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
4.1 Protective footwear manufactured to meet a minimum
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
slip performance requirement for a specific hazard or hazards.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
This standard is intended to be a standalone performance
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
specification for all protective footwear including those noted
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
within Specifications F2413 and F2892.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
5. Materials and Manufacture
5.1 US Men’s size 9, US Women’s size 8, regular or
2. Referenced Documents
2 medium width finished footwear. If medium or regular foot-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
wear is not produced, testing must be performed on the
F1646 Terminology Relating to Walkway Safety and Foot-
available width.
wear
5.2 Whole Shoe Slip Tester in compliance with the require-
ments of Test Method F2913.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F13 on
Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear and is the direct responsibility of 5.3 Quarry tile per Test Method F2913 section marked
Subcommittee F13.30 on Footwear.
“Calibration and Standardization—Test Surfaces (Floorings)
Current edition approved May 15, 2021. Published June 2021. DOI: 10.1520/
and Lubricants.”
F3445-21.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
5.4 Distilled or deionized water per Test Method F2913
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
section marked “Calibration and Standardization—Test Sur-
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. faces (Floorings) and Lubricants.”
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F3445−21
6. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance 12.3 A test report and a Certificate of Conformance (COC)
shall be issued by a 3rd Party laboratory.
6.1 New finished footwear as per Test Method F2913.
12.4 The test report shall include but not be limited to:
7. Sampling
12.4.1 ThirdPartylaboratoryname,contactinformationand
authorization signature(s).
7.1 Three half pairs, representing both feet, of each gender
12.4.2 Reference to Test Method F2913 and Specification
intended to be provided for sale, per 5.1.
F3445-21.
8.
...
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