Electrical protection in safety footwear can be a confusing area. With similar names, the shared umbrella term 'electrical' plus a range of acronyms, different standards and jargon, getting clarity is tough.
A common question around this subject is the differences between ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) and EH (Electrical Hazard) safety footwear. While sounding similar, they offer very different levels and types of electrical protection, so understanding the differences is critical.
So below, we've broken things down for you as clearly and simply as possible. In the grid, we explain the type of electrical protection the ESD and EH standards offers, break down what job and workplace types they are best suited for, and also address some common misconceptions, meaning you can recommend or select the right electrical hazard safety footwear. Let's get into it!
Let's look at some of the incorrect assumptions and frequent misconceptions around these two standards.
ESD FOOTWEAR
Designed to reduce static build up to prevent:
• explosions by a igniting a flammable atmosphere
• sensitive electrical equipment getting damaged
• workers receiving shocks from static build-up
EH FOOTWEAR
Designed to reduce shocks from live electrics
Footwear featuring the EH Standard is not:
• primary PPE for live electrical working
• part of the EN ISO:20345 safety footwear standard
So there you have it - everything you need to know about the protection these two safety standards offer the wearer in their workplace.
If you want to take a look at the cutting-edge of comfortable ESD safety footwear, take a look at V12's Men's and True Women's FitTM Hyrax below.
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