Every safety shoe claims slip resistance. The difference between marketing language and a real rating is the test behind it. Here is what the codes mean and how to match them to the floors your team actually walks on.
The European rating system
Under EN ISO 20345, slip resistance is tested on standardized surfaces with defined contaminants. Two results are recorded: SRA, tested on ceramic tile with sodium lauryl sulfate solution (a soap-like wet), and SRB, tested on steel plate with glycerol (oily). A shoe marked SRC has passed both tests, which is the highest rating under this system.
What that means in practice
- SRA: good on wet tile, typical for kitchens, hospitals and food processing.
- SRB: good on oily steel, typical for metalworking and heavy industrial floors.
- SRC: good on both; the rating to specify when your environment mixes hazards.
Slip resistance is about the compound and the tread
Two things create grip: a soft, high-friction rubber compound and a tread pattern that channels liquid away from the contact patch. A hard compound with deep lugs is worse on wet tile than a soft compound with shallow channels. When you test a shoe, judge it on your own floor, with your own contaminant, because the laboratory condition is a proxy, not a guarantee.
US requirements
ASTM standards for the US market handle slip resistance differently, and there is no single universal pass mark equivalent to SRC. Instead, look for the ASTM rating on the label plus the manufacturer’s test data. For food service and healthcare, many US buyers specify footwear tested to recognized wet and oily surface protocols and published by the manufacturer.
Common mistakes
- Assuming any safety shoe is slip resistant; the base standard does not automatically include it.
- Buying for one floor type and wearing them on another.
- Letting worn-out soles stay in service; slip resistance degrades as tread and compound wear.
Our safety footwear is rated with SRC outsoles as standard across the range. Tell us your floor conditions and we will confirm the right specification for your team.