ESD safety shoes: When useful? Practical guide

Electrostatic discharges are often invisible but costly. Just a few volts can damage components or distort measurements, while you only feel something from around 2000 volts. ESD safety shoes make sense when you handle sensitive electronics, protect measurement and medical technology, or need to minimize ignition hazards from sparks. Here you’ll quickly learn when ESD protection is necessary, how ESD shoes work, how they differ from antistatic and electrically insulating footwear, and how to choose the right pair. A clear introduction is provided in the article ESD in work sneakers: how it works.

Where ESD protection is indispensable at work

ESD protection matters wherever unintended discharges can cause damage or create ignition sources. In an Electrostatic Protected Area (EPA), a continuous dissipation concept prevents you or your footwear from storing charge. ESD safety shoes are one building block alongside ESD flooring, clothing, wrist straps and tools. Beyond electronics manufacturing, they are also useful where flammable vapors, powders or solvents are present, because ESD reduces the risk of ignitable sparks. Important: When working on live parts you need electrically insulating footwear; ESD is unsuitable for that. For guidance on which models fit your use case, see the guide Which safety shoes for which workplace?.

• Electronics manufacturing, SMT/THT, PCB assembly, repair service
• Cleanrooms, laboratories, medical technology, pharma
• Metrology rooms, calibration labs, quality assurance
• Paint shops, printing, chemicals and areas with solvents
• Zones with increased explosion risk per ATEX, together with other protective measures

For clinics, care and laboratory environments, find compact industry requirements here: Safety shoes in the healthcare sector.

How ESD safety shoes work in practice

ESD shoes dissipate static charges in a controlled way through the sole and the floor. They have a defined electrical dissipation capability, typically in a system range of about 100 kΩ to 35 MΩ. This prevents your body from charging up without risking short circuits. The effect only arises in the overall system with ESD flooring, insoles and socks that must also be ESD-appropriate. ESD-capable models are identifiable by the yellow ESD symbol. Relevant standards are EN ISO 20345 for safety shoe classes and IEC 61340-5-1 plus related test standards for ESD requirements. Materials such as PU outsoles with conductive additives provide reproducible dissipation values. An overview of the safety classes is summarized here: EN ISO 20345: S1, S1P, S2, S3 – simply explained.

ESD-capable, antistatic or electrically insulating?

Antistatic safety shoes under EN ISO 20345 have an electrical resistance of 100 kΩ to 1000 MΩ and in general reduce charging. ESD-capable safety shoes go a step further: they meet tighter requirements and achieve lower resistances in practice, typically up to 35 MΩ, to protect sensitive components and comply with EPA rules. In other words: every ESD shoe is antistatic, but not every antistatic shoe is ESD compliant. Strictly separate from this are electrically insulating shoes for work on live parts. They deliberately prevent current flow and are not ESD-capable, because ESD relies on controlled dissipation. For electricians working under voltage, insulating shoes according to the relevant standards are required, not ESD shoes. An overview of modern features that help with selection (incl. ESD and antistatic): Sneakers & safety shoes: innovative features.

Selection and care: keeping ESD values stable

• Look for the ESD symbol and manufacturer data on tested dissipation values in the system.
• Only combine ESD-appropriate insoles and socks; avoid insulating accessories.
• Keep outsoles clean; dirt, oil and dry air increase resistance. Room humidity of 40–60% is ideal.
• Test shoes regularly with ESD testers and document readings according to EPA requirements.
• Replace worn or heavily soiled shoes and insoles in good time.

Frequently asked questions about ESD safety shoes

When do you need ESD shoes?

Whenever you work with sensitive electronics, need stable measurements, or want to avoid ignitable sparks from static charge. In EPAs, ESD shoes are a fixed part of the protection concept.

When is ESD protection necessary?

As soon as damage is possible from a few volts, or explosion protection concepts require avoiding charging. Companies define this in ESD or ATEX guidelines, often based on IEC 61340-5-1.

What do ESD shoes do?

They dissipate static charges in a controlled manner, keep your body within a safe potential range and thus reduce product failures, measurement errors and the risk of ignitable sparks.

What does ESD mean for safety shoes?

ESD stands for Electrostatic Discharge. ESD safety shoes are specially tested to achieve defined, low dissipation resistances in the overall system and protect electronics from discharges.

Looking for lightweight, stylish safety shoes for your workday? Discover our safety sneakers – comfortable EN ISO 20345 models. If you need ESD, look for the ESD symbol or contact our team for advice.