EH stands for Electrical Hazard. In safety footwear, it identifies boots or shoes tested to reduce the risk of electric shock from accidental contact with energised electrical conductors.
EH footwear is intended as secondary protection. It does not make live electrical work safe and cannot replace de-energisation, lockout procedures, insulated gloves, protective clothing or voltage-rated tools.
EH footwear uses an electrically resistant sole and heel construction to reduce the path of current between the worker and the ground.
Its effectiveness depends on several conditions:
The footwear must be correctly tested and marked.
The outsole must remain clean, dry and undamaged.
Nails, cuts, excessive wear or unauthorised alterations may reduce protection.
The footwear should be inspected before use.
EH footwear must be combined with other electrical safety controls.
SAFETOE’s electrical worksite page describes EH footwear as secondary protection under specified dry test conditions. ASTM also states that laboratory compliance tests do not establish protection levels for every real-world exposure.
ASTM, CSA and Australian Requirements
ASTM F2413
ASTM F2413-24 is the current US safety-toe footwear standard. Its optional performance categories include electrical hazard, puncture resistance, static dissipation and other protections.
Footwear carrying an EH code must be evaluated as a complete product.
CSA Z195
CSA Z195:14 (R2025) covers electric-shock-resistant soles as well as toe, puncture, metatarsal and slip protection.
In Canada, electric-shock-resistant footwear uses a white rectangle with an orange omega symbol. Its resistance can deteriorate through wear and wet conditions.
AS 2210.3
AS 2210.3:2019 is Australia’s current general-purpose safety-footwear standard. It covers basic and optional safety-footwear requirements but should not be described as the direct Australian equivalent of ASTM EH.
Electrical projects may require additional dielectric protection or project-specific documentation beyond general AS 2210.3 certification.
EH Safety Boots vs Insulated Boots
The word “insulated” can refer to two very different products:
Cold-insulated boots: These use thermal insulation to protect workers from low temperatures. A CI or winter rating does not prove electrical protection.
Dielectric footwear: This is specialised electrical protective equipment. ASTM F1117, for example, covers dielectric overshoes and boots designed to provide additional electrical isolation if accidental contact occurs.
EH work boots are ordinary protective footwear with an additional electrical-hazard rating. They are not automatically equivalent to specialised dielectric overshoes.
Recommended EH Safety Boots
M-8356RB: heavy-duty 18kV EH-rated utility boot.
M-8552EH Pro: metal-free industrial EH boot.
M-8025NB EH: slip-on EH boot for maintenance applications.
L-7296EH: breathable, lightweight EH shoe.
Product selection should be based on the applicable market standard, job task, working surface and required additional protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an 18kV laboratory test mean the boot is safe for working on an 18kV live circuit? No. The test rating is not a safe working-voltage permission. EH footwear remains secondary protection.
Can wet EH boots still provide the same protection? They should not be assumed to do so. Moisture, wear and contamination can reduce electrical resistance.
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