 EN ISO 20345 is the general European safety footwear standard covering impact protection, compression resistance, slip resistance and other common workplace hazards.

 EN ISO 20349 includes all mandatory EN ISO 20345 requirements but adds enhanced protection for thermal risks.

 Certified footwear must also resist molten metal splashes, contact heat and flame exposure while meeting stricter design requirements suitable for hot-working environments.

 The standard is divided into two application-specific parts. **EN ISO 20349-1** is intended for foundries and protects against hazards such as molten iron and molten aluminium.

 **EN ISO 20349-2** is designed for welding and allied processes, where protection against welding sparks, small molten metal splashes and contact heat is required.

 Buyers should select the certification that matches their working environment rather than assuming one certification is suitable for all hot-work applications.

 EN ISO 20349 uses application-specific markings to identify thermal protection.

 **Fe** indicates protection against molten iron splash, **Al** indicates protection against molten aluminium splash, and **WG** identifies footwear certified for welding hazards.

 These markings help buyers quickly determine whether the footwear is suitable for the intended hot-work application.

 Additional markings such as **HRO**, **HI** and **P** may also appear depending on the footwear's certified performance.

 To verify compliance, buyers should check that the footwear, technical datasheet and certification documents all identify the correct EN ISO 20349 standard, product model and applicable protection markings such as Fe, Al or WG.

 Reputable manufacturers should also provide the EU Type Examination Certificate, EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and supporting technical documentation.

 Matching product information across these documents is an effective way to confirm compliance before purchase.