Substandard safety shoes being sold online

UK safety body highlights unsafe footwear available through a social media platform.

The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has warned that a recent recall of safety shoes sold via a popular social media platform highlights what the body calls ‘the alarmingly wide availability of substandard personal protective equipment (PPE) in the UK market’.

The recalled product had been listed under multiple descriptors, including ‘men’s anti-smash and anti-puncture shoes’, ‘breathable non-slip work shoes’ and ‘comfortable safety shoes for men’. It was advertised as offering protection, despite actually failing to meet essential safety requirements.

‘A serious risk of injury’

The footwear in question has now been recalled by the UK government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). According to the OPSS, the product identified ‘presents a serious risk of injuries because, although it has been advertised as ‘anti-smash’ and ‘anti-puncture’, there is no evidence it has undergone conformity assessment as PPE and it is not CE or UKCA marked.’

The OPSS also states that the product does not meet the requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment or the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018.

While the shoes have now been removed from the social media site on which they were first seen following enforcement action by the OPSS, similar – if not identical – footwear was also found for sale on other platforms.

The BSIF has warned that many of these products are purchased by unsuspecting individuals who have been given budgets to buy their own PPE, but may not fully understand the rules, regulations, and certification requirements surrounding safety products.

Roy Wilders, BSIF registered safety supplier scheme manager, commented: “Year in, year out, the BSIF’s market surveillance shows there is an alarming volume of substandard PPE available to buy and in use in the UK. Our latest statistics show a shocking 90 per cent failure rate for products we bought and tested from non-registered suppliers.” 

Making the grade

Safety footwear comes in a variety of forms for protection in numerous different work environments. Whatever the design, all safety footwear must meet the requirements of EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20346 or EN ISO 20347, and be CE marked for sale in Europe or UKCA marked for the UK.

SATRA conducts all tests required for EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20346 and EN ISO 20347, from toe cap compression to penetration tests. We also carry out more specific assessments, such as flammability testing for foundry boots and rigidity tests for motorcycle footwear. SATRA test methods are internationally recognised, and we can test to many other standards, including British, ASTM and EN.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 25 of the September 2025 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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