This document specifies basic and additional (optional) requirements for safety footwear used for general purpose. It includes, for example, mechanical risks, slip resistance, thermal risks, ergonomic behaviour. It also specifies requirements for safety footwear equipped with customized insocks, customized safety footwear or individual manufactured customized safety footwear. This standard does not cover the property of high visibility because of interaction with the clothing (e.g. trousers cover the footwear) and work area conditions (e.g. dirt, mud).

Special risks are covered by complementary job-related standards (e.g. footwear for firefighters, electrical insulating footwear, protection against chain saw injuries, protection against chemicals and molten metal splash, protection for motorcycle riders).