Test methods for chemical resistant footwear
Workers in chemical or laboratory environments are often exposed to hazardous chemical substances (liquids, gaseous) and microorganisms. Officially expressed in 1989 in one of the EU's directives (89/686) on basic health and safety requirements, the need to create better footwear that would protect against such high-risk conditions was recently re-addressed by the 'Centre Technique Cuir Chaussure Maroquinerie'. The Centre developed a project that would support validated test methods and specifications under the umbrella of the EU directive. Compared to gloves, lifejackets and other protective clothing materials, it was recognised that footwear is a complex issue as it is made with not one but a variety of materials. Therefore the tests listed the most hazardous chemicals to be tested against the most commonly used footwear materials for their chemical resistance. In effect, a revised draft of footwear safety standards was suggested to CEN TC 161 'Foot and leg Protectors' technical Committee of the European Commission with the purpose to better evaluate footwear products in order to conform to the PPE Directive 89/686/EEC. The draft included terminology, test methods, requirements and user information, on 'Footwear protecting against chemicals and micro-organisms'. Footwear products are to be tried and tested in a chemical environment with a view to enhancing the manufacturers' knowledge of the key chemicals that the protective footwear must protect against. Further test methods will take place in order to age the footwear material and determine its chemical permeation resistance as well as the effect of exposure to sterilisation on the footwear performance. If the project's goal to provide standards on test methods and feasible limit values is officially incorporated in the EU legislation, this may prove an important industrial benefit for the footwear industry as well as for all scientists concerned who long for safer working conditions.
