Today, we’re diving deep into the world of safety footwear. If you’ve ever wondered about the differences between EH, SD, and CD-rated footwear, you’re in the right place. We’ll break it down for you in simple terms so you can make informed choices when it comes to your work shoes in this video.
EH Safety Footwear
EH or Electrical Hazard Footwear in the simplest terms, is designed to protect the Person who’s wearing them. If you work in an environment where you’re exposed to live circuits, power lines, or any other electrical source, EH-rated footwear is your go-to choice as they are designed to minimize the flow of electricity through your body and into the ground, thus reducing the risk of electrical shock up to 18,000 volts. Often times the footwear will feature non-conductive soles and heels, usually made of rubber or other insulating materials.
To ensure that your footwear meets the safety standards, when shopping for EH-rated footwear, look for the official ASTM F2413-18 EH certification. Fortunately, a majority of safety footwear from Work Wear Safety come standardized with the EH safety feature.
SD Safety Footwear
SD or Static Dissipative Footwear, unlike EH rated footwear, is designed to protect the Product that is being worked on. SD-rated footwear comes to the rescue in situations where static buildup can damage sensitive equipment or ignite flammable materials.
They are designed with carbon or metallic fibers stitching to dissipate static electricity safely to the ground, preventing any sudden discharges. With that being said, there are 3 different types of SD-rated footwear. SD 100, SD 35, and SD 10. We can go further into the difference between all three but what’s important to know for the sake of this blog is that the lower the number, the more charge that dissipates off the body, meaning the more protection you are giving the product.
If you’re considering SD-rated boots to meet safety requirements, make sure to verify the official ASTM F2413-18 SD certification.
CD Safety Footwear
CD or Conductive Footwear is designed for environments where it’s essential to discharge static electricity rapidly. Unlike the others where the idea is to protect the person or the product, CD-rated footwear protects the workplace. So, in essence, it protects the Place where the employee works.
This safety feature is essential for employees who work with gunpowder or any other highly explosive chemicals, as these boots provide a direct path for static electricity to flow from your body into the ground, ensuring that you don’t accumulate any dangerous charge that can cause any explosions. Similar to SD-rated footwear, they typically feature soles and heels made of highly conductive materials like carbon or metal.
When searching for CD-rated footwear to guarantee they meet safety standards, remember to look for the official ASTM F2413-18 CD certification.
