For work

QUALITIES – NONSLIP SOLES

NONSLIP SOLES FOR A SECURE STEP

Good shoes are essential for anyone whose job involves standing or moving around a lot. Working in a hospital, in a nursing home, in food service or in a kitchen puts a lot of stress on workers' feet – and these jobs are usually done for a lifetime. Good work shoes not only ensure that their feet will feel as comfortable as possible throughout the workday – they also help prevent work accidents and posture problems. Those who stand or walk a lot as part of their job need to look for an anatomically shaped footbed and a good fit.

And a flexible, soft outsole that supports the natural rolling motion of the foot and offers a firm grip – even on slippery surfaces, such as tiled floors – is especially important. To meet the needs of these workers, BIRKENSTOCK has developed the super-grip sole.

Key visual: Super-Grip Sole (Professional Katalog 2014, S. 6)

The special sole for jobs that involve a lot of standing or moving is comprised of two components: The nonslip, oil- and grease-resistant sole made of high-quality rubber gives the shoes the grip they need; the sole meets the standards of EN ISO 20347. The shock-absorbing midsole made of ultralight, very flexible EVA automatically smooths out slight irregularities in the floor and reduces the impact on joints. So the super-grip sole is particularly suitable for daily use in hospitals, care facilities, kitchens and the food service industry.

TÜV-CERTIFIED SAFETY

At the end of the 1990s, uniform standards for safety, protective and occupational footwear were introduced at the European level. The standards in this area still apply. Occupational footwear refers to all shoes that have nonslip, anti-static or similar features and that generally do not have special toe protection.

TÜV Rheinland uses the following standards to test our BIRKENSTOCK professional models:

EN ISO 20344: Requirements and test methods
EN ISO 20345: Specifications for safety footwear
EN ISO 20346: Specifications for protective footwear
EN ISO 20347: Specifications for occupational footwear

BIRKENSTOCK professional models with soles that are explicitly designated as nonslip meet at least one of the following criteria:

SRA: Nonslip on ceramic tiles with cleaning agents
SRB: Nonslip on steel floors with glycerin
SRC: Nonslip on ceramic floors with cleaning agents and steel floors with glycerin