Understanding burocracy
Standards explained easily
To save other peoples life paramedics often have to go through dangerous situations for theirselves. For their missions there is no doubt that they deserve a high level of personal protection. To ensure this, there are safety standards for personal protective equipment, which are uniformly valid in the European Union safety standards. To better understand what stands behind the exact requirements and test procedures of these standards, we extracted and explained some of the most important features.
- Protective midsole
- Shock absorption
- Water vapour permeability
- Insulation against heat and cold
- Toe protection
For thos public tenders wher a security standard is required, yearly certification is a absolute must. The abscence of any kind of document or certificate would lead to th emediate exclusion from the tender. All together over 80 different values are tested, including tear resistance, slip resistance, water resistance and many, many more!
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Protective midsole
Requirements: In order to avoid heavy injuries, pointed object like nails should not penetrate the sole at any time. To avoid this, the sole can be provided with a puncture-proof midsole that should according to the european norm EN 20345 : 2012 withstand a pressure of 1100 Newton.
This corresponds to: A pressure of 1100 newton is roughly the weight of a 110 kg heavy man. Our VÃLKL boots reach 110 % of the standard, and thus our protective midsole withstands a weight of 120 Kg.
How is it tested? The shoe is rolled over an approximately 4.5 mm wide blunt nail just as it would imitate the walking movement. The nail may penetrates the sole, but must not pentrate the midsole.
VÃLKL Advice: Unfortunately, in the real world nails are thin, pointed and terribly rusty. That's why we build our fire boots with a midsole made of steel. This guarantees you a permanent puncture protection, even if you step on something pointed with a little more energy.
This corresponds to: A pressure of 1100 newton is roughly the weight of a 110 kg heavy man. Our VÃLKL boots reach 110 % of the standard, and thus our protective midsole withstands a weight of 120 Kg.
How is it tested? The shoe is rolled over an approximately 4.5 mm wide blunt nail just as it would imitate the walking movement. The nail may penetrates the sole, but must not pentrate the midsole.
VÃLKL Advice: Unfortunately, in the real world nails are thin, pointed and terribly rusty. That's why we build our fire boots with a midsole made of steel. This guarantees you a permanent puncture protection, even if you step on something pointed with a little more energy.
Shock absorption
Requirements: In order to assess the comfort of a shoe, the energy absorption is measured in the heel area of the sole. The more energy it absorbs the higher are the dampening properties of the sole. The standard requirements are therefore a minimum energy absorption of 20 joules.
This corresponds to: 20 joules correspond to the energy that a 200 kg heavy body develops when falling from 10 cm. Our VÃLKL boots exceed this standard value by 160 %.
How is it tested? With the heel of a last pressure is exerted onto the sole. A force-displacement curve records how much this sole can be compressed under constantly increasing pressure. If the material does not compress itself with a pressure of under 20 joule, it does not fulfill the requirements.
VÃLKL Advice: In order to ensure an optimal energy absorption of our VÃLKL Professional boots are injcetion moulded. The very light and absorbing PU is distributed under the entire sole to guarantee a great energy absorption.
This corresponds to: 20 joules correspond to the energy that a 200 kg heavy body develops when falling from 10 cm. Our VÃLKL boots exceed this standard value by 160 %.
How is it tested? With the heel of a last pressure is exerted onto the sole. A force-displacement curve records how much this sole can be compressed under constantly increasing pressure. If the material does not compress itself with a pressure of under 20 joule, it does not fulfill the requirements.
VÃLKL Advice: In order to ensure an optimal energy absorption of our VÃLKL Professional boots are injcetion moulded. The very light and absorbing PU is distributed under the entire sole to guarantee a great energy absorption.
Water vapor permeability
Requirements: To avoid sweaty feet during the daily use, rescue boots must not only be waterproof but also breathable. According to the security shoes standard EN 20345 : 2012 the leather has to guarantee that at least 0.8 mg of water vapor penetrates in one hour per square centimeter.
This corresponds to: the european standard requires, applicated to a pair of boots and an 8-hour mission, a water vapor permeability of a well filled shot glass (25.6 ml). Our VÃLKL rescue boots reach 525% of the required value. Thus, a VÃLKL rescue boot yields nearly a full juice glass of liquid (135 ml) to the environment.
How is it tested? A piece of leather is stretched over the opening of a receptable filled with desiccant. After one hour, in an enviroment surrounded by water vapor a certain amount of water vapor (liquid) has passed through the leather into the desiccant. The permeability can finally be measured by the weight difference of the dessicant.
VÃLKL Advice: We only use high quality leather produced from recognized and certified tanneries for our rescue boots. In addition, we use the moisture-absorbing Sympatex membrane to exploit completely the potential of our leathers.
This corresponds to: the european standard requires, applicated to a pair of boots and an 8-hour mission, a water vapor permeability of a well filled shot glass (25.6 ml). Our VÃLKL rescue boots reach 525% of the required value. Thus, a VÃLKL rescue boot yields nearly a full juice glass of liquid (135 ml) to the environment.
How is it tested? A piece of leather is stretched over the opening of a receptable filled with desiccant. After one hour, in an enviroment surrounded by water vapor a certain amount of water vapor (liquid) has passed through the leather into the desiccant. The permeability can finally be measured by the weight difference of the dessicant.
VÃLKL Advice: We only use high quality leather produced from recognized and certified tanneries for our rescue boots. In addition, we use the moisture-absorbing Sympatex membrane to exploit completely the potential of our leathers.
Water resistance
Requirements: Adverse weather conditions on missions are not uncommon. To ensure that the rescue boots withstand water penetration for an acceptable period, the standards require that the used leathers withstand water penetration for at least 60 minutes.
This corresponds to: In the test VÃLKL boots withstood 6 hours with no detectable water penetration. This corresponds to 600% of the required value.
How is it tested? The inside of an leather sample is covered with conductive wires and the whole sample is immersed in electrically charged water. In addition, the machine simulates compression movements of the leather. Once water penetrates the leather, the electric charge stops a timer.
VÃLKL Advice: We only use waterproof quality leathers. Although leather is very resistant by its nature and through special tanning processes, we use water-repellent threads to double the protection.
This corresponds to: In the test VÃLKL boots withstood 6 hours with no detectable water penetration. This corresponds to 600% of the required value.
How is it tested? The inside of an leather sample is covered with conductive wires and the whole sample is immersed in electrically charged water. In addition, the machine simulates compression movements of the leather. Once water penetrates the leather, the electric charge stops a timer.
VÃLKL Advice: We only use waterproof quality leathers. Although leather is very resistant by its nature and through special tanning processes, we use water-repellent threads to double the protection.
Toe protection
Requirements: On a mission it is a possible that a heavy object falls on your feet. In order to protect your toes the european standards for rescue boots require that the have a toe protection that withstands an energy up to 200 joules.
This corresponds to: 200 joules correspond to a 200 kg heavy object falling from one meter onto the toes. Simultaneously 200 joules correspond also with a 2-ton heavy object falling from 10 cm height onto your foot.
How is it tested? A wedge is shot with an energy of 200 joules onto the toe cap. Then the residual height inside at the level of your toes is verified: for a shoe size 43 it must remain at least 14.5 mm of space between the toe cap and bottom of the shoe.
VÃLKL Advice: In VÃLKL we use use, apart of some function related exceptions, steel caps to ensure the highest level of security. Wether there are extreme situations or cold temperatures and forces over 200 joules, it can be excluded that splinters cause grave injuries.
This corresponds to: 200 joules correspond to a 200 kg heavy object falling from one meter onto the toes. Simultaneously 200 joules correspond also with a 2-ton heavy object falling from 10 cm height onto your foot.
How is it tested? A wedge is shot with an energy of 200 joules onto the toe cap. Then the residual height inside at the level of your toes is verified: for a shoe size 43 it must remain at least 14.5 mm of space between the toe cap and bottom of the shoe.
VÃLKL Advice: In VÃLKL we use use, apart of some function related exceptions, steel caps to ensure the highest level of security. Wether there are extreme situations or cold temperatures and forces over 200 joules, it can be excluded that splinters cause grave injuries.