Women's S1 safety shoes: the class, the water limit, and the fit
Updated: 16 October 2026
You are ordering trainers for a dry indoor shift, or you have been told to turn up in safety shoes and you are not sure who pays. Women's S1 safety shoes are the low-cut option when the written hazard is a protective toecap, not nails and not rain. The [women's S1 safety shoes comparison](/hub/burglar-protection/women-s-s1-safety-shoes) ranks the amazon.co.uk listings we hold, from £25.49 to £39.99. This page does not pick a model. The Products Compared editorial team updated it on 16 October 2026 from public UK sources and those listings. We did not lab-test any shoe. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are ordering trainers for a dry indoor shift, or you have been told to turn up in safety shoes and you are not sure who pays.
You are ordering trainers for a dry indoor shift, or you have been told to turn up in safety shoes and you are not sure who pays. Women's S1 safety shoes are the low-cut option when the written hazard is a protective toecap, not nails and not rain. The women's S1 safety shoes comparison ranks the amazon.co.uk listings we hold, from £25.49 to £39.99. This page does not pick a model. The Products Compared editorial team updated it on 16 October 2026 from public UK sources and those listings. We did not lab-test any shoe. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Printed class | Water claim | Cut | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  n/a Unisex steel toe trainers | Not printed | No | Unisex | 7.1 | about £25.49 | View offer |
| Alternative |  n/a Steel toe trainers for women | Not printed | No | Women's | 7.6 | about £36.99 | View offer |
 Baofular Baofular K8 steel toe trainers | Not printed | No | Men and women | 8.1 | about £39.95 | View offer |
On this page
What S1 means on a women's safety shoe
Under BS EN ISO 20345:2022, safety footwear has a toecap tested to at least 200 joules and 15 kilonewtons. Class S1 adds a closed heel, antistatic properties, and energy absorption in the seat. On the 2022 reading, basic slip resistance is part of the shoe and is not a separate badge. The uvex UK guide to that standard is the class table used here. It does not put a puncture-resistant midsole or a water-resistant upper inside S1.
A title that only says steel toe has not told you any of that. Steel and composite can both meet the joule test if certified, though a site rule that says steel can still refuse composite. If the floor can hide screws, that decision is on the S1 vs S1P safety shoes page. On a 2022 mark, FO is an extra symbol, not part of S1. Some 2011 S1 listings still print a fuel-oil resistant outsole inside the class, so you read the year on the label.
Water, slip, and the codes that are not S1
Mesh trainers wet through. S1 does not keep rain out, and a review that says a pair felt waterproof is not a water class. Water-resistant uppers start at S2, the WPA mark. Whole-shoe waterproofing is WR, in classes S6 and S7. Slip is a separate limit. SR is the extra glycerol-on-tile mark. Older shoes may still say SRA, SRB, or SRC, and those are not the same label as SR. Oil-resistant is not slip-resistant. HSE's approved code L25 says there is no such thing as non-slip footwear. A title that says non-slip has not printed SR. You trial the sole on your floor and replace the pair when the tread is smooth. How to read the label is the how to check S1 safety shoe markings page. S3 adds a cleated sole and puncture resistance on top of S2.
Fit and evidence before you order
Women's ranges often run from about UK 3 to about UK 8. Prefer that when a unisex trainer runs long and wide. Read the EU number on the tongue as well as the UK number, because brand charts do not agree. One reviewer of a women's pair at £39.99 said the sole was wide enough to press two pedals. If you drive in the shoes, try the pedals first.
A serious listing prints the class, a UKCA or CE mark, and a women's UK size. In Great Britain the mark is UKCA or CE. In Northern Ireland it is CE, or UKNI together with CE. The nine comparison rows do not print the class in the details we hold. Printed-code women's S1 or S1P trainers at Screwfix and Arco were about £57 to £62 including VAT on 15 October 2026. A Portwest Steelite women's S1 listing was £37.73 and does state the code. Antistatic on an S1 shoe is not electrical insulating footwear.
Who provides the shoes
If a risk assessment still needs footwear, the employer provides it free, maintains it, and trains people to use it. That is the PPE at Work Regulations 1992, regulations 4, 6, 9, and 10. Section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 stops a charge for PPE required only for work. The 2022 amendment extends the duties to limb (b) workers. L25 also says PPE is not required where the foot risk is insignificant.
Self-employed people and volunteers still need the matching class, and they do not get free issue automatically. If you are limb (b), ask the hirer which duty applies. Call the supervisor when the class is not in writing. Occupational health, through the employer, is the route when standard footwear cannot be worn for a medical reason.
Common questions
What does S1 include on a women's safety trainer?
On the 2022 reading of BS EN ISO 20345, S1 is a toecap tested to at least 200 joules and 15 kilonewtons, a closed heel, antistatic properties, and energy absorption in the seat. It does not include a puncture-resistant midsole or a water-resistant upper. A women's trainer is S1 only when the label prints the class.
Are women's S1 safety shoes waterproof?
No. S1 does not keep rain out, and mesh trainers wet through. Water-resistant uppers start at S2, the WPA mark. Whole-shoe waterproofing is the WR mark in classes S6 and S7. One review that says a pair felt waterproof is not that mark. A wet walk from the car park is a different class.
Is steel toe the same as S1?
No. The toecap test is what makes a shoe safety footwear. S1 adds the closed heel, the antistatic behaviour, and the seat energy absorption. A listing can say steel toe and never state a standard. Composite can meet the same joule test if it is certified, and a written site rule that says steel can still refuse it.
When do I need S1P, S2, or a waterproof class instead?
You need S1P, S1PL, or S1PS when the floor can hide nails or screws. You need S2 when the upper has to resist water. You need S6 or S7 when the whole shoe has to be waterproof. S3 adds a cleated sole and puncture resistance on top of a water-resistant upper. The written assessment chooses, not the shop title.
Does my employer have to pay for the shoes?
If the risk assessment still requires the footwear, the employer provides it free under the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 and must not charge you for PPE needed only for work. The employer also maintains it and trains you to use it. If the foot risk is insignificant, L25 says PPE is not required at all.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Last checked 16 October 2026.
- HSE: PPE overview (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- PPE at Work Regulations 1992 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE: using the right type of PPE (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE L25: slip risks in the workplace (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE: choosing slip-resistant footwear (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE: construction PPE FAQ (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- uvex UK: guide to EN ISO 20345:2022 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- BSI: BS EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: UKCA and CE marking by sector (retrieved 16 October 2026)