Oil and grease not only make the floor slippery: they attack shoe soles. A low-quality sole in permanent contact with mineral oils, animal fats, or fuels softens, deforms, and loses its structure in a few weeks. The result is a shoe that no longer grips, no longer cushions, and no longer protects — even if it visually appears to be in good condition. The FO certificationexists precisely to ensure that this does not happen.
What Does FO Certification Guarantee in Safety Footwear?
The FO certificationwithin the EN ISO 20347standard certifies that the sole of work footwear has passed standardized tests for resistance to contact with hydrocarbons. In the test, sole samples are immersed in trimethylpentane — the standard's reference hydrocarbon — for a specified time. To obtain certification, the material cannot increase its volume by more than 15% or lose more than 10 Shore A hardness units. In practice, this means that the sole maintains its shape, rigidity, grip, and cushioning capacity even after prolonged use in environments with oils, gasoline, lubricants, or petroleum-derived greases.
It is a certification that protects workers in two ways: directly, by preventing the sole from losing its structure and ceasing to protect; and indirectly, by guaranteeing a real useful life for the footwear, justifying the investment compared to cheaper alternatives without this certification.
NBR Rubber: The Material That Makes FO Certification Possible
Not all rubber soles are equal when it comes to oils. Conventional natural rubber degrades relatively quickly in contact with hydrocarbons. NBR (nitrile-butadiene) rubberis a synthetic elastomer specifically formulated to resist oils, gasoline, lubricants, and fats — both animal and mineral. Its molecular structure does not absorb hydrocarbons, which prevents the chemical degradation that destroys conventional soles. It is the reference material for footwear in hospitality, the meat industry, automotive, and any sector where these substances regularly accumulate on the floor.
Sectors Where FO Certification Is Mandatory or Essential
In hospitality and professional kitchens, occupational risk prevention regulations require specific footwear for environments with grease and oil. Animal fats and frying oils not only degrade the sole — they also make it slippery when they accumulate in the sole's tread. FO-certified footwear resists both effects: chemical degradation and loss of grip.
In the meat and food industry, animal fat is constant and difficult to remove completely from the floor. A shoe with an FO-certified sole in these environments can last twice as long as one without it, making the certification an economic argument in addition to a preventive one. In automotive and mechanical workshops, mineral and hydraulic oils are the main aggressors of conventional footwear. At service stations and petrochemical plants, exposure to fuels and petroleum-derived hydrocarbons is continuous, and regulations require certified footwear for these conditions.
FO Certification and Slip Resistance: Double Protection in Oily Environments
An oily or greasy floor presents two simultaneous risks: chemical degradation of the sole and the risk of slipping. Footwear with FO certificationfrom Suecos combines chemical resistance with high-grip rubber soles, covering both fronts in a single model. The sole resists degradation from oils and at the same time maintains its anti-slip properties — without the presence of grease on the floor compromising either the protection or the durability of the footwear.
Why Choose Suecos Footwear with FO Certification?
Suecos manufactures footwear with FO certificationaccording to EN ISO 20347for professionals working in environments where grease, oil, and hydrocarbons are part of everyday life. Their high-density NBR rubber soles maintain their protective, cushioning, and grip properties throughout the footwear's useful life, without the premature degradation suffered by uncertified footwear in these environments. Available in clogs, sneakers, and closed shoes for men and women, with models that also integrate a fiberglass protective toe cap, antistatic system, and waterproofing — to cover all job risks with a single shoe.
