scope:

This International Standard provides the principles that govern the development of incident type and/or hazard specific test methods and minimum performance requirements for protective footwear for firefighters while engaged in specialist rescue activities. Footwear related to specific specialist rescue activities, e.g.Road Traffic Crash, (RTC), Urban Search & Rescue, (USAR) are documented in individual subsections of this Standard. NOTE - For further guidance refer ISO 18639-1, General Requirements. The purpose of this International Standard is to ensure minimum performance requirements for incident type and/or hazard specific protective footwear are designated. Subsections of this International Standard cover general footwear design, the minimum performance level of the materials used and the methods of test for determining this performance level. Subsections of this International Standard do not cover special footwear for use in other high risk situations such as structural firefighting. Subsections of this International Standard do not cover protection for the head, torso, arms, hands and legs or protection of the feet against other hazards, e.g. chemical, biological, radiation and electrical hazards, except for limited, accidental exposure to fire ground chemicals and contaminated blood or body fluids. Selection of the appropriate system of Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE), including footwear, is dependent on carrying out an effective risk assessment which identifies the hazard to be faced, evaluates the likelihood of those hazards and provides the means of reducing or eliminating these hazards.