"SRC-rated grip" is the phrase most UK buyers still search for, but it no longer appears on any current safety footwear certificate. EN ISO 20345:2022, the standard now in force, retired the old SRA, SRB and SRC markings and replaced them with a mandatory baseline slip test every certified safety shoe must pass, plus a single optional "SR" marking for outsoles that clear a tougher second test. So non-slip safety trainers certified today aren't "SRC-rated", they're SR-rated, or not slip-marked at all.
This guide explains what changed, what the numbers mean, and exactly where Xnexz's own certificates land.
What did SRA, SRB and SRC Actually Measure?
SRA, SRB and SRC were slip-resistance markings under the previous EN ISO 20345 standard. SRA measured grip on a soapy ceramic tile. SRB measured grip on a glycerol-coated steel floor. SRC meant an outsole had passed both.
Testers dragged the actual outsole across each wetted surface in two directions, a forward heel strike and a forward flat step, and recorded the coefficient of friction, or CoF: a measured ratio of grip to load. A higher CoF meant stronger resistance to sliding under that specific test.
SRC was popular in tenders because it implied "the best of both," but it created a real design conflict. An outsole tuned to grip a soapy tile behaves differently from one tuned to grip an oily steel plate, so manufacturers often traded away tread depth or rubber hardness on one surface to pass the other.
| Marking | Test surface | Lubricant | Min. CoF, Heel | Min. CoF, Flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRA | Ceramic tile | Sodium lauryl sulphate (soap) | 0.28 | 0.32 |
| SRB | Steel floor | Glycerol | 0.13 | 0.18 |
| SRC | Both surfaces | Both | Both thresholds | Both thresholds |
EN ISO 13287 test method, as referenced by the retired EN ISO 20345:2011 marking scheme.
Why doesn't "SRC" Appear on Shoes Certified Today?
EN ISO 20345:2022 removed SRA, SRB and SRC. A soap-based slip test on ceramic tile is now mandatory for every certified safety shoe, and a tougher optional test, on the same tile, this time with glycerine, earns the single replacement marking: SR.
Every safety shoe certified against the current standard must pass a mandatory baseline test on ceramic tile with a soap solution, no marking code is used, since it now applies by default. The thresholds are a forward heel CoF of at least 0.31 and a backward forepart CoF of at least 0.36.
An optional SR marking can then be claimed if the shoe also clears a second test on the same ceramic tile, this time wetted with glycerine instead of soap, with thresholds of at least 0.19 CoF (heel) and 0.22 CoF (forepart). Because both current tests share one surface with two liquids, rather than two separate surfaces, as SRA and SRB used to, there's no longer a code for "passed on ceramic and passed on steel." SR is the standard's own successor to SRC: a shoe certified fresh today shows SR, never SRC.
| EN ISO 20345:2011 (retired) | EN ISO 20345:2022 (current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Marking options | SRA / SRB / SRC | SR |
| Test surface | Ceramic tile and steel | Ceramic tile only |
| Contaminants | Soap solution and glycerol | Soap (mandatory), glycerine (optional) |
| Baseline requirement | Optional marking only | Mandatory for all safety footwear |
Source: EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024, clauses 5.3.5.2 (baseline) and 6.2.10 (SR). Bars scaled to 0.36, the highest value shown.
Why does a Certified Grip Rating Matter?
Slips, trips and falls on the same level caused 30% of all non-fatal workplace injuries reported to the UK's Health and Safety Executive in 2024/25, more than any other single type of workplace accident.
Slips concentrate in a predictable set of environments: commercial kitchens, healthcare corridors mopped repeatedly through the day, warehouse floors with dust or spillage, and retail stockrooms with mixed surfaces. These closely match the exact conditions EN ISO 20345 slip testing replicates, which is why the rating is a genuinely useful signal rather than a marketing add-on.
Which Floors Actually Need Non-Slip-Rated Trainers?
Non-slip safety trainers help most on hard, smooth or contaminated floors, tile, laminate, sealed concrete, and surfaces with water, oil, food waste or cleaning fluid on them. A rating doesn't remove slip risk on ice, mud, or loose outdoor debris.
Who Benefits from an SR-Rated Safety Trainer?
SR-rated S1P safety trainers may suit hospitality staff, retail stockroom workers, warehouse pickers and packers, and facilities teams, wherever an employer's risk assessment accepts S1P for light-duty work.
- Check the marking itself, SR, or the legacy SRA/SRB/SRC, on the shoe or its EU declaration of conformity, not just the word "anti-slip" in a listing.
- Match it to your floor, not simply the highest-sounding rating, see the environments above.
- Confirm the base classification meets your role, grip is only one part of a shoe's full certification.
- Replace worn trainers once the outsole tread is visibly smooth, regardless of the original rating.
A job title alone isn't proof of suitability, two workers with similar roles at different employers can sit under different PPE policies. Check what your specific site's risk assessment actually requires before buying.
What a Grip Rating Can't Promise
No certified grip rating, including SR, can promise a worker will never slip, and some jobs need a different footwear category altogether.
| May suit | Choose a different category instead |
|---|---|
| Indoor floors with grease, water or cleaning fluid, where S1P is accepted | Sites needing S3 puncture protection with a cleated outsole for construction or outdoor work |
| Retail, hospitality, facilities and light warehouse roles | Wet outdoor groundwork needing full water resistance (WR) |
| Everyday indoor slip risk from spills and mopped floors | Ladder-based roles needing a certified LG ladder-grip rating |
Is Xnexz SRC-Rated? What the Certificate Shows
No. Xnexz PulseX and StrideX are not marked SRC because SRC was used under the previous EN ISO 20345 standard and is not used under EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024.
According to Xnexz’s published certificate information, both models are certified as S1PL FO SR. The SR marking confirms that the footwear passed the current standard’s additional slip-resistance test. SR is the current slip-resistance marking, but it should not be described as identical to the former SRC rating because the testing procedure changed.
