Technical Specification Template for Safety Shoes, Workwear and PPE: How to Write One

This guide is for purchasing departments, health and safety specialists and organisations preparing direct purchases or tenders. The sample clauses are a general starting point; adapt the values to your workplace risk assessment and your organisation’s purchasing rules.

The 7 sections of a good technical specification

Sample technical specification: safety shoes

Fill in the values in square brackets to suit your needs. For the meaning of classes and additional markings, see our

Sample technical specification: workwear

First decide whether the product is PPE. Garments that claim protection against a risk such as low visibility, flames, welding, chemicals or cold are PPE and must carry the relevant standard and the CE marking. For ordinary workwear with no protective claim (trousers, jackets, coveralls, aprons),you define quality criteria and test methods instead. The values below are commonly used examples; set them according to your own requirements.

For winter workwear, also define the lining and padding material, padding weight and, if needed, wind and rain protection. If protection in cold environments is required, add PPE standards such as EN 342. For details see our

PPE technical specification: standards and categories by product

PPE is divided into three categories according to the level of risk. In Category I the manufacturer assesses conformity itself. In Categories II and III an EU type-examination by a notified body is mandatory; in Category III production is also monitored by a notified body, and the four-digit number of the body that carries out this production control appears next to the CE marking; this may be a different body from the one that issued the certificate. Most safety footwear is Category II; electrically insulating footwear (EN 50321-1) and footwear for chainsaw users (EN ISO 17249) are Category III. If you import into a non-EU market, the local scheme also applies, for example EAC under TR CU 019/2011 in the EAEU or SABER in Saudi Arabia.

Always state the current edition of each standard with its year. For product-specific details, see our guides:

Checking documents when you evaluate offers

1. Ask for the right documents instead of a “CE certificate”: CE is a marking. The documents to request are the EU declaration of conformity and, for Category II and III products, the EU type-examination certificate.
2. Match the model name: the model name or code on the certificate must be the same as the product offered.
3. Verify the notified body: check the four-digit number of the body that issued the certificate in the EU database of notified bodies (NANDO), and confirm that it is notified under the PPE Regulation.
4. Check the expiry date: EU type-examination certificates issued under the EU PPE Regulation are valid for a maximum of five years.
5. Check the edition of the standard: the document should show the current standard and edition year; for documents issued against an older edition, pay particular attention to the expiry date.

6 common mistakes in specifications

• Naming a brand or model, or defining dimensions that point to a single product (generally not allowed in public tenders; see above).
• Writing the standard number without the edition year. For safety footwear, the 2011 edition used the slip markings SRA, SRB and SRC; in the 2022 edition the basic slip test is mandatory for all footwear and the additional glycerine test is shown as SR. State clearly which edition you accept.
• Asking for contradictory properties, such as S3 with a perforated upper, or winter garments in light summer fabric.
• Not giving a size breakdown, which increases the share of wrong sizes at delivery.
• Not stating sample and acceptance inspection conditions, so it is unclear what will be used as the reference in a dispute.
• Writing the document requirement only as “CE certificate”; the declaration of conformity and the certificate should be requested separately.

Get a quotation based on your specification

Send us your specification or list of requirements, and we will prepare a quotation with suitable models, protection classes and prices based on your size breakdown. We share the product documents that can be obtained from the manufacturer with the quotation.

Frequently asked questions

What should a technical specification include?

Subject and scope, quantity and size breakdown, the standards and protection classes to be met, materials and construction, marking and document requirements, samples and acceptance inspection, and packing, delivery and warranty terms. Every clause should be measurable and verifiable.

Which standard should a safety shoe specification refer to?

For safety footwear, state EN ISO 20345:2022 and the required protection class (for example S1P or S3). Add requirements such as SR for slip resistance, WR for water resistance or ESD (EN 61340-5-1) for electronics production according to the workplace risk assessment.

Can a technical specification name a brand?

In public tenders this is generally not allowed: EU Directive 2014/24/EU (Article 42) and, in Türkiye, Law No. 4734 (Article 12) permit a reference to a make or model only exceptionally, where the product cannot be described precisely enough, and then with the words “or equivalent”. Private companies are not bound by this, but specifying performance can bring more and better offers.

What are the standards for workwear?

Garments that claim protection are PPE: for example EN ISO 13688 for general requirements, EN ISO 20471 for high visibility, EN ISO 11611 for welding, EN ISO 11612 for heat and flame and EN 1149-5 for antistatic clothing. For ordinary workwear with no protective claim, you specify quality criteria and test methods such as fibre composition, fabric weight, colour fastness, dimensional change and seam strength.

Which documents should a PPE specification require?

The CE marking and user instructions on or with the product, the EU declaration of conformity and, for Category II and III products, the EU type-examination certificate issued by a notified body. There is no single “CE certificate”; CE is a marking.

How do you check the CE certificate of a safety shoe?

The shoe should be marked with CE, the EN ISO 20345 standard number and the class. Ask the seller for the EU declaration of conformity and the EU type-examination certificate issued by a notified body; match the model code on the certificate with the product, check the body’s number in the NANDO database and look at the expiry date. Because most safety footwear is Category II, it is normal for there to be no four-digit number next to the CE marking; Category III products such as electrically insulating footwear do carry this number.

What is the difference between a summer and a winter workwear specification?

For summer you specify lighter, breathable fabrics and blends with a higher cotton content; for winter, a heavier fabric weight, lining and padding and additional wind and rain protection. If protection against cold is claimed, add PPE standards such as EN 342 (protective clothing against cold).

Is it necessary to ask for samples?

It is not mandatory, but it is the most reliable way to see quality and fit before delivery. State the number of samples, the evaluation criteria and that the approved sample will be the reference for delivery.