Electrical Hazard and Anti-Static Boots

Choosing the right safety boots is about more than comfort or toe protection.

If your workplace involves electricity, flammable substances or sensitive electronic equipment, understanding the difference between Anti-Static (AS), Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Electrical Hazard (EH) safety boots is essential.

Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are designed to protect against very different workplace hazards. Wearing the wrong type of safety footwear could increase the risk of injury, reduce compliance with workplace safety requirements, and leave workers exposed to hazards their boots were never designed to protect against.

For example, an electrician working around energised equipment may require Electrical Hazard (EH) rated safety boots to provide an additional layer of insulation against electric shock. In contrast, someone working in a fuel depot, grain silo, electronics manufacturing facility or chemical plant may need Anti-Static (AS) or Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) footwear to safely dissipate static electricity and reduce the risk of sparks.

Understanding these differences is an important part of meeting Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements and selecting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that matches the hazards identified in your workplace risk assessment.

In this guide, we will explain:

• The difference between Anti-Static (AS), Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Electrical Hazard (EH) safety boots.
• How each type of footwear works.
• Which Australian industries commonly require each rating.
• The Australian safety standards that apply.
• How to choose the right work boots for your job.
• Common mistakes workers make when selecting electrical safety footwear.

Whether you are an electrician, miner, warehouse worker, mechanic, tradesperson or work in hazardous industries, this guide will help you understand which type of safety boot is best suited to your workplace.

Anti-static vs electrical hazard safety boots

Anti-static safety boots let static electricity drain away from your body to the ground, so it can't build up and discharge as a spark. Electrical hazard safety boots do the opposite: they insulate you from the ground, so current from a live circuit is far less likely to pass through your body.

That is the key difference between AS and EH boots. One conducts in a controlled way, the other resists. A boot built to do one job well cannot do the other, which is why the two ratings are not interchangeable.

What are anti-static safety boots used for?

Anti-static safety boots are used wherever a small static spark could cause a big problem. Your body builds up static as you walk, especially on synthetic floors, in dry air or in synthetic clothing. Touch a metal handrail or machine and that charge can jump as a spark.

In most workplaces that spark is just a zap. Around flammable vapours, gas, fine dust or sensitive electronics, it can ignite an explosion or destroy a circuit board. Anti-static work boots for flammable atmospheres stop the charge building up in the first place.

What the ratings mean: AS, ESD and EH

Anti-Static (AS)

Anti-static footwear has a controlled electrical resistance, typically between 0.1 and 1,000 megohms (MΩ). That range is low enough to bleed static charge away through the sole, but high enough to give some resistance if you contact a low-voltage source. Anti-static performance is tested under AS/NZS 2210.3 and the matching ISO 20345 methods.

Useful to know: safety boots classed S1, S2 or S3 under AS/NZS 2210.3 include anti-static properties as part of the class. Boots classed SB do not, unless they are also marked A.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

ESD is a stricter version of anti-static, with a lower resistance range of about 0.1 to 35 MΩ. Charge drains faster and more predictably, which matters around very sensitive electronics and atmospheres where the tiniest spark can ignite. ESD footwear is usually tested to the IEC 61340 series.

All ESD safety boots are anti-static, but not all anti-static boots are ESD rated. If your site asks for ESD safety boots that meet Australian standards, a plain AS rating is not enough.

Electrical Hazard (EH)

EH rated work boots are built to insulate rather than conduct. The EH rating comes from the US standard ASTM F2413: the sole must withstand 18,000 volts (18 kV) at 60 Hz for one minute with no more than 1 milliamp of current leakage, in dry conditions.

In Australia, electrical hazard safety boots rated to 18 kV are usually sold with both markings: AS/NZS 2210.3 for the core safety features (toe cap, slip resistance, sole strength) and ASTM F2413 EH for the electrical insulation. EH boots are secondary protection only, not a replacement for isolation, insulating mats or rated gloves.

 

Who needs anti-static safety boots in Australia?

Anti-static safety boots in Australia are most common wherever static could ignite something or damage something:

• Petrochemical and fuel sites: refineries, fuel depots, tank farms and service station maintenance. Safety footwear for petrochemical workers in Australia is almost always specified as anti-static.
• Grain handling and dust explosion risk: silos, flour mills, feed mills and bulk storage, where fine dust in the air can ignite from a single spark. Safety boots for grain handling and dust explosion risk should be AS rated at a minimum.
• Chemical plants and paint spray booths: solvents, thinners and spray mist are easily ignited.
• Gas fitting and LPG: working near possible leaks or in confined spaces.
• Electronics manufacturing and cleanrooms: AS/ESD boots for electronics manufacturing in Australia protect circuit boards and components from static damage, along with data centres, laboratories and medical device production.
• Warehousing, printing and packaging: fast-moving plastics, film and paper build up static, especially near flammable inks or adhesives.

Who needs electrical hazard boots in Australia?

Electrical hazard boots in Australia are for people whose main risk is electric shock from energised equipment:

• Electricians and electrical contractors: electrical hazard boots for electricians in Australia add a layer of insulation when working on or near switchboards, wiring and energised plant.
• Linespersons and utility workers: substations, distribution networks and infrastructure where contact with live conductors is possible.
• Maintenance technicians: working on machinery that may not be fully isolated.
• Any role where your risk assessment or Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) lists electric shock as a key hazard.

 

AS/NZS 2210.3 safety boots: Australian standards and compliance

In Australia and New Zealand, occupational safety footwear is specified under AS/NZS 2210.3 (Occupational protective footwear – Specification for safety footwear). It covers the basics every safety boot needs, such as a 200-joule toe cap, slip resistance and sole strength, plus extra properties marked by code letters, including anti-static.

When buying compliant safety boots to AS/NZS 2210.3, check the label, tongue or product data sheet for:

• AS/NZS 2210.3 compliance marking.
• A (anti-static) or ESD marking for static protection. S1, S2 and S3 boots include anti-static as standard.
• EH marking, usually with an ASTM F2413 reference, for electrical hazard protection.
• The safety class: SB, S1, S1P, S2, S3 and so on, plus any extra codes for slip, oil, heat or water resistance.

Under Australian WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must provide PPE that suits the hazards identified, fits the worker, and is kept in good condition. Wearing anti-static boots where EH boots are required, or the other way around, can be both a safety failure and a compliance failure.

How do Anti-static/ESD and EH boots work?

Anti-static and ESD boots have soles and insoles with a set amount of electrical resistance. Static from your body leaks slowly through the boot into the floor, instead of building up and jumping as a spark when you touch metal. ESD boots have lower resistance, so the charge drains faster. Because they conduct a little, neither type protects you from mains voltage.

Electrical hazard boots use insulating rubber or polyurethane in the sole and midsole to block current flowing from your foot to the ground. If you accidentally contact a live part, far less current passes through your body. They are tested at high voltage but only in dry conditions, so water, mud and sole damage reduce their protection.

AS vs EH boots at a glance

Feature	Anti-Static (AS) / ESD boots	Electrical Hazard (EH) boots
Main purpose	Prevent static sparks	Reduce shock from live circuits
How they treat electricity	Conduct static to ground in a controlled way	Insulate and resist current
Typical resistance	AS: 0.1–1,000 MΩ; ESD: 0.1–35 MΩ	Very high; tested at 18 kV with ≤ 1 mA leakage
Common users in Australia	Petrochemical, fuel, grain, chemicals, electronics, cleanrooms	Electricians, linespersons, utilities, substations
Hazard addressed	Flammable vapours, dust, gas; static-sensitive equipment	Energised conductors and equipment
Role in PPE	Removes static as an ignition source	Secondary protection against shock
Marking to look for	A or ESD, plus AS/NZS 2210.3	EH (ASTM F2413), plus AS/NZS 2210.3

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wearing anti-static boots for live electrical work. They conduct by design, so they give no reliable shock protection.
• Wearing EH boots in flammable atmospheres. Their insulating soles let static build up, which can increase the risk of ignition.
• Assuming all safety boots cover both. They don't. Match the rating to the hazard in your risk assessment.
• Wearing thick insulating socks or the wrong insoles in AS/ESD boots. These can block the path to ground and cancel out the anti-static effect.
• Ignoring wear and contamination. Oil, moisture, dirt, worn soles and embedded stones change electrical resistance and can void AS, ESD or EH performance.

 

How to choose the right safety boots for your job

1. Identify your main electrical-related hazard. Static ignition from flammables, dust, gas or electronics points to anti-static or ESD. Shock from live circuits points to electrical hazard (EH).
2. Check your site's PPE requirements and SWMS. Many sites state "AS/ESD rated" or "EH rated" in their procedures and induction material.
3. Look for the correct markings. Confirm AS/NZS 2210.3 plus A, ESD or EH on the boot or its data sheet.
4. Match the boot to the environment. Wet, oily or chemical floors affect performance, so check slip, oil and chemical ratings too.
5. Inspect and replace. Check soles, insoles and uppers regularly. Replace boots when they are worn, damaged or fail a resistance test.

 

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between AS and EH boots? Anti-static (AS) boots conduct static safely to ground to stop sparks. Electrical hazard (EH) boots insulate you from the ground to reduce electric shock. They protect against opposite risks.

Can one boot be both anti-static and EH rated? It's very rare, because the two ratings need opposite sole properties. Always check the label and data sheet rather than assuming.

Are anti-static boots safe for electricians? Not for live electrical work. Anti-static boots conduct a small amount of current by design, so electricians should wear EH rated work boots where shock is a risk.

Do EH boots still protect when wet? Their protection is tested in dry conditions. Water, mud and worn soles reduce insulation, so EH boots should never be relied on as your only protection.

What are anti-static safety boots used for in everyday workplaces? Anywhere static could ignite vapours or dust, or damage electronics: fuel and chemical sites, grain handling, spray booths, warehouses and electronics assembly.

Get the right boots At The Coalface Workwear and Safety

Not sure which rating your job needs? Visit our Chatswood store and our team will help you match your boots to your site's risk assessment, or browse our range of anti-static and electrical hazard safety boots online, with brands including Steel Blue, Blundstone, Redback and more.

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This guide is general information only. Always follow your workplace risk assessment, SWMS and the advice of your safety manager when selecting PPE.