Safety boots have a long history. Before the steel toed shoe, workers in Europe often wore wooden Boots, called sabots, to work because they offered some protection against falling objects. Safety Boots or steel toe boots are hard wearing Boots or boots that have a protective plate in the toe to stop the wearer being hurt from heavy objects falling on them Often these toe plates are combined with a plate in the sole to protect the foot from sharp objects on the ground which could pierce the sole and foot
Safety Boots or steel toe boots are hard wearing Boots or boots that have a protective plate in the toe to stop the wearer being hurt from heavy objects falling on them. Often these toe plates are combined with a plate in the sole to protect the foot from sharp objects on the ground which could pierce the sole and foot. Shoe requirements depend on the specific type of job the worker does (mining, timber, electricity) and the potential hazards. The place that the workers spend most of their time is also important. For instance, someone standing for eight hours a day is more interested in comfort than someone who may crawl around machinery for most of the shift.
Traditionally the toe plates and sometimes the sole plates too are made of steel. They can also be made of a composite or a plastic like TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane). Safety engineers have discovered that there is more to a good safety shoe than a steel toe. Studies of worker compensation claims have shown that a large percentage of them are shoe related even though the workers are wearing safety Boots.These safety Boots are very important in industrial occupations, particularly in the construction industry, and often job roles have legislation attached to them insisting that these safety Boots are worn. Not wearing safety Boots can infringe health and safety legislation, or can invalidate insurance.
Safety boots are now available in a variety of styles, including clogs and trainers or sneakers. Some are smart, formal Boots, possibly for workers in a supervisory capacity who have to wear safety Boots by law. In some sub cultures the wearing of steel toed safety Boots has become something of a fashion statement, for instance with punks and skin heads who can often be see sporting brands of safety shoe like Dr. Martens and Grinders.
In the USA, safety Boots have symbols displayed on the exterior which describe the level of protection the shoe gives. For example a green triangle signifies a class 1 steel toe with a reinforced sole. A yellow triangle shows it is a class 2 toe cap with a reinforced sole. A white square means the safety shoe protects the wearer from electrical currents, and a yellow square offers anti static protection. A red square is the opposite of these and can conduct electricity, whereas a picture of a fir tree shows the safety shoe will protect the wearer from chainsaws.
Other protection that workers can get is Kevlar lining to dissipate blows and protect from punctures. Another important protection is a flexible steel bottom plate in the shoe that protects workers who step on sharp objects.
In Canada a safety shoe follows a code system to describe the protection it offers. The first code indicates whether or not the safety shoe has a steel toe cap. If it is ?0? then there is none, and ?1? means there is one and it resists a higher level of impact that ?2?, which indicates there is a plate there but it is less protective than a shoe displaying ?1?. The second part of the code lets the wearer know if there is a protective sole or not. ?0? means there is none, and ?P? means soles are protected. The third character lets you know if the safety shoe has protection against collisions and shocks, with ?M? meaning it does, and ?0? meaning not. The next letter describes electrical protection. ?E? Boots are resistant to electrical shocks, and ?S? means you are protected against static electricity. ?C? Boots actually conduct electricity which in some occupations is a positive feature. The last code found on safety Boots are for those which protect feet from chainsaws. If they do, you will see an ?X?, and if not you will see a ?0?.
Safety Boots are hard wearing Safety boots or boots that have a protective plate in the toe to stop the wearer being hurt from heavy objects falling on them available.