Choosing Your PPE: Work Boot Selection Tips for ...

Work boots are an essential type of personal protective equipment (PPE), protecting the feet and toes from injury and providing traction, making them key to fall prevention. And footwear that fits properly doesn&#;t just make you safer; it also increases comfort, concentration, and productivity, and reduces the risk of back pain and other problems. So, it&#;s a good idea to pay attention to these work boot selection tips for construction workers.

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But choosing comfortable, properly fitting footwear with the right protective features and technologies can be a little tricky due to the large number of available options. These work boot selection tips help you figure out exactly what to look for to be sure you&#;re making a good pick.

Choosing the Right Work Boots for Construction

• Get footwear with a proper fit. It shouldn&#;t be so tight that it squeezes any part of your foot (which can lead to pain, stride problems, and other complications), but it also shouldn&#;t be loose enough that your foot slides around at all (which reduces your stability and can lead to blisters).

• Slip-resistant and puncture-resistant soles are a must. Heat-resistant and fire-resistant outsoles are too for anyone working around significant flames or high heat sources, such as welders.

• Look for newer models with more anatomically correct safety toe caps that meet the American Society for Testing Materials and Standards (ASTM) safety standards for crush and impact.

• Select flexible footwear that bends readily at the ball of your foot.

• You want work boots that provide arch support. However, few of them really provide great arch support, so it&#;s usually a good idea to invest in quality arch-supporting insole inserts.

• If you&#;re flat-footed, go with footwear that has a deep heel cup, as it will help stabilize your feet and keep you more comfortable.

• Materials like reflective webbing increase safety at night and in low lighting.

• Choose breathable work boots designed for ventilation to boost comfort, decrease sweating, and reduce odors.

• A waterproof lining is very helpful.

• Consider carbon-fiber safety toes as an alternative to steel-tipped boots, as this newer alternative is 15% lighter and better for temperature regulation (and also doesn&#;t trigger metal detectors, for workers at sites that include this safety measure).

• Direct-attach or cement construction are strong ways to combine the shoe and sole, but keep in mind that you can&#;t have work boots made this way resoled; they must be replaced.

• Women should wear work boots specifically designed for them. For a long time, female construction workers had no or few options besides footwear made for their male counterparts, but fortunately this is no longer the case. Today, they can get work boots that fit and feel much better.

• When trying on work boots, wear the same socks that you wear on the job.

Procuring the Right Safety Footwear

Many potential threats to foot safety exist in most working environments (manufacturing or not). Knowing what those threats are, is critical to keeping employees safe and your company compliant.

Most experts attest that there is more to procuring the proper foot protection than affordability and speedy delivery. Your choice in safety shoe design should consider three important aspects: Compliance, Protection, and Efficiency.

In this article, we summarise how to choose the right safety shoe and meet these considerations while doing it.

The Importance of Safety Shoes

High-quality safety shoes are a vital investment, as they protect employees&#; feet from crushes, punctures, or burn injuries. They also provide grip, avert the conduction of electricity, prevent static build-up, and help combat muscle fatigue. Good shoes provide comfort and flexibility, too, so staff performs at their best.

When choosing what footwear you will be purchasing, you first need to consider what threats your work environment might hold.

Long- and short-term foot injuries can be caused by:

• Falling objects crushing the foot
• Sharp objects puncturing or cutting the foot
• Burns from both molten and chemical agents
• Shocks from electricity or static build-up
• Slipping, tripping, or falling
• Fatigue

For the best protection, it is vital that you choose a shoe designed for the job at hand.

South African Safety Shoe Standards

Ensuring that you buy a South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) compliant product is the second step when choosing a safety shoe. Compliant safety footwear will bear the SABS-approved logo on its box or label.

 According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, companies must identify potential hazards in the workplace. Once established, precautionary measures need to be put in place to protect employees from these hazards. The provision of PPE like safety shoes is one of these measures.

Your safety footwear must conform to SANS : and SANS : laid down by the South African Bureau of Standards. These standards originate from the international standards ISO :: Safety Footwear and ISO :: Occupational Footwear.

The standards lay out essential and optional requirements for safety shoes. They refer to physical risks, slip resistance, thermal risk, and ergonomics, which are all vital for foot protection. Safety shoes must be designed and constructed according to these standards to ensure PPE protects as required.

Uniform safety basics across brands are because of these standards. If your safety shoes are SABS-approved, you are on track to choose the right safety footwear.

All safety shoes and boots supplied by Delta Health and Safety comply with the required standards.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Safety Shoe

By choosing the right safety shoe, you save yourself a lot of stress and save your company money. The correct safety shoe may be more expensive initially, but more durable products mean less spending in the long term. Plus, you protect your employees from injury at work, which can be both traumatic and costly.

Discomfort is one of the leading reasons employees give for not wearing the PPE bought for them by the company. As a result, staff will exchange their safety shoes for everyday footwear that is non-compliant or effective against risk. This is luckily an easily preventable issue once you have considered the below aspects.

Here are the most important factors to consider when you are choosing a safety shoe for your company.

Your Industry

 Knowing your industry-specific safety requirements is essential to choose the right safety shoe.

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 For example, a safety shoe in the construction or mining industry will need steel toecaps and midsoles to protect the wearer from injury. On the other hand, a safety shoe in the pharmaceutical industry will need protection from chemicals is more critical.

 

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Durability

The longer a safety shoe lasts, the better for your company. However, when deciding on durability, you need to know what the shoe needs to endure. This consideration is linked closely to understanding your industry.

It is a requirement of SANS that a safety shoe toe cap withstands 1.5 tonnes. Here, you will need to decide between a steel or composite toe cap. A steel toe cap can handle heavier weights than composite toe caps. However, a composite toe cap is better suited when dealing with electricity as it is non-conductive.

Not all safety shoes are anti-static or fuel and oil-resistant; you must determine if this is necessary. Purchasing a shoe with added unnecessary protection can be costly. Know what protective components you need so that you choose the right safety shoe.

Delta Health and Safety

 is your first call when selecting a safety shoe. Our knowledgeable team will advise you on the brand and model of shoes that fit your needs and budget.

Alternatively, you can browse our range of 

Rebel Safety Shoes

 where we list suggested environments for each shoe.

The Fit

Safety Shoes are unique in how they fit. They must provide enough room for the wearer to wiggle their toes but fit snuggly elsewhere. The heel needs to fit securely into the shoe to provide stability for the ankle. Steel midsoles can provide arch support and protection, which helps to prevent hip and back discomfort.

Discuss the needs of the employees you are supplying so that you choose the right safety shoe. An employee with back problems and on their feet all day may benefit from a larger fit and insoles.

Check employees&#; safety shoes regularly. As shoes wear, the fit can change and become uncomfortable. Even if the shoes look great on the outside, it is time to replace them when they hit this stage.

Taking the time to get the support and fit right makes the employee more likely to wear their safety shoes.

Comfort

Finding comfortable safety footwear doesn&#;t have to seem like something out of a fairy tale when buying from us. Delta Health and Safety considers the end-users comfort when selecting our products, making your choice faster and easier.

Comfort is a crucial consideration because uncomfortable shoes are less likely to be worn consistently by your employees. Sole composition affects the comfort level. Polyurethane soles used in most safety shoes have a high comfort level. PVC soles, which have good resistance to chemical agents, tend to be heavy and rate low on comfort.

Uncomfortable safety shoes can cause blisters, calluses, or other minor injuries that may lead to more significant problems. If your employees are cozy in their PPE, they will be more focused on the job at hand.

The Perfect Fit

Choosing the right safety shoe doesn&#;t have to feel like a daunting task because we are here to help!

Our extensive range of brands and shoes and our many years of experience makes meeting your requirement easy and speedy.

Delta Health and Safety is the perfect fit as your PPE partner.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of dust proof goggles. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.