Get the Right Shoes for the Job

Safety Shoes – The Choice of Everyone

What do you do for a living? I bet there are some things about you that give it away. The car that you drive, the clothes that you wear, the places you go… What about the shoes that you wear? What do they tell you about someones occupation, and could they be hiding something?

A ballerina for example, would wear silk ballet shoes. A jockey long riding boots. What about a bank manager? Shiny, formal shoes maybe? And would a teacher always wear high heels, or would the ‘fun’ teachers wear trainers? Well, I think the answer lies in what you are doing that day, and where you are going.

Maybe a teacher is teaching Physical education. In which case she would wear, I guess, trainers. But, what about if that physical education involved weight lifting? Would she be called upon to wear safety shoes? Are you sure? And are you positive you would know the difference between normal shoes and safety shoes?

Maybe our bank manager is visiting a construction site for a new branch of his bank. Would he be wearing safety shoes? Again, would you be able to tell?

And our dainty, beautiful ballerina… should she be called upon to dance in an episode of ‘Strictly’, well we have all see the terrible footwork of the fellers on there haven’t we!! Do you really think a professional ballerina would risk her million dollar tootsies for the sake of some B list celebrity and his clumsy footwork?

The point we are trying to make is that safety shoes are no longer just for the dusty construction worker. They are no longer just for the factory foreman. A pair of (dare we say it) almost stylish safety shoes to suit every lifestyle are now available, and there may be more uses than you think.

If you work in the construction or engineering industries, then you will no doubt be familiar with ‘big boot’ safety shoes. They are compulsory for health and safety reasons, and would invalidate insurance if they weren’t worn. But for our teacher, our ballerina, our jockey and many others, how do they protect their feet? Have you ever seen safety shoes styled like designer trainers? What about safety shoes just like funky clogs? What about a built in steel toe cap to your riding boot to protect you from the horses iron shod hoof?

Well, they are here, all of them. And I hope that we will soon see safety shoes more frequently available on the mass market as they will prevent avoidable injury and keep our toes safe for the future. The most attractive thing about this new generation of safety shoe is the fact that nobody ever need know you are wearing them. Not that you would be called a wimp for protecting your feet or anything but, let’s face it, nobody likes feeling different from the crowd, so now you can get safety shoes in a variety of styles, colors and safety ratings to suit your unique situation. Gone are the days of steel toe capped DM’s and hello to the era of handsome shoes with foot protection built in that nobody ever need know about.
So you know you need safety shoes for your job but which ones? Did you know they have varying levels of protection depending on what your needs are? Or did you think they were all the same?

You aren’t alone if you think they are all the same. But we hope our handy guide to the different safety shoes available will help you make the right choice for your job, and give you a head start to keeping your feet safe and complying with health and safety law from the word go.

Safety shoes in the UK must be designed to protect you against these hazards while providing comfort and style. Products should be manufactured to EN specifications and compliant with standards and statutory requirements as necessary for the job in hand. Safety shoes should feature, where necessary, anti-static, slip resistant soles and should offer top quality and function in regards to grip, cushion and weight. They should be made from durable materials and be resistant to tears, abrasions and scuffs.

Some safety shoes feature steel toe caps which help to protect your toes from injury. These are designed with a survival space inside which stops crushing weights from affecting your feet up to a certain level. Sometimes the toe protectors in safety shoes can be made of steel, but more modern varieties feature lightweight reinforced polycarbonates, giving extra protection without the extra weight of a metal fabric in your safety shoes. While a form of plastic may not sound very hard wearing, you can be confident in the knowledge that the types of plastics used in safety shoes are the same as those found in bullet proof glass and riot gear helmets, so is of top quality.

Workers without the correct safety shoe are more at risk to severe and lasting damage to their feet if an accident happens. 3 out of 4 workers have problems with their feet in their lifetimes and these are often a direct result of poor quality, ill fitting shoes or a lack of awareness around foot care and hygiene. Care should be taken when choosing safety shoes to ensure they are of the highest quality affordable, that the comfort and fit are good for your feet, and that the uppers are breathable to avoid problems with excess moisture building around your feet and toes which can potentially lead to problems with foot fungus.

Man y safety shoes are available in a range of styles, from clogs to trainers and even formal shoes, so there is something for everyone. Take account of the codes on the shoes which denote the level of protection you are getting. If you work with electricity for example, you should take extra care, as some shoes are designed to conduct electricity, whilst others will disperse it.

Safety shoes in the UK should be tested by SATRA to ensure they meet quality standards, and should be compliant with EEC directive 89/686/EEC in order for your feet to be properly protected.