Work Boots Why They’re Worth The Investment

Every year, thousands of people are hurt at the workplace. Sometimes, these accidents are completely inevitable. Other times, they are. Often, we hear about employers failing to take the proper precautions. While this certainly does happen, in certain workplaces there are things that employees can do to ensure their own safety — and when they fail to do so, they, above anyone else, suffer the consequences of their own actions. One of the things required of many employees in risky work environments is a pair of comfortable work boots. But with the approximate amount of money spent on protective footwear being $70 each year, some employees balk at the idea. How important are protective work boots? For that matter, surely some boots that aren’t technically work boots could stand in as substitutions. As we’ll explore below, this is not the case. Nothing can take the place of good work boots when it comes to taking the measures to protect your feet. Protecting your feet is vital not only to ensure your safety in the everyday work environment — it can also safeguard your future. Some foot injuries are so bad that people are unable to work as they did before. And indeed, these injuries could often be prevented through waterproof or steel toe boot boots.

Variety: Different Boots For Different Environments

It’s not as if all boots are exactly alike. Different work environments prompt different needs. Comfortable work boots are necessary for those who expect to spend a lot of time on their feet — which would be almost anyone, it seems. However, if you expect to work in a damp environment, slip-resistant waterproof boots might be a good idea. Not only do these boots prevent slip and fall accidents — they also prevent infection. When liquid seeps into boots, it potentially causes a growth of bacteria that can infect your feet. While this may seem to be a small issue, by the time such infections are detected, they’ve often done a lot of damage to your feet. Now, it’s also important to remember the importance of compression resistance. Heavy equipment can be the norm in some workplaces. Compression resistance can ensure that, should your feet sustain impact, they’ll be safeguarded. In some cases, people are even at risk of having their feet caught in machinery. Should they be freed quickly, compression resistance can save their feet. Usually, you’ll find compression resistance in steel toe boots.

Classes: Understanding Work Boot Safety Performance

Before buying the work boots that look the best, you should take the time to learn about how these work boots are rated. That way, you won’t waste money on work boots that won’t perform as they should. The American Society for Testing and Materials has created a system through which we can understand how one type of boot performs compared to another. Check out the ASTM F2413-11 — that will detail exactly how performance is measured. One thing is consistent, no matter what material the work boots are made of. They all need to have protective toe caps fixed to their interiors. There are four classes through which you can rate the impact resistance of work boots. They include Class 75 for men, Class 75 for women, Class 50 for men, and Class 50 for men. As you might have figured, Class 75 is more impact-resistant than Class 50.

Investment Shoes: Be Prepared To Spend

The fact is that these shoes are not outright inexpensive. However, there are ways in which they make up for their price. For one thing, these boots save you from injury — and all the expense that come with injury. For another, they tend to last much longer than “cheaper” boots. One pair of good steel toe boots can last your for years, rendering them, from an investment perspective, cheaper than some boots with a lower sticker price.