What are the benefits of wearing steel-toed boots?

The steel-toed boot is one of the most famous workplace safety equipment in the history of the industrial world. Wherever there’s a rugged workspace with the dangerous gear you expect to find workers with steel-toed boots. The steel-toe has seen the workplace go through several changes over the years. During it all, the reliable boot has remained essentially the same. New and better materials may have cropped up to make it safer and lighter, but steel-toed foot protection is a safety constant. Eltham Workwear has a wide selection of steel-toed boots, click here to browse. 

What is a steel-toed boot?

While the name is pretty self-explanatory the primary characteristics of the footwear are that it’s durable, and it has a protective reinforcement in the toe to prevent compression and falling object injuries. There are 8 classifications that safety footwear falls into, and having a steel-toe is required on the lowest of these. The rest of the categories include puncture resistance, water resistance, anti-static, slip resistance, protection against arc flash and more, with many different options, which are usually focused on specific industries. Your workplace might specify which of these categories your footwear should conform to. If you need help with this, Eltham Workwear is always on hand to assist. Keep reading for more!

Eight reasons to wear steel-toed boots

There are many reasons for a worker to wear steel-toed boots, eight good ones are below!

1. A workplace may require you to wear steel-toed boots. Safety regulations and workplace hazards make many employers take a proactive approach. Many jobs may send you home if you do not wear reinforced shoes. For some employers, the employee objections are not worth the liability.  
2. As we implied above, the government may insist steel-toed boots be worn in certain environments. These regulations aren’t simply an act of kindness towards workers. Industries plagued by accidents are unproductive and inefficient. 
3. Steel-toed boots can absorb 75 pounds of falling weight from a distance of over three yards. Some studies have shown the boots to resist hundreds of pounds of pressure. The boots can prevent puncture, crushing, mangling and dismemberment. 
4. One of the main objections workers give about steel-toed boots is comfort.  Because the shoes are bulky the general feeling is they may be unpleasant to wear. Studies show that firm shoes provide better support during long-term walking and standing. Steel-toed boots may ease foot impact and tendon pressure, especially on concrete floors.  
5. Steel-toed boots are made to last. They resist the elements and are composed of some of the most durable materials. From top to bottom and front to back they’re constructed to stay intact through the worst of conditions.  
6. The safety footwear market has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. With technological advances in materials, manufacturers have been able to produce more stylish, comfortable and lightweight items. The classic black boot is no longer the only option!
7. Taking care of yourself is important. In a hazardous work environment, steel-toed boots are a common-sense way to prevent serious injury and impairment.  
8. Most employers don’t want to see their workers injured. The majority of business owners don’t want to run a dangerous shop. 

Who should wear steel-toe boots?

Anyone who thinks they need foot protection should consider wearing steel-toed boots. Some obvious professions that should think about it are: 

• Construction workers
• Electricians
• Mechanics
• Labourers
• Heavy equipment workers

An addition of a protective scuff cap makes boots ideal for a variety of work environments. Eltham Workwear steel-toed boots are strong and flexible with some boots constructed with water resistance, oil resistance and antistatic features. Explore our ranges here.

Get in touch

Eltham Workwear & Safety is a distributor and supplier of quality workwear and PPE to the UK market. Our head office is based in Dartford, with another branch in Portslade, Sussex. We offer both B2C and B2B solutions via our website and our dedicated sales staff. We deliver to London, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Hertfordshire, and we use DHL for deliveries to the rest of the UK.Please get in touch with our friendly team if you need any advice or to speak about how we can help you with safety workwear. For an additional cost, we can even add your logo to all manner of garments and items, from caps and hardhats to fleeces and jackets using various methods of personalisation. Please click here to find out more.