What Should You Consider Before Buying Safety Footwear?

It is hard to imagine work clothing without proper footwear. After all, it is the shoes that protect your legs and feet from harmful factors and provide maximum comfort. But if it seems to you that it is quite easy to buy safety shoes, then you are greatly mistaken. There are many factors to consider before choosing a particular model. After all, universal footwear that will protect us equally well in all conditions simply does not exist. However, let’s see the main factors to consider in order to get the most appropriate model.

Work and safety footwear

The term “work footwear” is often replaced by the term “safety footwear”. In most cases, this is justified as workers are protected from workplace hazards. However, there are places where work shoes are used due to different requirements (hygiene, technical, sanitary) or in cases where it is necessary to protect personal shoes from contamination or damage.

Such footwear, from the point of view of safety regulations, is not an individual protective measure and is considered work footwear, which is also called professional footwear. This shoe is recommended for everyday use in the workplace where there is no need to protect the toes with a so-called toe cap. In other words, it should be used where there is no risk of damaging the foot.

There is also much more durable footwear – safe and protective. Both of these types have a special protective toe cap that is able to withstand an impact force of 200 J (safety shoes) and 100 J (for safety shoes).

How the safety footwear is being classified?

Depending on the design, purpose, and level of safety, such footwear can be roughly divided into several different types. Structurally, footwear can be divided into the following types: shoes, low shoes, boots, long top shoes, boots.

It is also important to mention here shoes that protect us from various negative factors:

• Mechanical factors.
• Chemical substances.
• Atmospheric factors.
• Biological factors.
• Thermal factors.
• Electrical impact.

There are also anti-static footwear (ESD protection) and anti-electrostatic footwear (used where there is an explosion hazard).

Marking used for the safety footwear

Any safety footwear must contain detailed information about its protective properties, purpose, conditions of use, and storage. Also, the label must contain information about the manufacturer, must indicate the size, date of manufacture, serial number, designation, and country of manufacture, as well as the symbols assigned to the corresponding protection category.

The most popular designations used to mark safety footwear (according to PN-EN ISO 20345) are SB, S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5. In particular, the SB value indicates shock resistance up to 200 J and resistance to oils, gasoline, and organic solvents. Further values indicate puncture resistance, heel protection, antistatic properties, heel cushioning, water resistance, and other protective properties.

Shoes that are considered safe (according to PN-EN ISO 20345) are designated PB, P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5, while shoes without a toe cap are designated OB, O1, O2, O3, O4, and O5.

Always follow the safety measures and get only the specialized shoes. To find the needed pair visit the B&Q website.

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