Hey, tell me Guys,
Is the use of Full Steel capped Safety Boots required where you work?.
I wear these sorts of boots most of the time and I must say that I really hate the things.
The person that invents a really comfortable safety boot has really got my vote!.
I've been told that if your feet suffer, so does the rest of your body.
If I know that I won't be doing anything too dangerous, I like to wear X-trainers.
In some instances, these can be a lot safer up on corrugated iron or Zincalum roofs than wearing Safety boots.
But in an Industrial situation, I would wear nothing less than steel caps!.

I have seen all kinds of steel-toed shoes advertised. Athletic, cowboy boots, even a pair of wingtips for the safety conscious boss. My biggest gripe with them is the fact your toes turn into ice cubes wearing them in cold weather.

Big Jim,
We have sheep skin innersoles that we put in our boots over here, during the winter.
I've used them for the last 3 winters and I've never had cold feet since!.
Wearing safety boots saved my right foot one day, I was carrying a 6x6" crossarm and slipped and it landed end-on on my toes.
It slightly crushed the end of my boot, but hey, getting a new pair of boots is nothing compared to the alternative.

I have always worn steel toe boots. If you buy a good pair they are comfortable and will last 1-2 years. My boots run almost $200 but I am on my feet all day and you need comfort.
RedWing makes all kinds of steel toe boots, shoes and sneakers.

JoeyD,
Welcome to ECN, mate!!.
Glad to have you along.

Thanks. I hope to learn a few things on the way.

Not really, but strongly suggested for the maintenance crew. Big Jim , I agree with the Redwings, I also have had success with doubleH boots. All I wear is western boot even the steel toed ones are. And yes they are Cold in the winter!!

I want to pass on a piece of advice given by my late father's boss: You spend 1/3 of your life in bed and 1/3 of your life on your feet. Buy a good matress and good shoes.

Big Jim,
Very good advice that is!.
There's nothing like poorly fitting boots to ruin your day.

I think a stiff shank (for comfort while standing on a ladder) is more important than steel toes.
Some electrical contractors forbid the use of steel toes for safety reasons. (I can document this).
There are non-metal "safety" toed boots that pass the same ANSI tests.

John Steinke,
What are the reasons behind banning steel toe caps?
The boots that I wear have the cap under the rubber outer scuff plate.
Sure there are better materials around these days, but are they actually as strong as the steel plating that goes into modern safety footwear?
This is just what I'm wondering.

Have to agree with Joey D, Redwings are the boots for me. I have owned nothing else for over 10yrs. Yes they are expensive but good. I put a thick insert in them and were them on concrete shop floor no problems. My wife finally got on me to buy a pair of tennis shoes because she got sick of me always wearing my redwings everywhere we went. I said but honey they are comfortable. I buy a pair every yr or 2 and spend around $200

Mike,

Actually I think I'm more comfortable in my Workboots than anything else, but they don't go well with the clothes I have to wear sometimes.

Maybe John is referring to something about the steel tips being conductive. I've heard in situations where something really heavy fell on your toes it might be better not having steel tips. (crushing vs severing?) Anyone have any info on that?

Bill

Bill, that arguement comes from the same line of logic that says wearing a seat belt is dangerous because you could get trapped. I don't like the odds. Something like 1 time in 10,000 accidents, you might have been better off without hard toes. but you've lost your toes an aweful lot of times before that happens. I read a story just a couple of days ago about a worker who was killed in a forklift accident. He was carring a long piece of pipe on a construction site. The pipe moved and tipped the forklift. He was killed when the boom crushed his skull after he jumped off the machine. If he had been wearing his seatbelt, he would likely only have a couple of bumps and bruises. It is amazing how many people make themselves candidates for the Darwin Award.

Jim,

I agree with that for the most part for most situations we're likely to experience. I have nothing against them at all.

I worked with someone who delighted in the fact that he was able to get excused from wearing the steel tipped boots because of some argument that he put up. It sure didn't help the Company effort that he was a lead man (crew leader). The major complaining about the steel tips was from the younger guys that wanted to wear their $200 Sneakers.

My neighbor is an Ironworker and he said they don't wear steel-tipped boots. From what I remember the argument was that anything likely to fall on their feet would be too heavy for steel tips to be of any benefit. Has anyone heard this?

Bill

I've used Lehigh and Mack steel toes for a while. My boss doesn't require it, but I've dropped the cut ends of enought 2/4"s and sticks on my toes to make me glad I wear 'em.
(BTW-I'm issued Red Wings through the FD, and they're the best by far for weight & comfort)

Bill,
Personally, I'd just do as I'm told here as far as wearing Safety Footwear is concerned.
A worker here quite recently, did not wear the footwear that his Employment Contract required him to and he had an accident losing 3 toes on both of his feet.
To add insult to injury, his Employer denied liability as he was not covered due to the lack of PPE.
Guy had to pay his own Medical bills as well as being off work!.
BTW, the Safety Boots I wear, have the Steel cap under a very heavy layer of rubberised plastic, this would have to bend to allow the steel cap to collapse.

A tidbit for the US based forum susbcribers.... in the REVISED ANSI standard Z41 for protective foot wear is PROPOSING that the "slip-on" protectors NOT meet ANSI standards, regardless of their compression ratings.

I wish they would propose the same for those blasted "slip-on" plastic side shields I see everywear on so called safety glasses.

This revised standard has not been approved as of yet, but it is a strong proposal and it appears that it may make it in the revision.

I was required to wear boots with fiberglass toes while I was in the Air Force.
I have never heard of a similar civilian product.

Up until recently I have worn rigger type boots made by a french company called Jallette, they are extremely comfortable and have a stainless steel plate in the sole to prevent nail ingress etc. I have recently bought a pair of Dewalt boots to see how they shape up. I always feel "naked" if I am working without the protection of the steel toe cap boot maybe it is due to the fact that I have worn them for over 25 years.

I have worked in a lot of establishments that will not let you wear steel toe cap boots if the cap is at all exposed, due either to design or damage to the cap cover, this is on petroleum, ordanance and chemical installations to prevent the chances of a stray spark being generated by the steel contacting another material

Add my vote for Red Wings...most comfortable boot I've ever worn.

Dave

My Line Mechanics boots are German made
Schoen boots.
Really expensive, but my Lord they last!.
It also pays to use a bit of Leather care product on your boots too, it just means that water will not seep in and start to rot the leather.
I clean my boots every Saturday morning and check them for damage.
I've had the same boots for 5 years now.

I was a long timer of redwing then decided to try Danner.Danners are excellent.Best boot Ive ever owned.For everyday,the radicals and for the major offroad,acadias.

I remember seeing some boots advertised many years ago that may have had fiberglass toes caps - I just remember them being not steel. They were billed as having the protection of steel toes without the weight.

I haven't seen them in a long time. Don't know if the company went under, of if they really didn't hold up as well under test-to-failure.

One would think in this age of carbon-fiber ice cube trays, and mil-tech going commercial that we could have a pair of safety toed boots that didn't double as workout devices!

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 06-05-2004).]

During a safety meeting, one of the guys was pointed out wearing sneakers. They turned out to be these...
http://www.nationalworkwear.com/cat_disp.php?t=m&id=59

I have Sneakers with Steel Toe too. Also Black Loafers (Dress Shoes) w/Steel Toes. One of the Companies I worked for allowed us to get 2 pairs a year. Some guys really stocked up.

Bill