If you work in a profession where you are on your feet for more than 25% of your working day, you could be damaging your feet without even realizing it. Expert studies consistently show that our shoes are either helping our feet or harming them: we wouldn’t go for a hike without properly broken in hiking shoes, but too often we work more than 40 hours per week in shoes that are simply substandard. There are mandatory safety procedures in place at every jobsite, but often, employees can determine the brand and make of their safety shoes. In the last 10 years, major American shoe manufacturers have placed increased emphasis on safety and comfort. Waterproof, heavy duty work boots are an absolute must-have if you have a dangerous occupation.
Fortunately, most workplace accidents are entirely avoidable. There is always a safety audit on file for every company: safety checks are mandatory, and companies may require their employees to wear a specific brand of safety shoe. Heavy duty work boots should be light, waterproof, and comfortable. There are also varieties of work boots that are water-resistant, and if you are uncertain which brand to buy you can ask your work’s safety compliance officers which variety they recommend. People who get injured at work tend to miss at least one week, and American industry leaders are concerned about minimizing rising rates of worker injury.
Heavy duty work boots should be available in hiking and camping stores, at major retailers, and online. Steel toe boots have an internal cap over the toe portion of the shoe, and come in two impact-resistant varieties. You can look for Class 50 or Class 75 heavy duty work boots: Class 75 is stronger, but both varieties are designed specifically to withstand shock and to protect the vulnerable bones of the foot. There are 26 bones in the human foot, and 85% of all the accidents involving workers who were wearing safety gear occurred because an object hit a part of the foot that was not covered by the safety footwear. You should look for combat style or military grade heavy duty work boots, but consult with your job first, because some job sites require workers to wear composite toe boots that have Velcro instead of laces.
Workplace accidents occur every day, but if you find high traction work boots, you can drastically minimize your chances of getting into an accident. Check the style of boot, the rating of the steel toe cap, and you should be able to prevent most common workplace injuries. More than 4,000 workplace fatalities occur every year, but most are preventable: American manufacturers maintain a strong commitment to worker safety and have ongoing investigations in place regarding worker injuries.