Introduction
A business’ bottom line is directly impacted by workplace injuries. This is because these injuries will oftentimes lead to employees missing work hours, adding to insurance costs by going to the hospital and doctors and decreased employee morale since others may soon grow scared that they could also become injured on the job. For these various reasons, there are now a lot of businesses that actually require their employees to purchase steel shoes to wear whenever they are working with heavy merchandise, raw materials or equipment. In doing so the company is able to ensure that their employees’ feet are protected from potential accidents. This could actually mean the difference between a minor incident (i.e. a slip and fall) and a debilitating injury (i.e. losing a toe). So, if you are required to wear steel shoes to work, be thankful that the company is looking out for your best interests. Then keep the following tips in mind as you go out to purchase the perfect pair.
Step 1
Make sure that the steel shoes you purchase are made out of high quality materials. If they are made from leather, it should have really strong stitching that doesn’t give much whenever bent. You also don’t want the leather to show obvious signs of wear, peeling or fraying.
Step 2
The steel shoes should have an ASTM (the American Society for Testing and Materials) stamp of certification. This company is responsible for certifying steel shoes for use in both electrical and construction work. Usually this stamp will be found on either the side or the bottom of the steel shoes.
Step 3
Use your hand to feel the inside of the steel shoes in order to make sure that they are comfortable and well insulated. If you are working outside, you may want to have thicker insulation than if you are working inside. Regardless of where you are working, you will want to make sure that these shoes are going to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. For this reason, it is vital to actually try the shoes on your feet and check out their comfort level.
Step 4
Look at how high the collar on the steel shoes is. This is important because the higher it is, the better ankle support you will receive. Of course, you don’t want the collar to be so high up above your ankle that your flexibility is limited. Look for soft leather construction here too because this will help to alleviate some of the problems that you might have to deal with in regard to your ankles.
Step 5
You should only purchase steel shoes from a company that is willing to stand by the quality of their work. They should also provide proof of the ASTM certification. Make sure to take a close look at any warranty or replacement policies from both the manufacturer of the shoes and the company you are purchasing them from. This will help to provide you with peace of mind just in case anything should happen after you have purchased the shoes.
Tips
Always make sure that the steel toe boots you purchase have not been recalled.
Sources and Citations
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