Here are 5 ways your industrial shoes differ from your everyday shoes!
- Alisa Rodrigues
- Nov 15, 2023
- 1 min read
Anyone with eyes can tell you that industrial shoes are strong. If you were to go out in a storm, you might not make it but your shoes will.
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But why are they so uncomfortable and bulky? With all this technology there must be a way to make it feel close to normal shoes.
Why are they so different?
Safety shoes are often characterized by high mass, stiff toe cap, thick protective outer layer, thick protective midsole, anti-slip outer sole, electrical isolation, and an enclosing heel cap.
(Boysen, 2023)
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In his study, Boysen, M.D. purposely tripped the participants who were wearing industrial and everyday shoes. (Not a fun day for them) He found out that participants wearing industrial shoes were more prone to tripping and falling. It was even more probable for obese or older participants to never recover their gait after that fall.
Read our blog post to know more about workplace injuries.
His study helped us understand some key differences in safety and everyday footwear. This blog will explain them in detail while also addressing the pros and cons of both footwear.
Slip resistance
Imagine slipping on the sidewalk because of some rainwater. Now imagine slipping on oil, debris and runoff from machinery. Though these examples are exaggerated, slipping can cause some major issues. Slip and fall is one of the main causes of industrial injuries. Slip resistant work boots with credible slip ratings are built to prevent slip, even though the study says that is not fall-proof. But when compared to everyday shoes, work boots come in clutch when there are toxic or jagged ground conditions.
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Job Requirements & Safety regulations
You might need a different type of footwear for each terrain and type of work. For example, safety shoes will be appropriate for indoor work or work in smaller spaces while safety boots will be best for outdoor rough environments. Many occupations have requirements for uniforms like
Roofer
Plumber
Tiler
Labourer
Electrician
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Everyday shoes cannot protect workers from -
Hazardous materials
Electrical instruments
Sharp objects
Heavy objects
Operating heavy machinery
Climate considerations
Even though there are everyday shoes that have insulation and waterproof features, they do not have climate control features. Industrial shoes have standards like specified in the table below. Portwest has workwear and PPE with these features. They provide flaps to air out heat trapped and ways to prevent sweat and condensation to stay in.
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Cross contamination
If you work in a food processing factory, slip on safety shoes are used to preserve hygiene by avoiding cross contamination. In the same vein, having hazardous materials fall on your everyday shoes will burn through and hurt your feet. Work footwear is important to keep foreign substances away.
Fit considerations/shape
Workwear footwear may not look or feel as suave and comfortable as everyday footwear, but they have personality. The insides are highly durable and shock resistant. Some have steel toe capping, helping from hurting your feet when something falls on it. But even so, if the worker is not comfortable in their shoes, they will avoid using them. Customisation and personalisation is key.
Source: kawach.org
Here is a summary of the blog content:
Industrial shoes: Pros | Industrial shoes: Cons | Everyday shoes: Pros | Everyday shoes: Cons |
| Bulky and causes fall | | Comfortable and less slip |
Uniform regulation | | | Cannot be used for work as they do not comply with all specification |
Climate control features and standards | | Has waterproof and insulated footwear | Does not provide climate control features |
Prevents contact with toxic agents and to preserve hygiene | | | Will hurt your feet when coming in contact with foreign chemicals and cannot preserve hygiene effectively |
Has excellent insides with durability and shock absorption | Not fashionable and workers will not wear them if they are hard to wear | Looks good and wearable | |
In conclusion - where industrial shoes lack in user comfort, it compensates for its wearer’s safety.
If you want to know how Portwest follows the best standards for workwear shoes, click down below:
References
Boysen, M.D. et al. (2023) “The biomechanical differences of wearing safety shoes compared with everyday shoes on dynamic balance when tripping over an obstacle,” Applied ergonomics, 111, p. 104040.
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