How to Choose the Right Safety Footwear for Your Industry
Types of Protective Footwear
Safety requirements for protective footwear differ from one industry to the next. All safety footwear locally or imported has to be approved by NRSC before the footwear can be used in South Africa.
It’s important to be able to identify which safety footwear features are suitable for specific environments.
Let’s look at this example. To protect the wearer from injury, safety shoes in the construction or mining industries must have steel toe caps and midsoles. Where the anti-penetration midsole protects against hazards from the bottom, steel toe cap footwear safeguards against hazards from the top. In contrast, protective footwear in the pharmaceutical industry must protect against chemicals.
In this blog, we take you through a range of special features of different safety shoes and help you match them to your environment.
Anti-Penetration Midsole Footwear
This type of safety footwear protects the feet from sharp objects that may pierce through the sole. These shoes must meet the South African Safety Shoe Standard (SABS) and resists a penetration force of 1100N.
The midsole comes in various forms, including a full steel midsole from heel to toe. Midsoles can also be made of Kevlar, but this material might let through penetrating objects like nails etc.
Delta Health and Safety also provide full steel inserts that replace your inner sole. This helps when you cannot find a safety shoe with a steel midsole suitable to your environment or available in your preferred style. For example, the current ladies’ range of safety footwear does not offer steel midsoles. Steel inserts provide the perfect solution as they can be purchased separately from Delta Health and Safety and worn with ladies’ footwear.
Suggested environments: Anti-penetration midsole footwear is a wise choice for agriculture, construction, engineering, fishing and allied industries, glass manufacturing, hospitality, and refinery workers.
Anti-Penetration Boot Recommendation
At Delta Health and Safety, we recommend the Expedition Hi RE424 if you are in search of a comfortable and reliable anti-penetration safety boot. It comes with many impressive extra safety features:
- Nubuck leather upper
- Rubber toe bumper for added scuff protection
- EVA/Rubber outsole for high durability and comfort
- Tailbrelle moisture-wicking lining
- Steel shank for torsional rigidity
- Hygienic removable cushioned innersole with anti-microbial properties
- Anti-penetration nail guard sole
- Hydroseal waterproof lining
Steel or Composite Toe Cap Footwear
In environments where heavy items and materials are being moved, toe protection in the form of toe caps is needed. This feature is designed to protect toes against impact from falling objects.
Additionally, some of these protective shoes are also designed to protect against compression, crushing, punctures, and cuts.
Toe caps are available in two variants:
- Steel toe caps – Generally, steel toe caps can withstand heavier weights than composite toe caps.
- Composite toe caps – These are used when steel toe caps are not permitted. Made of materials such as Kevlar, fibreglass, or carbon fibre, they are usually a lighter footwear option than those with steel toe caps. They are suitable for use where no metallic PPE or items of clothing are permitted.
Both of the above options comply with the requirement of SANS 20345, which states that a safety shoe toe cap must withstand 1.5 tonnes.
Suggested environments: Construction sites, food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, general applications, hospitality, janitorial services, the motor industry, production lines, and transportation industries.
Steel Toe Cap Footwear Recommendation
We recommend the Rebel Lo Top Safety Shoe as the go-to steel cap choice as it includes features that support different environments.
- 200 Joules rated toecap
- Antistatic
- Microfibre
- Oil Resistant
- Shock Absorbent
- Slip Resistant
Electrical Risk Protection Footwear
When working in an environment with electrical hazards, workers can wear electromagnetic discharge shoes that have an electric shock-resistant sole and heel.
This will protect the wearer from conducting the current from the ground. The non-conductive sole can withstand a maximum of 1000 volts for one minute with no current flow or leakage of more than a milliampere.
Electrical risk protection footwear is ideal for people who work with electricity, circuits, wiring, and high-voltage machines.
Suggested environments: General applications, hospitality, janitorial services, motor industry, production lines, and transport.
Electrical Risk Protection Footwear Recommendation
At Delta Health and Safety, we recommend the Rebel Enduro-Max RE0808 for electrical hazard safety. It’s a safety boot with sports shoe technology that provides benefits such as increased stability, lightweight features, and a comfortable fit.
The Rebel Enduro-Max has the following features:
- Durable Mesh and Nubuck leather upper offering superb ventilation
- Rubber toe bumper for added scuff protection
- Moulded TPU sole insert for torsional rigidity and lateral medial support
- Dual density EVA/Rubber sports shoe outsole offering superb comfort and traction
- Breathable and abrasion-resistant Taibrelle lining
- The Rebel Enduro-Max RE0808 is ISO 20345 and SABS approved
Moisture Protection Footwear
Waterproof and water-resistant shoes are designed to keep feet dry in wet conditions. These shoes have a film coating that causes water to bead up and roll off the shoe.
This kind of safety footwear is best for conditions where you stand in shallow water or in areas that have irregular splashes of water for long periods. These are also ideal for situations with harsh weather conditions.
The level of care given to the shoe will affect its water resistance. For example, scuffing of the shoe upper will reduce water resistance if not treated.
Suggested environments: Farming, mining, construction, waste disposal, quarries, or any plant that uses water in its processing. Bear in mind that the absence of water in any process has the potential to affect substances. Call us for more information on the best shoe for your water-process application.
Chemical Resistant Footwear
Chemical-resistant shoes need to be equipped for the worst and most harmful substances, liquids, and high temperatures.
Encountering chemicals while wearing the wrong kind of safety footwear can cause further damage. That’s why it is vital that you equip yourself with safety shoes that are designed to protect you from the exact substance or danger that you might step into.
In a chemical environment, we mainly suggest the use of gumboots like the Kappler Tingley Safety Boot. We can also provide safety footwear like the Rebel Chemtrax that you can use in environments where you may encounter chemicals. Safety footwear like the Chemtrax is intelligently designed with a larger foot area to accommodate the extra bulk of an encapsulated suit.
In all cases, it is imperative to check what chemicals the footwear has been tested against.
Suggested environments: Food, medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, and petrochemical industries.
Chemical Resistant Footwear Recommendation
Delta Health and Safety suggests the Claw Outback Steel Gumboot as a chemical-resistant footwear option. It includes the following features:
- Acid and waterproof
- Elasticized ankle boot
- Steel toe cap
- Acid- and chemical-resistant sole and shaft
- Tough, rugged yet stylish
- SABS Approved
- Steel toe cap (200 joules) increases personal protection
- Dual-density PVC creates a shock-absorbent layer
- Designed to fit like a shoe, minimizing foot and ankle movement inside the boot. The increased foot stability, allows the boot to “Track” the wearer’s foot
- Composition: A PVC & Nitrile rubber blend in both shaft and sole
Heat Resistant Footwear
Standard protection on general safety shoes usually goes up to 90 degrees Celsius. Safety shoes specifically for heat protection can go up to 300 degrees Celsius.
The range of different heat-resistant shoes can apply to a broad range of applications. It is important that you match the additional features of the shoe to your application. If you need a specialised safety footwear solution, talk to Delta Health and Safety to support you in your selection.
Suggested environments: Foundries, lathe work, power plants, mines, food processing, and firefighting.
Heat Resistant Footwear Recommendation
Delta Health and Safety suggests the Bova Munich 2.0 as a general, light-weight heat resistant safety footwear option. It includes the following features:
- Acid and oil resistant
- Steel toecap
- Heat-resistant sole up to 90°C
- Antistatic
Footwear Safety is Essential for Most Industries
If you work under risky and harmful conditions, you need a pair of safety footwear. They will protect your feet and ankles from injury or worse in the workplace.
Delta Health and Safety is steps ahead in supplying safety footwear options. Whether you need protection from slippery floors, falling objects, sharp pointed objects, heavy machines, harmful acids, or even harsh weather conditions.
We offer a range of safety shoes that also guarantee comfort and are fit for your application.