@ Chuknoo
Thanks a lot for your inputs into the thread...
Dear SSM
While selecting the footwear you may go ahead with what Chuknoo advised... If you can do the survey he suggested and come back to the forum with your specific result of the survey.... You will be answered to find a specific footwear by him...
@ All
In the name of Chuknoo we have a senior member, Dr. Sudhir Agarwal, who is an expert in the field of Safety Footwear Manufactouring... Let's welcome him to the forum in a grand way and use his expertise in delivering right foot protection to our collegues.. He is very helpful person... Thanks a lot for joining citehr and expecting to learn a lot from you...
Keep on sharing and keep up the pace...
From India
713Thanks a lot for your inputs into the thread...
Dear SSM
While selecting the footwear you may go ahead with what Chuknoo advised... If you can do the survey he suggested and come back to the forum with your specific result of the survey.... You will be answered to find a specific footwear by him...
@ All
In the name of Chuknoo we have a senior member, Dr. Sudhir Agarwal, who is an expert in the field of Safety Footwear Manufactouring... Let's welcome him to the forum in a grand way and use his expertise in delivering right foot protection to our collegues.. He is very helpful person... Thanks a lot for joining citehr and expecting to learn a lot from you...
Keep on sharing and keep up the pace...
From India
The key to safety shoes and or boots is asking two question
One what standards are recognized in your part of the world and what is available to your workers
Not all safety shoe meet the job
CSA green triangle boots shoes are ok but pending the chemical standards they need certain or other rating to fully protect the workers feet
The second is metal workers have a seond rating put on there feet for safety with a upper shield or face plate put on the laces
ALways lace the boots military style so they can be taken off or cut off if the foot is crushed in a hurry for first aid requirements
Last but not least they protect a valuable feature of your body so its like do I buy cheap or exspensive the key is buying to protect which is a better answer
this link show the minimum standards we need in Canada but the key is what is the standard in your government legislation for your workers
OSH Answers: Safety Footwear
Proper foot safety is important to all of us. Your feet take an enormous amount of punishment in everyday living not to mention working in a cluttered garage or at a work shop. It is only common sense to wear foot ware fitting for the job. You wouldn't wear sandals outside in the winter nor you would in a shop.
There are all kinds of styles for your fashion conscious. There the ones that look like the typical high cut safety boots to ones looking like cowboy boots. Then there are the ones that are are low cut standard look alike shoe. There are even ones that you can use as dress shoes. The important thing is to wear them.
In designing strategies to protect foot injury, one has to remember the fundamental principle of occupational health and safety: that occupational hazards should be eliminated at the source. The role of personal protective equipment is to minimize exposure to specific occupational hazards, not to eliminate them. Protective footwear does not guarantee total protection
The best defense against injuries is prevention. A clean work place is number one on the scale:
Clear the work floor of any sharp, hot objects that can penetrate your safety foot ware
Clear any walking paths of any obstacles that can scrape the side of your feet or ankles.
Avoidance of obstacles can cause twisting or spraining of feet and ankles
Safely secure any objects above the floor from falling on your feet.
Make sure the floor and paths has proper resistance for walking. A newly painted floor can be like layering ice on the floor, Putting sand or other material in with the paint will insure some resistance to slippage.
All jurisdictions require that workers wear adequate protection against workplace hazards. All working footwear, for both men and women, whether it is safety wear or not, should provide comfort without compromising protective value.
Basic things to look for in buying safety foot ware:
A steel toe cap should cover the whole length of the toes from tips to beyond the natural bend of the foot. A soft pad covering the edge of the toecap increases comfort. If the toecap cuts into the foot, either the size or style of the footwear is incorrect.
Soles come in a variety of thickness and materials. They need to be chosen according to the hazards and type(s) of flooring in the workplace.
Uppers of protective footwear come in a variety of materials. Selection should take into account the hazards, and individual characteristics of the worker's foot.
A steel midsole which protects the foot against penetration by sharp objects should be flexible enough to allow the foot to bend.
No one type of non-slip footwear can prevent the wearer from slipping on every surface type.
Make sure they are a good fit
There are conditions such as calluses, ingrown toenails or simply tired feet that are common among workers. Although these may not be considered as occupational injuries in the strictest sense, they can have serious consequences for health and safety at the workplace. They cause discomfort, pain and fatigue. Fatigue sets up the worker for further injuries affecting the muscles and joints. Also, a worker who is tired and suffering pain is less alert and more likely to act unsafely. An accident of any kind may result. A proper fitting boot will also help in good poster and skeleton alignment.
Fit and care of safety footwearCheck the Fit:
Walk in the new footwear to ensure it is comfortable.
Boots should have ample toe room (toes should be about 12.5 mm from the front)
Make allowances for extra socks or special arch supports when buying boots.
Boots should fit snugly around the heel and ankle when laced.
Lace up boots fully. High-cut boots provide support against ankle injury. Loose laces can be a hazard in it self. Tripping over your own feet or catching on objects in the area.
Footware Care:
Use a protective coating to make footwear water-resistant. Inspect and reapply protective coating when necessary. Wet boots often curl near the toe when dried causing discomfort and abnormal wear.
Inspect footwear regularly for damage. The soles often crack with age leaving openings for potential hazards.
Repair or replace worn or defective footwear.
Electric shock resistance of footwear is greatly reduced by wet conditions and with wear. Dig out any objects stuck in the sole. They can make the boot a path for electrity and a slippery factor on the floor.
Boot Badges on the Boots will signify the level of safety the boot will have
Selection of Safety Footwear
Marking
Criteria
Use
Green triangle footwear has sole puncture protection with a Grade 1 protective toe (withstand impact up to 125 joules).
-------- Any industrial or heavy work environment, including construction, where sharp objects are present (such as nails).
Yellow triangle footwear has sole puncture protection and Grade 2 protective toe (withstand impact up to 90 joules)
-------- Light industrial work environments that need both puncture and toe protection.
White rectangle with orange Greek letter "omega" footwear has soles that provide electric shock resistance.
-------- Any industrial environment where accidental contact with live electrical conductors can occur. (REMEMBER: Electric shock resistance is greatly reduced by wet conditions and with wear)
Yellow Rectangle with green letters "SD" and grounding symbol footwear has soles that are static dissipative.
-------- Any industrial environment where a static discharge can be a hazard for workers or equipment.
Red rectangle with black letter "C" and grounding symbol footwear has soles that are electrically conductive.
-------- For any industrial environment where low-power electrical charges can be a hazard for workers or equipment.
White label with green fir tree symbol footwear provides protection when using chainsaws.
-------- For forestry workers and others who work with or around hand-held chai,nsaws and other cutting tools.
Note 1: The ® symbol indicates the preferred position for the identifying logo or mark or the certifying agency.
Note 2: Labels are on the tongue of the right shoe at ankle height. They may also appear at ankle height on the shoe itself (for electrical protection footwear)
From Canada, Calgary
One what standards are recognized in your part of the world and what is available to your workers
Not all safety shoe meet the job
CSA green triangle boots shoes are ok but pending the chemical standards they need certain or other rating to fully protect the workers feet
The second is metal workers have a seond rating put on there feet for safety with a upper shield or face plate put on the laces
ALways lace the boots military style so they can be taken off or cut off if the foot is crushed in a hurry for first aid requirements
Last but not least they protect a valuable feature of your body so its like do I buy cheap or exspensive the key is buying to protect which is a better answer
this link show the minimum standards we need in Canada but the key is what is the standard in your government legislation for your workers
OSH Answers: Safety Footwear
Proper foot safety is important to all of us. Your feet take an enormous amount of punishment in everyday living not to mention working in a cluttered garage or at a work shop. It is only common sense to wear foot ware fitting for the job. You wouldn't wear sandals outside in the winter nor you would in a shop.
There are all kinds of styles for your fashion conscious. There the ones that look like the typical high cut safety boots to ones looking like cowboy boots. Then there are the ones that are are low cut standard look alike shoe. There are even ones that you can use as dress shoes. The important thing is to wear them.
In designing strategies to protect foot injury, one has to remember the fundamental principle of occupational health and safety: that occupational hazards should be eliminated at the source. The role of personal protective equipment is to minimize exposure to specific occupational hazards, not to eliminate them. Protective footwear does not guarantee total protection
The best defense against injuries is prevention. A clean work place is number one on the scale:
Clear the work floor of any sharp, hot objects that can penetrate your safety foot ware
Clear any walking paths of any obstacles that can scrape the side of your feet or ankles.
Avoidance of obstacles can cause twisting or spraining of feet and ankles
Safely secure any objects above the floor from falling on your feet.
Make sure the floor and paths has proper resistance for walking. A newly painted floor can be like layering ice on the floor, Putting sand or other material in with the paint will insure some resistance to slippage.
All jurisdictions require that workers wear adequate protection against workplace hazards. All working footwear, for both men and women, whether it is safety wear or not, should provide comfort without compromising protective value.
Basic things to look for in buying safety foot ware:
A steel toe cap should cover the whole length of the toes from tips to beyond the natural bend of the foot. A soft pad covering the edge of the toecap increases comfort. If the toecap cuts into the foot, either the size or style of the footwear is incorrect.
Soles come in a variety of thickness and materials. They need to be chosen according to the hazards and type(s) of flooring in the workplace.
Uppers of protective footwear come in a variety of materials. Selection should take into account the hazards, and individual characteristics of the worker's foot.
A steel midsole which protects the foot against penetration by sharp objects should be flexible enough to allow the foot to bend.
No one type of non-slip footwear can prevent the wearer from slipping on every surface type.
Make sure they are a good fit
There are conditions such as calluses, ingrown toenails or simply tired feet that are common among workers. Although these may not be considered as occupational injuries in the strictest sense, they can have serious consequences for health and safety at the workplace. They cause discomfort, pain and fatigue. Fatigue sets up the worker for further injuries affecting the muscles and joints. Also, a worker who is tired and suffering pain is less alert and more likely to act unsafely. An accident of any kind may result. A proper fitting boot will also help in good poster and skeleton alignment.
Fit and care of safety footwearCheck the Fit:
Walk in the new footwear to ensure it is comfortable.
Boots should have ample toe room (toes should be about 12.5 mm from the front)
Make allowances for extra socks or special arch supports when buying boots.
Boots should fit snugly around the heel and ankle when laced.
Lace up boots fully. High-cut boots provide support against ankle injury. Loose laces can be a hazard in it self. Tripping over your own feet or catching on objects in the area.
Footware Care:
Use a protective coating to make footwear water-resistant. Inspect and reapply protective coating when necessary. Wet boots often curl near the toe when dried causing discomfort and abnormal wear.
Inspect footwear regularly for damage. The soles often crack with age leaving openings for potential hazards.
Repair or replace worn or defective footwear.
Electric shock resistance of footwear is greatly reduced by wet conditions and with wear. Dig out any objects stuck in the sole. They can make the boot a path for electrity and a slippery factor on the floor.
Boot Badges on the Boots will signify the level of safety the boot will have
Selection of Safety Footwear
Marking
Criteria
Use
Green triangle footwear has sole puncture protection with a Grade 1 protective toe (withstand impact up to 125 joules).
-------- Any industrial or heavy work environment, including construction, where sharp objects are present (such as nails).
Yellow triangle footwear has sole puncture protection and Grade 2 protective toe (withstand impact up to 90 joules)
-------- Light industrial work environments that need both puncture and toe protection.
White rectangle with orange Greek letter "omega" footwear has soles that provide electric shock resistance.
-------- Any industrial environment where accidental contact with live electrical conductors can occur. (REMEMBER: Electric shock resistance is greatly reduced by wet conditions and with wear)
Yellow Rectangle with green letters "SD" and grounding symbol footwear has soles that are static dissipative.
-------- Any industrial environment where a static discharge can be a hazard for workers or equipment.
Red rectangle with black letter "C" and grounding symbol footwear has soles that are electrically conductive.
-------- For any industrial environment where low-power electrical charges can be a hazard for workers or equipment.
White label with green fir tree symbol footwear provides protection when using chainsaws.
-------- For forestry workers and others who work with or around hand-held chai,nsaws and other cutting tools.
Note 1: The ® symbol indicates the preferred position for the identifying logo or mark or the certifying agency.
Note 2: Labels are on the tongue of the right shoe at ankle height. They may also appear at ankle height on the shoe itself (for electrical protection footwear)
From Canada, Calgary
dear mr. chuknoo,
i have mentioned for the PU sole only. i have not mentioned that.
since the mentioned density is not possible in rubber, now the shoe makers are moving to PU, as for light weight.
the density that i have mentioned is for out sole. incase of double density, the mid sole should be between 350 - 400... correct me if i'm worng.
kindly clarify the densities, if possible, so that we can have a better idea.
From India, Delhi
i have mentioned for the PU sole only. i have not mentioned that.
since the mentioned density is not possible in rubber, now the shoe makers are moving to PU, as for light weight.
the density that i have mentioned is for out sole. incase of double density, the mid sole should be between 350 - 400... correct me if i'm worng.
kindly clarify the densities, if possible, so that we can have a better idea.
From India, Delhi
Dear Mr Sundaram,
If you look to EN/IS standard you will find that there is no mention of density & hardness. Standard mentioned abrasion, tensile & Flex properties which are related to density & hardness. The lesser will be the density the more will be abrasion. In my experience in a double density PU sole footwear the density of out sole is kept 1-0.9 & that of mid sole is around 0.5 (+/- 0.05). I will not prefer 0.35 as it will interfere with impact & compression testing of toe cap. In a Single density PU sole the ideal density should be 0.65.
Manufacturers are playing with density on two counts: First to reduce the weight & secondly to save on cost as PU is sold in weight & not in volume.
The lesser will be the density the more will be the abrasion & lesser will be the life. I have seen PU sole available in the market with density as low as 0.4 but they will never pass EN/IS test. Regarding Rubber sole, blowing agents are available that reduces the density but they are not workable.
From India, Kanpur
If you look to EN/IS standard you will find that there is no mention of density & hardness. Standard mentioned abrasion, tensile & Flex properties which are related to density & hardness. The lesser will be the density the more will be abrasion. In my experience in a double density PU sole footwear the density of out sole is kept 1-0.9 & that of mid sole is around 0.5 (+/- 0.05). I will not prefer 0.35 as it will interfere with impact & compression testing of toe cap. In a Single density PU sole the ideal density should be 0.65.
Manufacturers are playing with density on two counts: First to reduce the weight & secondly to save on cost as PU is sold in weight & not in volume.
The lesser will be the density the more will be the abrasion & lesser will be the life. I have seen PU sole available in the market with density as low as 0.4 but they will never pass EN/IS test. Regarding Rubber sole, blowing agents are available that reduces the density but they are not workable.
From India, Kanpur
Dear tgpenny,
Please note operative standard in India is IS 15298. It has 8 parts.
CSA is operative standard for Canada & they are not as stringent in many important aspect as our IS 15298 which is replica of renowned EN standard.
Please also note that no safety footwear can guarantee absolute protection as they fall in the category of secondary line of defense. The primary defense is prevention.
From India, Kanpur
Please note operative standard in India is IS 15298. It has 8 parts.
CSA is operative standard for Canada & they are not as stringent in many important aspect as our IS 15298 which is replica of renowned EN standard.
Please also note that no safety footwear can guarantee absolute protection as they fall in the category of secondary line of defense. The primary defense is prevention.
From India, Kanpur
dear mr. chucknoo, thanks for the updates. let me try for the technical sheets of the safety shoes that we are using also. if i get that, i will share the same.
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
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