Every workplace will have certain safety risks involved, but when you are working with heavy loads and big machines the risk of injury skyrockets. Strong and durable work boots are a must in several industries, and steel toed boots have been the norm for years. However, composite toe models have become incredibly popular, and offer some unique benefits without compromising safety. Before setting out to buy a new pair of work boots, you should know the basic differences between these two common types.
Composite Toe
This type of toe protection is slowly becoming the norm. They use a number of different materials including plastic, fiberglass, Kevlar, and so on. Composite toe boots are lighter than the steel ones, which makes them preferable for people who need to spend many hours standing and walking around in their work boots, but they have to conform to all the same regulations and will be able to sustain a lot of damage, while keeping the toes safe.
Additionally, the non-metal materials prevent the toes from heating up in the sun or feeling very cold during the winter. The composite part will keep your body temperature stable and provide you with excellent insulation.
Another fact that works in favour of composite toe boots is that they provide insulation against electricity, which helps keep you safe in certain factory settings where there is a higher risk of electrocution. Since there are no metal components, composite toe boots will not set off an alarm when going through metal detectors, making them ideal for work environments where you have to go through security checks and metal detectors regularly.
Steel Toe
Steel toe boots have been around for decades, and have been used in a wide variety of industries. The fact that they have a long track record of success gives people peace of mind. They are a lot heavier than the composite models, but steel toe boots can offer better protection, since stainless steel is the strongest of all the materials used to reinforce boots.
It’s important to note that the lighter composite models can still provide excellent protection against fairly heavy impact, but steel may be a better choice for very high risk environments as it can take more of a beating.
They will also last longer. Therefore, if you are working with extremely heavy objects that could smash your feet or puncture your boots, having steel toed boots does provide an additional level of safety. One more pro is the price tag. Because composite materials cost more to manufacture, and the process is longer, they will be somewhat more expensive. So, if you are worried about the financial side of things, aren’t concerned about metal detectors and heat, and don’t mind the extra weight, go with steel.
Safety ratings
Knowing the general differences between these two types of work boots can give you a good idea of what to look for, but the most important thing that you need to know are the safety ratings. More specifically, you need to be familiar with impact, compression and conductivity resistance ratings – to name a few – based on the common set of tests done on work boots. Both boots are tested and made to fit the ASTM safety standards. Some of the rules that need to be followed are the following:
- Impact resistance: this is the amount of pounds that your boot can protect you against. There are two classes that rate impact resistance for men – class 75 (75 pounds) and class 50 (50 pounds).
- Compression resistance: the boot’s ability to withstand constant pressure. The compression classes for men are 75 and 50, similar as impact resistance. Class 75s can withstand 2,500 pounds, and class 50s can withstand 1,750 pounds.
- Conductivity resistance: the boots must be good conductors, in order to protect the wearer from being electrocuted.
For more information about the ASTM safety standards, you can check out their website.
As you can see, both composite and steel toe boots have their pros and cons. The main thing to remember is to choose a type of work boot that fits your particular circumstances, and make sure that they comply with the appropriate safety standards.
