On a construction site, safety should always be the highest priority level. One way to keep a safe work environment is to ensure that everyone on the site wears the proper safety attire at all times. When it comes to footwear, steel toe boots should be worn on almost every construction site by the workers. Steel toe boots are some of the most effective footwear. especially in terms of protecting crew members from falling objects that might occur on the job site.
OSHA Required
For the most part, steel toe boots are not just a good suggestion for construction crew members, but they are actually OSHA required in most construction settings. OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires by law that any employee who is working in a setting where there is the risk or dangers of any of the following factors wear proper safety footwear:
- If there is potential for objects that could pierce through the sole of footwear
- If there is a risk of falling or rolling objects that could cause harm to physical safety
- Any environment made hazardous with static discharge
- If there is electrical work that could result in any form of shock
There are very few, if any, construction sites that do not fall under at least one of these parameters, if not more. If an employee gets injured on the job site and the OSHA standards were not followed, there could be harsh financial consequences for the business owner. Be sure that you are aware of all OSHA requirements and that every member of your crew follows them.
How Do Steel Toe Boots Improve Safety?
There are a wide range of benefits that steel toe boots offer that other footwear does not. Because of the following factors, a quality pair of steel toe boots might be the best investment you can make if you are in the construction industry in any capacity.
Durability – When it comes to withstanding pressure, steel toe boots are going to protect your feet in ways other shoes cannot. Steel toe boots can withstand 75 pounds dropped from a 3 foot height (around carrying height) with no damage at all to the toes or shoes. 400 pounds from a 3 foot drop will deform the metal plate, but you will likely not have any serious injuries. This same weight dropped on an unprotected foot will cause serious, long term physical damage. By using an arbor press, experts have been able to show that steel toe boots can withstand 6,000 pounds of pressure before losing form, while a regular boot can only hold up against around 1,200 pounds of pressure.
Electrical Hazards – Steel toe boots that are rated for electrical hazard can help prevent severe shock and the build up static electrical currents as well. If there are any electrical hazards on a job site, appropriate steel toe boots can help prevent serious injury.
Reduces Fall Possibility – Because these boots are made to be worn in this environment, the soles and grips are a higher quality reducing your potential to slip, trip, or fall. Because most on the job injuries are due to one of these errors, steel toe boots can help you reduce the likelihood of this happening, keeping your crew safe and productive!
More Safety Tips from Your Austin Construction Company
Footwear is extremely important on a job site, but there’s much more that goes into ensuring the safety of your workers. If you’re interested in learning more about job site safety and other related topics, browse our full list of construction articles here.
