What Are Steel Cap Boots Good For?
Whether you’re out on a worksite, picking and packing in a warehouse or tackling some overdue projects at home, a good pair of steel cap boots are an absolute essential when you’re doing anything where your feet could be at risk.
Whether the boss said you need to invest in some steel caps or you just want to be proactive and do what you can to keep yourself safe, if you’ve never owned a pair before, here’s what you need to know about steel cap boots…
What Are Steel Cap Boots and What Are They Good For?
Steel cap boots are made with one key thing in mind—safety.
Fitted with protective reinforcement in the toe, steel cap boots are designed to protect your feet against injury from compression and falling objects.
In Australia, safety boots need to be able to stand up to some pretty rigorous standards. If you want the technical run-down, safety boots need to meet Aussie standard AS 2210.3:2019. This means they’ve passed testing which verifies they can provide protection against impact with at least 200 Joules of energy and a compression load of at least 15kN.
To put that into perspective, a pair of steel cap safety boots should be able to withstand the impact of 20kg of weight falling on your feet from a height of a little over 10 meters, as well as approximately 1.5 tonnes of compression on the toe area.
With this in mind, it’s not hard to spot the benefit of opting for a steel cap boot over regular footwear. Whether you work in heavy industrial, mining, roadworks, engineering, building, construction or anything where your feet could be at risk of impact or compression, a good pair of safety boots is essential.
Steel Cap Vs Composite Toe Boots: What’s the Difference?
Steel caps have long been the gold standard in protective footwear—but they’re no longer the only game in town.
Composite toe boots which feature toe reinforcement constructed from non-metal materials such as Kevlar, fibreglass, plastic and carbon fibre are an innovative alternative to steel cap boots.
Providing a similar level of protection (they also need to meet the same Australian safety standards), there are some subtle differences between the two styles that could make one style more suitable for what you’re doing.
Here’s how the two types of boot compare:
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Steel Cap Boots |
Composite Toe Boots |
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What to Look for When Buying Steel Cap Safety Boots
Unless you’re a safety footwear aficionado, it can be hard to know what to look for when buying steel cap boots. To make it easy, here’s a shortlist of what you should pay attention to.
Protection
Safety always need to be the number one priority. While all safety boots should meet Aussie standards, the key here is to make sure you choose a boot that’s fit-for-purpose. Consider the risks in the environment/s you’re working in and look for features to suit.
Comfort and support
Comfort never matters more than when you’re on your feet for the best part of the day. Ideally, you want boots with a padded collar and tongue, a sole with good shock absorption and a wide profile safety cap which allows room for your toes to move freely.
Waterproof (or at least water resistant)
There’s nothing worse than showing up to a wet or muddy site and having to put up with soggy feet all day. Make a choice you won’t regret and opt for a waterproof or water resistant boot to keep your feet dry from clock-on till clock-off.
Slip-resistant
We don’t have to explain why grip and stability is important, but it might be helpful to explain how slip-resistance ratings work.
Basically, there are two slip-resistance acronyms you need to know about—SRA and SRC. SRA means the soles meet the approved safety standards when tested on soapy ceramic tiles, while SRC is the highest slip-resistance safety standard, meeting the same standards as SRA as well as passing testing on oil and metal flooring.
Heat-resistant
Most safety boots can comfortably handle temperatures up to about 130°C, but some environments call for a greater level of heat resistance. If your work involves working with extreme heat (such as smelter work), look for a fit-for-purpose boot that can stand the heat.
Hygienic
Hard work can lead to sweaty and smelly feet, but luckily, modern innovations mean some boots now also feature impressive technology that will make your boots breathable, moisture-wicking, odour-absorbing and bacteria-fighting.
At LOD Work Wear, We’ve Got You (And Your Feet) Covered
If you’re in the market for a pair of safety boots, look no further than LOD.
With an extensive range of quality safety boots from leading brands like Steel Blue, Blundstone, Hard Yakka and Mongrel Boots, we’ve got a boot to suit no matter what the task.
