Rock Fall in collaboration with Bold as Brass, develops a range of professional women’s safety boots. Designed for ‘Women by Women’, who work in heavy industry sectors.
Rock Fall is at the forefront of developing and providing, innovative, specialist protective safety footwear for everyone. The company has a focus on the end-to-end supply chain process, from product design and procurement of the raw materials to delivery of the final product into the supply chain.
Everyday Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), particularly safety footwear is something that the company sees as very important. Safety boots, safety trainers, and safety shoes need to be comfortable, reliable, and durable, but most of all they do need to fit properly!
Regarding the fitting of women’s safety footwear specifically, research tells us that organisations for the most part are converting men’s size fittings, into what they believe is the equivalent re-size for the female foot, without properly checking measurements.
In June 2023, Ground Engineering (GE) reported that 80% of the women who work in this industry were provided with ill-fitting PPE and safety footwear. This survey was followed-up by the Bold as Brass LinkedIn group who also ask similar questions to its network of working women in construction, mining, and quarrying. Their results continued along a similar vein with ill-fitting PPE and in some cases, PPE was not provided for, as sizes were not available.
Taking the lead on Safety Footwear for women who rock industry
In the spring of 2023, the Rock Fall R&D department collaborated with the Bold as Brass. The brief, to produce a new range of safety footwear specifically developed for women in industry.
The development processes
The requirements presented by Bold as Brass were to produce a safety boot that would not only fit a woman’s foot properly, but it need to withstand their everyday working environment.
Considering that everybody’s feet are individual, developing safety footwear, is an art.
The fit needs to be as secure as possible, ill-fitting footwear can make your feet uncomfortable, leading to distraction, risking the wearer’s health and safety, and wellbeing.
The foot measurements and circumference determine a shoe size, creating a starting point for developing safety footwear. However, slim feet, low instep/high instep arch, ankle bones, all need to be considered.
Following an extensive design consultation, with members of the Bold as Brass, the Rock Fall R&D team produced two safety boot samples in two very different colours, materials, and fastenings.
Using a female fitting to ensure a perfect women’s fit, Rock Fall sampled two new safety boots using the following materials:
- Nubuck leather in Stone
- Waxy full grain leather in Black
- Post-Consumer polyester materials such as recycled plastic bottles
- Fully waterproof and breathable Activ Tex membranes to keep feet dry and comfortable.
- Fiberglass toecap and composite midsole protection
- BOA lacing system, for precision fit and evenly distributed tension.
- YKK zip for ease of access
- Full nitrile rubber soles
Extensive safety footwear trials
Extremely lightweight and durable for use in the harshest environments. These stylish heavy duty safety boots combine technology with sturdy fitting comfort. Both safety boots styles have been tested on performance, quality, and suitability by members of Bold as Brass.
Individuals trialling both styles of safety boots across a range of heavy industry sites around the UK confirmed they are fit for purpose.
Best of all, they all agreed the new styles are destined to improve women’s health, safety, and wellbeing.
Introducing the Hurricane BOA safety boot, designed by ‘women for women’, who work in heavy industry sectors.
RF720 Hurricane:
- Nubuck Uppers
- Colour Stone
- Activ-Tex Waterproof Membrane
- BOA Fit System
- FORCE10 Durability Components
- Activ-Step Footbed Technology
- UK Size 2-9
The Hurricane BOA Safety boots are worksite inspired, fully tested in quarry environments, on construction sites, across heavy industry facilities, and engineering sectors.
Introducing the Carbon safety boot, inspired safety footwear designed exclusively for ‘women by women’ who work in production environments.
RF725 Carbon:
- Leather Uppers
- Colour Black
- Activ-Tex Waterproof Membrane
- FORCE10 Durability Components
- Activ-Step Footbed Technology
- UK Size 2-9
The Carbon Safety boots are worksite inspired for industries with large and heavy machinery, production processes, construction and infrastructure, machine tools and manufacturing environments.
Both boots are available for pre-order for early Spring 2024. For more information on them, you can call. 01773 608616, email sales@rockfall.com or visit https://www.rockfall.com/.
