When it comes to safety footwear, it isn’t a case of one size fits all. The type of work boot required to give you the right protection will vary greatly depending on the application, environment and hazards involved in your role.
Working outdoors? keep feet dry
Wet feet aren’t just uncomfortable – they can lead to several foot problems including athlete’s foot, blistering, infections and even tissue damage. So, if you work in a role that sees your feet frequently exposed to the rain, a waterproof boot is a must.
But it’s no good having a lining that keeps water out but leaves your foot so sweaty it ends up becoming as wet as it would have been had the rain got in. What’s needed is a boot with both waterproofness and breathability, like V12’s Lynx range. Lynx features high-performing protection and innovative designs to ensure you’re working in comfort.
Waterproof or water-resistant?
It’s just as important to know when waterproofing is a step too far. It all depends on your level of water exposure.
A water-resistant boot will stop water from getting in to a certain degree, although long exposure will mean water will get in eventually. So, if your work only takes you outside every so often, we recommend a water-resistant rather than waterproof boot, because it will remove the extra lining that comes with waterproofing. And while a good waterproof lining should be breathable, if you have it inside your boot but don’t need it, you’ll be adding an unnecessary layer around your foot, which might make it hotter or sweatier especially for those working mostly indoors.
Don’t get cold feet…
It’s not just water that can be a problem when working on site; the cold can also seriously affect safety. Numb feet cause reduced sensitivity and stability, and a drop in body temperature can be a big distraction from the task at hand. And if you work in an environment featuring uneven surfaces or heavy machinery, this can be a serious issue. To keep feet warm if you’re working outdoors in low temperatures, investing in a safety boot with a thermal lining can make a huge difference. Boots that feature a temperature-regulating lining such as Thinsulate or a cold-resistant fleece lining can ensure that safety and the job remain the key focus.
Grip, not slip
Slips still account for a third of all UK accidents at work, but on construction sites, slippery and uneven surfaces are very commonplace, so the potential for slipping is arguably greater.
The tread on your footwear is one of the biggest decisions that you should consider when buying boots. An often-overlooked feature, you need a tread that is designed specifically for the type of terrain you’re working on. It’s exactly this reason that V12 developed innovative sole units – the STS and IGS.
The STS sole was designed to provide traction and create a non-clogging sole to keep the wearer stable and balanced on unsteady ground like mud or sand. Several V12 styles feature the STS sole unit, making them perfect for outdoor roles such as bricklaying or landscaping, where terrain tends to be more unpredictable.
Meanwhile, the IGS sole was developed with a hexagonal grip pattern to cut through water and channel it away, increasing stability on more indoor and man–made surfaces that tend to become slippery such as scaffold boarding, steel grating and ceramic or concrete floors.
Working at height
According to the HSE, ladders account for 40% of all falls from height in the UK each year. And in ladder-fall prevention, the importance that footwear has is key. If your boot has specific ladder grips built into its tread, safety and stability is significantly increased.
V12’s IGS and STS soles both feature ladder grips to keep you firm-footed when climbing or descending ladders. And because ladder-work is such a necessity in so many job roles like roofing, plastering and scaffolding, we strongly advise having a boot with a sole that offers you the best chance of staying safe, stable – and out of ladder-fall statistics.
Lightweight comfort
In a recent survey of 500 safety boot wearers, 94% of respondents said they wore their safety boots for 8+ hours per day – sound familiar? On average a person takes 9,000 steps a day but the average tradesperson walks 12,000. And if you’re in an industry where you can end up doing this number of steps, you’ll need your work boot to be comfortable. And this is where boots with a composite toecap and midsole can really help. Because composite is a much lighter material than steel, this reduction in weight goes a long way to reducing tired and heavy legs and also helping to reduce the chance of longer-term issues.
So, for those in roles that feature a lot of standing or walking, opting for boots that are light in weight can make a massive difference to both productivity and health.
You can’t always control the hazards in your workplace, but one thing you can control is what you put on your feet. V12 is a family-run business so we fully understand the importance of staying safe at work so that you can return home to loved ones at the end of the working day!
For more information on V12’s waterproof Lynx range, click here.
