What is a steel cap shoe?

Footwear reinforcement

A steel-toe boot (also known as a safety boot, steel-capped boot, steel toecaps or safety shoe) is a durable boot or shoe that has a protective reinforcement in the toe which protects the foot from falling objects or compression. Safety shoes are effective in keeping the feet of industrial workers safe from sharp and heavy objects while working in factories.[1]

Safety footwear now comes in many styles, including sneakers, clogs, and dress shoes. Some are quite formal, for supervising engineers who must visit sites where protective footwear is mandatory.[2]

Some brands of steel-toe footwear have become fashionable within subcultures such as skinhead, punk, and rivethead. While brands that were previously renowned within the fashion industry have also diversified into the safety footwear market, industrial brands like Caterpillar, Rock Fall and JCB have also issued licenses to produce safety footwear.

Safety criteria

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Asia

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Safety shoe standards in Asia are:

• China: GB 21148 & An1, An2, An3, An4, An5
• Indonesia: SNI 0111:2009
• Japan: JIS T8101
• Malaysia: SIRIM MA 1598:1998
• Singapore: SS 513-1:2005
• India: IS 15298-I: 2011 test methods, IS 15298–II for safety footwear, IS 15298-III Protective footwear, IS 15298-IV Occupational Footwear
• Thailand: TIS 523-2011

Europe

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[3]

The International Organization for Standardization provides the European standard for safety footwear. The current one is ISO 20345:2011 - previously ISO 20345:2004.

The codes applicable to European safety footwear are:

There is also EN ISO 20346:2004[4] for protective footwear (must comply to basic safety requirements but toe cap impact resistance requirement is lower - 100 Joules) & EN ISO 20347:2004 for Occupational Footwear (must comply to basic safety requirements with antistatic or slip-resistant properties. This standard does not require a protective toe cap)

North America

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Canada

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In Canada, the most common standards used by employers are those of the CSA Group (formerly the Canadian Standards Association; CSA), published in CSA standard Z195. These standards are similar to the ASTM International standards commonly used in the United States but the testing methods do vary.

CSA standards on shoe labels feature distinct shapes and colors, represents specific safety criteria for all safety footwear and apparel:

• Green triangle with registered symbol - Sole puncture protection with a Grade 1 protective toe. (Heavy work environment: construction; machine shops; where sharp objects are present)
• Yellow triangle with registered symbol - Sole puncture protection with a Grade 2 protective toe. (Light industrial work environments)
• White rectangle with orange Greek letter omega and registered symbol - Soles that provide electric shock resistance, with Ω (capital omega) being the symbol for ohms of electrical resistance. (Any industrial environment where live electrical conductors can occur)
• Yellow rectangle with green letters "SD", a grounding symbol and registered symbol - Capable of dissipating an electrostatic charge in a controlled manner. (Any industrial environment where a static discharge can be a hazard for workers or equipment)
• Red rectangle with a black letter C, grounding symbol and registered symbol - Soles that are electrically conductive. (Any industrial environment where low-power electrical charges can be a hazard for workers or equipment)
• White label with green fir tree symbol and registered symbol - Provides protection when using chainsaws. (Forestry workers and others required to use a chainsaw)
• Blue Square with registered symbol - Grade 1 protective toe only. (For all other environments not listed above)

The registered symbol in each of the CSA Z195 protective footwear markings is a registered identifying logo or mark of the certifying agency.[5] Examples of organizations that certify footwear to this standard include the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI), the CSA Group, and UL Solutions.

Generally, a safety shoe is a shoe that follows at least one of five criteria. The criteria that a safety shoe adheres to can be found by looking for the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) alphanumeric code found inside the shoe. This code is made up of a combination of 5 different symbols:

• 1, 2 or 0;
• P or 0;
• M or 0;
• E, S or C;
• X or 0.

1. The first code indicates whether the shoe has a steel-toe cap (a metal shell embedded on top of the toes part of the shoe). "0" means there is none. "1" means that there is, and it resists an impact of 125 joules (22.7 kg object falling from 56 cm above). "2" means that it resists an impact of 90 joules.
2. The second code indicates whether the shoe has soles that protect the arches of the feet from punctures. "P" means it does. "O" means it doesn't.
3. The third code indicates whether the shoe has a metatarsus protection against shocks and collisions. "M" means it does. "O" doesn't.
4. The fourth code indicates the shoe's electrical properties. "E" means it resists electrical shocks. "S" means it disperses static electrical. "C" means it conducts electricity.
5. This last code is found only on shoes that protect the foot from chainsaws, i.e. chainsaw boots. "X" it does, "O" does not.

United States

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In the United States, the most common standards used by employers for protective footwear are ASTM International standards F2412-18a (Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection) and ASTM F2413-18 (Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Foot Protection).

OSHA previously required compliance of ANSI Z41.1-1991, "American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear," if purchased after July 5, 1994,[6] or ANSI standard "USA Standard for Men's Safety-Toe Footwear," Z41.1-1967,[7] if purchased before that date.

As of March 1, 2005, ANSI Z41 has been replaced by ASTM F2412 and ASTM F2413[8]

ASTM certified footwear must include a label that indicates which safety standards that particular footwear meets. The various safety standards include:

• I - Impact
• C - Compression
• Mt - Metatarsal
• Cd - Conductive
• EH - Electrical Hazard
• SD - Static Dissipating
• PR - Puncture Resistant

Oceania

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• Australia: AS 2210.3:2019

Use as a weapon

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Steel-toe boots have been used in assaults, such as the attack on Josie Lou Ratley, a Florida teenager.[9] Nightclubs and other entertainment venues frequently include a "no steel toecaps" rule as part of their dress code to mitigate the possibility of serious injury to other patrons if the wearer becomes violent.[citation needed] Use of bovver boots in football hooliganism was countered by warnings to fans that they would have to remove such boots in order to attend football matches.[10]

See also

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References

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If you are looking for safety boots, you will be confronted a tonne of alternatives, but two of the most popular would be composite toe and steel cap boots. If you only have to choose one, which will you pick?

Steel Cap Boots

Steel toe cap safety boots and shoes have a heavy-duty steel cover cap across the toes and have protected the toes of countless workers across the globe and are considered the original safety boot.

Benefits:

• Recognised in the industry
• It is also shatter-proof and can provide high level of protection from punctures.
• Designed to offer the highest level of protection from falling objects. Because steel is a durable material, your foot will be protected from being crushed.
• To meet Australian OHS standards (AS/NZS 2210.1) they are required to provide protection against 200J of energy and bear a compression load of at least 15kN

Disadvantages:

• Heavier then composite, can cause foot fatigue at the end of a working day.
• Unable to be worn in extreme hot or cold conditions.

Composite Toe Boots

This type of safety footwear is a newer technology, but it is quickly being the norm as it is able to offer a wealth of benefits as well. Unlike steel cap boots, this is made from non-metal materials, which can include Kevlar, fiberglass, plastic, and carbon fiber, among others.

Benefits:

• Much lighter then steel caps
• To meet the Australian OHS standards they are also required to provide protection against 200J of energy and a compression load of at least 15kN.
• If your job will require you to be passing through a metal detector regularly, this will also be an excellent choice as it is made from non-metal materials.
• It has better ability to resist electrical hazards. It should be also pointed out that it can offer great insulation, which makes it the ideal pick for safety boots if you work in cold climates.

Disadvantages:

• Usually more expensive then Steel toe
• Its puncture resistance may also not be as commendable.

Which Should You Choose?

There is no definite answer with regards to which among the two safety boots should be chosen. At the end of the day, individual circumstances can have an impact on which one should you pick. Steel cap boots will be the perfect choice if there is a high risk of being punctured and if there are dangers from heavy falling objects in the workplace. Composite toe safety footwear, on the other hand, will be a better alternative if you need to pass through a metal detector and if you are working in freezing climates.

Shop steel caps here:

Shop composite here:

At The Coalface Boots, Workwear & Safety
Shop 1/66 Lower Gibbes St,

Chatswood NSW 2067

info@coalfaceworkwear.com.au