There are many occupations that require the use of steel
toe boots or shoes. Choosing the correct footwear for the
job is extremely important in order to provide the appropriate
protection. So, how does a worker or employer select safety
shoes?
First, you should assess the work environment to determine
any possible foot hazards and how you can protect against
them. This assessment is important in a Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) program because it helps you choose the
right footwear for the job and hazard. Typical foot hazards
to look for during your assessment are sharp objects from
tools or raw materials; falling or rolling objects like
boxes, materials, carts and equipment; chemical spills;
wet, slippery surfaces from spills or bad weather; electrical
shock; hot surfaces like paving or welding; and cold surfaces
and environments such as snow, ice and refrigeration.
The protective footwear you choose must comply with the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard
F2413-05, formerly the American National Standards Institute's
(ANSI) standard Z41-1999. The F2413-05 standard separates
safety footwear into different categories such as Impact
and Compression Resistance.
Impact and compression resistant footwear is constructed
with a steel or nonmetallic toe-cap to protect your foot
from falling or rolling objects that could crush or break
your toes. This protective toe-cap is built into the boot
at the time of construction and must be an integral part
of the footwear.
The new ASTM F2413-05 standard does not approve of "hang-on" or "strap-on" toe
appliances, toe-caps or other devices as an acceptable
means for providing protection. Any protective toe cap
must be designed and constructed into the shoe during the
manufacturing process and tested as an integral part of
the footwear.
The ASTM F2413 standard has two classifications for compression
ratings 75 = 2,500 lbs and 50 = 1,750 lbs. This means the
footwear has been tested to withstand compressive loads
up to the designated number of pounds before the toe-cap
will start to crush or crack.
Also, safety toe shoes/boots are tested to meet one of
two units of measurement for impact rating i.e.75 or 50
foot-pounds. A foot-pound is determined through a test,
which is performed by dropping a steel weight from a predetermined
height at a designated speed. For example, I/75 rated shoes/boots
will protect a worker from an impact of 75 foot-pounds.
You can determine if your footwear is ASTM approved for
impact and compression protection by looking for this type
of information on the label.
• ASTM F2413-05
• M/I/75/C/75
This means the particular footwear complies with the ASTM
F2413-05 standard.
ASTM F2413-05 - The letters F2413 reference
the performance requirement for foot protection. The additional
digits following the standard designation indicate the
year of the standard to which the protective footwear complies,
for example: 05 refers to 2005.
M = Footwear designed for a male.
F = Footwear designed for a female.
I/75 = Impact rating of 75 (foot pounds)
C/75 = Compression rating of 75 (2500 lbs.
of pressure)
As of March 2005, ASTM F2413 standard superceded the ANSI
Z41 standard. Manufacturers and distributors will implement
a "running change" to their inventory from the
ANSI Z41 labeled fotwear. Because there is no change in
the protocol, the ASTM F2413 standard does not require
that the change from ANSI to ASTM labeled footwear occur
in a specific time period.
As a supplier of safety footwear, you can be assured that
GEMPLER'S will only offer the highest rated shoes or boots
according to ANSI standards. All of our shoes and boots
have the highest impact and compression ratings available.
We offer these highly protective and quality shoes/boots
in a variety of materials and styles as shown on the right. |