Choosing the Right Footwear for Construction

Do you work in the construction industry? If so, you probably know the importance of wearing the right footwear. It's not uncommon for construction workers to drop tools, lumber or other heavy loads. And if you drop something that lands on your feet, it could cause serious injury. Wearing the right footwear, however, can protect you from injuries such as this. Here are a few tips to follow when choosing footwear for the construction industry.

Steel Toe

There's no substitution for steel-toe boots in the construction industry. As the name suggests, these boots are designed with a metal plate embedded in the front of the toes. The purpose of this metal plate is to protect against heavy loads. If you drop something on your feet while wearing steel-toe boots, the metal place will absorb the impact and protect your feet from injury.

Comfort

Of course, it's also important that you choose comfortable, fitted boots. Just because a pair of boots has a steel-toe front, they may or may not be comfortable to wear. The only way you'll know if a pair of boots are comfortable is by trying them on. Take a few minutes to walk around in them, checking to see how they feel on your feet. If they rub your heel, for example, you may want to choose a different pair. But if they provide adequate support and a high level of comfort, they are probably a good choice for construction work.

Material

Not all construction boots and other footwear are made of the same materials. When shopping for footwear, check to see what materials it's made of. Leather is a safe choice that's often preferred because of its combination of strength, durability and comfort.

Rise

How tall are the boots? Low-rise boots may be more comfortable to wear during the hot summer months, but they lack the protection of high-rise boots. Boots the rise above your ankles, for example, offer greater protection from injury than boots that rise below your ankles.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when choosing footwear for the construction industry. It's important to note that footwear is often classified as personal protective equipment (PPE) by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If a construction job requires the use of steel-toe boots to protect the worker from injury, the employer must provide the worker with these boots.