Non-Metallic Safety Footwear And Its Importance

Protective footwear technology has progressively evolved over recent years, with a transformation from the traditional steel-toe cap boots, designed to shield the foot from impact, puncture, and compression hazards, to high performance composite options now well advanced. A key driver for this progression has been the requirement to ensure protection against electrical hazards, without compromising comfort or functionality. Indeed, on an increasing number of sites, non metal footwear is now not only preferred but legally required.

Non-steel safety footwear incorporates protection layers made from advanced materials such as carbon fibre, fibreglass, and Kevlar, providing a much lighter boot with the same high level of protection as metal, while fully conforming to the same stringent industry safety standards.

Additional to the all important non conductive properties, composite footwear also provides resistance to extreme temperatures, allowing for a thermoneutral environment for the foot. Non-metal footwear is ideal for high-security sites such as airports, military bases, and government buildings, where it can pass through metal detectors without triggering the alarm system – making for convenient and hassle-free movement. Other advantages include less risk of corrosion, ideal in wet or chemical-intensive conditions. Many factors and differing workplace environments have to be considered, from uneven terrain and extreme weather conditions to electric shock risks. These hazards must be guarded against, and risk assessments should always be carried out – particularly if electrical risks may be present.

As ever, Clad Safety are on the front foot when it comes to safety footwear options, stocking a wide range of metal-free safety shoes – a selection of which are below.

A separate category of non-metal footwear is ESD – specifically designed with anti-static properties for sites with electrical hazards. ESD stands for Electrostatic Discharge, meaning the release of stored static electricity. ESD footwear reduces this risk by forming a bridge between the wearer’s body and the carbon veins in conductive floors. This transfers the static energy to the ground and avoids any injury occurring. ESD rated footwear is required in hazardous areas such as fuel plants, chemical processing, sewage treatment plants, mines, and electronics production facilities. Below are some of our best-selling ESD rated footwear options.

If you’re looking for a lightweight or non-conductive safety boot option, get in touch today on 01423 881266 and the Clad team will be glad to discuss your requirements.