Laboratories and research centers play a central role in providing for people’s health and the quality of products placed on the market. It is therefore essential not to compromise the hygiene and integrity not only of the laboratories and analyzes in progress, but also and above all of the operators who carry out this delicate and very important work.
Reposa, which has been a guarantee of safety and quality for decades in the production of PPE certified work footwear, ensures that it provides high-level laboratory shoes, entirely Made in Italy, and that comply with the provisions of the Safety and Quality bodies, as well as with European standards. ISO 20347: 2012 and 20345: 2011.
This is possible thanks to constant research and experimentation. From the SEBS rubber clogs, to the ultra-light line in cross-linked EVA, to the breathable microfiber models, Reposa provides a wide choice and various levels of protection to meet the needs of each type of laboratory with its specific tasks.
Characteristics of the laboratory shoe
Let’s see which are the components that make PPE footwear ideal for activities carried out in laboratories:
- Smooth closed upper: Samples analyzed and substances handled in the laboratory, whether chemical or organic, can also be very risky if they come into contact with the skin. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to protect yourself adequately, and the footwear you wear is one of the most important devices for your safety. Reposa laboratory clogs, in soft SEBS rubber, have a closed upper part to protect the foot from the accidental fall of liquids or infectious or irritating substances.
We can see this feature in all Reposa models, even in the great classics Max, Complete and Easy .
An added element are the side windows, which allow adequate ventilation of the foot for an ideal combination of safety and comfort.
- Washable and autoclavable material: In analysis laboratories, where the environments and samples must not be contaminated by external agents, there is a need for an adequate level of hygiene for their devices. While in industrial laboratories, where chemical analyzes, color tests and the development of new industrial processes are carried out, operators easily dirty clothing and even footwear.
Having the ability to easily wash and sanitize your shoes therefore becomes essential to maintain the cleanliness, hygiene and decorum of the employees.
To meet this need, Reposa laboratory clogs are made of thermoplastic rubber: a material that is easily washable and can also be sterilized in an autoclave up to 134 ° C. For more information on washing work clogs, read the dedicated article.
- Non-slip sole: During the various activities carried out in the laboratories, equipment and tools must be kept clean, which implies the constant use of detergents that can inevitably fall to the ground and make the floor slippery. The SRC certified non-slip sole is designed to maintain grip with the floor even in the presence of water or other liquids.
- Protective Tip: When moving equipment or containers such as bags or canisters containing chemical reagents, or the samples themselves to be analyzed which can reach a considerable weight, it may happen that a weight that can accidentally fall to the ground or on the feet cause injury or crushing. In this case, the steel toe comes to the rescue, to protect against the risk of serious injuries. The safety toe, injected and retractable, can be found in the Safe model.
- Antistatic insert: the latest Reposa novelty for the autoclavable line. ESD (electrostatic discharge) phenomena are common to many work environments, including some laboratories, and represent a critical factor to be taken into account. For this reason, the latest improvement made to the Reposa autoclavable clogs is the ESD insert, which allows the absorption of electrostatic charges and protects the operator from possible shocks.
- Attention to comfort: In many activities carried out in the laboratories related to the use of specific instruments, employees must remain standing for many hours a day, and therefore the use of comfortable and comfortable PPE is essential for the health of the operator. Reposa shoes are designed in detail in the height of the heel and in the width of the sole to allow prolonged comfort and not tire the feet and legs. An example in which “comfort” translates into “lightness” is the ultralight Light line, which includes the Light One models and Light Shock. Which come to weigh an average of just 300g per pair.
Today, more than in the past, companies pay more and more attention to safety, both because they are complied with by current regulations and because they feel the need to develop processes for constant improvement of the quality and safety of their employees. Inserting a type of safe and certified footwear in the PPE kit certainly becomes a further step forward in the quality of work of its employees.