Lightweight safety shoes: information and news
Safety shoes are an indispensable element for any worker who works in environments where a high level of safety must be maintained (e.g. construction sites, kitchens, the logistics sector, etc.), and it is therefore increasingly essential that they are comfortable and lightweight. When a safety shoe is lightweight, not only does the worker have more freedom of movement, but also suffers less from the negative effects of wearing such a safety device for more than eight hours a day.
So, let's delve deeper into the subject, first explaining what lightweight safety shoes are and why it is important for them to be lightweight, and then analyse the main features to look for in such a type of footwear and provide a list of the most important Reposa innovations in this regard.
Lightweight safety shoes: what they are and why they are important
Lightweight safety shoes are models of safety shoes specifically designed by selecting lightweight components and materials for the same performance and strength.
Such lightness often implies, in the common collective imagination, the idea of a typical summer shoe but, unlike what is commonly believed, these shoes do not have a seasonal nature but are rather distinguished by their intended use, and it's safe to say that they are extremely suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. In fact, the weight has not been reduced with the intention of alleviating the summer heat so much as to allow the wearer to avoid overstretching their feet and legs.
After all, those who wear such footwear do so for at least eight hours a day, so wearing a lighter, more breathable shoe decreases the chances of reaching the end of the day with swollen legs and sore ankles.
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Lightweight safety shoes: the essential features
Safety shoes are individual safety devices made compulsory for a whole range of work sectors and, for this reason, are governed by European legislation that categorises them into several levels according to the type of risk they are intended to prevent.
Having said that, it must also be said that a safety shoe is considered lightweight on the basis of 3 specific elements which, depending on the material they are made of, determine their weight more than others. They are as follows:
- the toe cap
- the inner sole
- the upper
In addition to steel, the toe cap can also be made of composite material or fibreglass. All three materials comply with national and European safety standards but have different weights. The heaviest one, in fact, is the classic steel toe cap, then there is the composite toe cap (a non-magnetic and non-thermal material that acts as a perfect insulator, both in terms of thermal and electrical insulation) and, finally, the fibreglass toe cap, the lightest of the three listed in terms of safety and risk, but also the most expensive.
In addition to the toecap, the anti-puncture insole also plays a key role in the weight of a safety shoe. The main models on the market are made of steel or fabric, and the latter are obviously the lighter ones. The term fabric should not, however, mislead us as it is a material characterised by extremely high strength (think of it as "anti-puncture ballistic fabric").
The upper part of the shoe, the part that determines its level of waterproofness, also contributes to the lightness of a safety shoe. The lightest materials in which this can be made are microfibre and polyester (mesh or non-mesh), since both keep the safety level of the protective device high.
Lightweight safety shoes: Reposa's new offers
Our entire range of products is designed to attire all professionals, not just those in the healthcare world. This is why we have completed our catalogue with the Safety line, which consists of two S1P models, Tiger and Lion, both in two colours. Colourful, sporty, beautiful, lightweight and comfortable.