Some men's dress shoes have built-in safety features
Some jobs require men to wear business dress but also have protective footwear. In these situations, it is best to find men's dress safety shoes. These shoes look like the dress shoes men typically wear with suits, but have added safety features, such as steel toes and durable soles.
Products
Many men's shoe manufacturers make safety shoes in the same styles as their dress shoes. Although the shoes are reinforced the same way that work boots are, they match dress pants, suits and business casual clothing better than work boots. Safety dress shoes are made in loafer, wingtip and oxford styles and are available in black and brown.
Steel Toes
Steel-enforced toes protect toes from injury if something is dropped on them. In the front area of the shoe, a thin steel cap reinforces the shoe material. Steel-toed shoes are especially important when working around heavy machinery that could be dropped. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires people at sites with heavy machinery to wear shoes that meet standards for steel toes to reduce risk of injuries.
Slip-Resistant Shoes
You may need slip-resistant shoes, depending on the job environment. Slip-resistant soles have a thick sole made of a special rubber compound. The soles have tread designs that can help the sole grip to slippery surfaces and cling to the microscopic tread of the floor, according to Shoes for Crews. The grid pattern on the sole allows liquids to flow underneath the shoe.
Ratings
Safety shoes are rated for how much impact and compressed weight they can withstand, according to Gemplers. Shoes are either rated to withstand 50 lbs. of falling weight or 75 lbs. of falling weight. A 50 lb. rating means that the steel won't crack until 1,750 lbs. of compressed weight is on top of it. A shoe with a 75 lb. impact rating can withstand 2,500 lbs. of compressed weight.
Choosing the Right Protection
Some people prefer safety shoes because they are around machinery. If you are in certain industries, such as oil refining, manufacturing or construction, make sure that the safety shoes you pick comply with federal standards for footwear at job sites. If your job falls under this category, select shoes with markings designating them as compliant with the the American Society for Testing and Materials. You should find ASTM-F2413 somewhere on the shoe or in its lining. This code corresponds with the code for the law it complies with, and it means the shoes comply with basic standards. Depending on your job, you may want shoes that have protection for electric shocks, protect against heat or cold or protect against punctures.
Tags: dress shoes, compressed weight, comply with, falling weight, heavy machinery, protect against
