How to choose the slip resistant safety shoes

Since the birth of labor insurance shoes, it has taken on the important task of protecting the feet of workers from external injuries. With the upgrading and iteration of the production process of labor insurance shoes, the functional subdivision of labor insurance shoes is becoming more and more clear, and there are more and more types. However, no matter the update iteration, most of the labor insurance shoes have the most basic anti-skid performance. How to choose the slip resistant safety shoes?

Some staff often encounter stagnant water and oil pollution in their working environment, which is prone to slip and fall injuries and affects work efficiency. When evaluating the need for anti-slip, it is necessary to consider the ground, pollutants, footwear, pedestrian personal factors, cleanliness and the environment. In order to reduce the occurrence of slipping injuries, in addition to taking administrative measures, it is necessary to wear slip resistant safety shoes to reduce the occurrence of slipping injuries. Slip resistant safety shoes soles are particular, and the texture of the material is the key.

Anti-slip labor insurance shoes are a kind of labor insurance shoes. The anti-skid and wear resistance of labor insurance shoes are mainly improved through the selection of materials used in the outsole and the design of the shading, so as to achieve the purpose of anti-slip.

The sole material of different labor insurance shoes has different characteristics. Understand the material of the sole and choose the appropriate labor insurance shoes in order to better provide safety protection for users. The sole material of labor insurance shoes is generally divided into rubber (RB), polyurethane sole (PU), MD sole, TPR sole, EVA sole, etc. according to the material. Different materials have different anti-skid properties. From the material point of view, the anti-slip performance is better than natural rubber. Sometimes whether the shoes are anti-slip can not only depend on the material of the sole, but also the design and technology of the sole. So even if it is a shoe with the best anti-slip effect, it may slip.

Different sole patterns, widths, directions, depths, etc. will affect the anti-slip performance. Most people think that the more patterns on the sole, the more anti-slip, but this is not certain. It’s not that the more textures, the more anti-skid, there is a certain technology in it. Under the same road conditions, the anti-slip performance of the broken line pattern is better than that of the horizontal and vertical patterns; there is also a spike-like pattern designed to grasp the ground through the protruding particle shape, which has a good grip.

The larger the pattern width of the sole, the larger the coefficient of friction and the better the anti-skid performance. When the pattern direction is 0° and 45°, the friction coefficient between the soles is larger, and the anti-skid performance is also better.

There are some general guidelines to consider when choosing the right anti-slip feature.

Outsole:

Soft Rubber Compound Provides Maximum Slip Resistance For Environments Contaminated With Oil And Grease. Remember that small changes in compound can lead to large changes in overall slip resistance.

Tread:

Look for outsoles that shed oil and grease so the outsole can more fully contact the work surface, and ones with split solid lugs specifically designed to clear away debris. Treads should allow the maximum amount of material to grip the floor. Softer soles and tighter treads are better suited to fluid contaminants in indoor environments.

Wider-spaced treads are generally better suited for handling solid contaminants in outdoor areas. Avoid clogging the tread. If the footwear requires frequent cleaning, it may require a wider or deeper tread pattern. Watch out for worn or flat soles over time.

Insoles:

Insoles do not directly provide slip resistance, but they should provide additional cushioning and impact padding for employees who stand for long periods of time or work on hard surfaces.

Upper:

Uppers can be made from a variety of materials, including various leathers, suede, mesh, and combinations of these materials. Like the insole, the upper does not directly determine slip resistance, but plays a key role in fit and comfort.

Midsole:

Midsole technology is not directly related to slip resistance, but is very important to the overall structural integrity of the footwear and the comfort of the employee throughout the day.

Durability:

Employers should prioritize highly durable footwear that provides maximum slip resistance for the longest period of time so employees can work with confidence.

Criterion for Difficult Problems

As with other protective aspects of safety footwear, such as toe protection or puncture resistance, there is no slip resistance requirement for footwear. One slip resistance method that employers may be familiar with is the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test ASTM F-1677, known as the “Mark II test.” However, the Mark II test was withdrawn by ASTM in 2006.

The new ASTM test standard that employers should look for or inquire about safety footwear suppliers is ASTM F-2913 – “Standard Test Method for Measurement of Coefficient of Friction for Evaluating the Slip Performance of Footwear and Test Surfaces/Floors Using the Whole Footwear Tester”— — or “whole shoe test.”

In the whole shoe test, the sole and sole surface of the foot are brought into contact, subjected to a specified vertical force and held in static contact for a short period of time, and then moved horizontally relative to each other at a constant velocity. The horizontal friction force is measured after the motion starts and the kinetic coefficient of friction is calculated.

Surface contaminants include, but are not limited to, water, ice, oil, grease, and other chemicals. These contaminants are among the most prevalent, but employers have no real way of knowing how slip resistance changes when the contaminant is food, gravel, cleaning agents, mud or building materials.

Whole shoe testing does not take into account the risk of tripping due to footwear/ground interlocking. This refers to special purpose footwear with spikes or metal studs. Various other factors may affect slip risk, including ambient temperature, lighting, surface irregularities, stairs and handrails, floor mats, and running paths, as well as human factors such as age, general health, inattentive behavior, walking Take shortcuts or carry objects that obstruct your view.

A shoe’s coefficient of friction can be measured, but there are other variables involved in slippage. For example, a shoe may provide adequate slip resistance on dry concrete but become slippery on wet steel. The other may initially provide considerable slip resistance, but if the sole is not durable and wears out quickly, the slip resistance may also be reduced.

Any offering of safety footwear can claim that its product is non-slip precisely because there is no single global standard or class of slip resistance. We recommend three simple principles for assessing slip resistance:

Follow ASTM Standard Test Methods: ASTM F-2913 or whole shoe testing provides the most complete method to evaluate how different footwear materials will interact with various work surfaces. All slip resistant safety shoes should be tested against this standard to establish a common basis for comparison.

Knowing the details: Whether a particular shoe or boot will provide adequate, long-term slip resistance requires an understanding of what the job actually involves: the physical requirements of the surface, contaminants, and role. Look for suppliers with extensive experience in developing specialized safety footwear for a variety of industries.