Many people think that injuries on feet are related just to the toe area. This is not exactly correct, because there are several other injuries that can happen to the feet, different than just a heavy object falling on the toes. Among the number of risks there is the risk to be hit on the side of the safety shoe, right on the ankle, this is why if you are doing a job with this kind of risks you definitely need Safety shoes with ankle protection AN.
In this article I’ll explain to you technically what to look for when searching for safety shoes with ankle impact protection. There are products on the market made just for your need and you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to find the right product for yourself!
- You work in heavy construction?
- Are you working in logistics, moving pallets here and there?
- You work in police, military and security services?
- Have you ever got hit on the side of the foot?
Well, you definitely need safety shoes with ankle protection. That’s wh I’ll explain to you what exists on the market, what technical specifications you have to look for for the perfect safety shoes for your needs.
The ankle by definition is the area where the leg and the foot meet. Therefore it is very easy to understand what kind of problems you might have in case of an injury to the heel. Reduced mobility, up to totally stopping the work activity in the worst cases.
So I strongly recommend you to make a good search of safety shoes with ankle impact protection.
The best solution for safety shoes with ankle impact protection, to protect your heel from side impacts, is coming from the protection inserted in the heel area of the safety shoe:
SOLUTION: you have the European legislation in your favor. In the UNI EN ISO 20345 and UNI EN ISO 20347 there is a chapter dedicated to the additional requirements that a safety shoe can have, and one of them is called “AN”.
“AN” means ANKLE PROTECTION and it is the marking for safety shoes that carry a protection certified with a specific impact test to the shoe (the test is made by dropping a steel anvil weight from 0,2m with a resulting energy of 10J and then measuring the transmitted force that cannot exceed 10kN, and evaluating the damage or breakage of the ankle protection insert).
Best “AN” pick by SafetyShoesToday
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
The ankle protection can be made out of different materials:
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plastics
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impact-absorbing foams like:
- D3O www.d3o.com
- PORON www.rogerscorp.com
The difference can be basically identified in price and comfort, the hard plastic materials are for sure less expensive and thinner when inserted into the heel area of the shoe but sometimes the user feels the presence of a hard piece, the impact absorbing foams are soft instead, they are a bit thicker but many times more comfortable to the heel, the price of course is a bit higher.
Finally, the solution that I suggest to you when looking for safety shoes with ankle impact protection is:
- look at the name of the shoe, does it include “AN” in the full name? Example: GASTON MILLE HOT PEPPER S3 AN CI HI SRC;
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in the product’s description, what type of material is used for the ankle protection? Is it made in hard plastic or soft impact resistant foam?
There is a ton of safety shoes on the market to help you get your ankles protected.
The result? Your ankles will be safe and depending on materials the shoe can be as comfortable as any other non-ankle protective safety footwear.
I grant you that if you use the right safety shoes with ankle protection you’ll work safer.
What do you think about that knod of safety shoes?
Do you have any experience that you would like to share?
Would you like to add some details?
Please write your comments below!
