For sale there is a wide choice of safety footwear, and at first sight all products look the same. However, there are great differences between different types. My goal is to teach you how to distinguish the correct genre of safety shoes for each work environment. To be more precise, in this article I will talk about Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture.
I will try to give you an idea of what type of safety shoes is the most appropriate for your workplace and, in general, for your needs.
Of course it is not possible to list all the potential risks, but those that follow are the most important.
I am sure that this article will help you to choose the perfect type of safety shoes for your needs.
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: types of task
In this kind of job one often works outside. Winter, summer, cold, hot, rain: any weather condition can occur. The right kind of safety footwear for your needs should protect your feet, but at the same time it should let them breathe, so that a good article of safety shoes suited for working in the forestry or agricultural sector will be of great help.
But a job in this sector doesn’t involve a single task. Therefore, the risks are different according to the activity you perform, and so do the type of safety footwear you should wear.
The main jobs of the sector are:
• Cutting down trees: there is no other solution to cut trees or bushes except to wear specific safety footwear with resistance to chainsaw cutting (EN 17249). There are 4 levels of protection according to the speed of the chain: 20, 24, 28 and 32 m/s. If you work in the agriculture sector then most likely sometimes you come into contact with mud and soft chemical products. The best solution is rubber soles, or polymeric boots even better.
Best “17249 LEVEL I, II, III” picks by SafetyShoesToday
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
• Animal farming: if you take care of feeding the animals, you will surely come into contact with liquid or muddy substances, then your footwear should be water-resistant (S2 or S3) and slip-resistant (SRC). Some farmers, indeed, prefer to wear polymeric boots for this job (S4 or S5 footwear).
Best “S3” picks by SafetyShoesToday
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: seeding and animal hygiene
• Seeding: who does this kind of job often gets wet or moist, so it is preferable to use polymeric boots (S4 or S5). As an alternative, WR waterproof safety footwear can be a great option as well.
• Animal Hygiene: if you do this job, you could often get wet feet, so using polymeric boots (S4 or S5) will help you to protect your feet from moisture and bad falls due to slipping (SRC soles). If you prefer to wear shoes rather than boots, then it would be better to choose a water proof pair (WR).
Best “WR” picks by SafetyShoesToday
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Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: cleaning services
• Cleaning services: in this type of activity I suggest the use of polymeric boots (S4 or S5), because you will constantly come into contact with water and waste. Otherwise, you can wear regular S2 or S3 safety shoes.
Best “S5” picks by SafetyShoesToday
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: types of risk
After having seen a list of the main activities in this field, let’s now talk about the risks that your feet take if you work in the forestry or agricultural sector.
You must buy safety shoes to work, but you don’t know what features they should have?
You wish you had a clearer idea of the risks that you take every day in your job?
Now I am going to show you what the main risks for a worker in this sector are, to help you choose the perfect safety shoes for your needs.
What are the risks for your feet? And what solutions can be found for sale?
The main risks are:
• Wet feet;
• Extremely slippery ground;
• Ankle sprains;
• Impacts or compressions in the toe area.
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: types of protection and required features
Almost every shoe type has versions that offer long-lasting protection. In this case, a valid article of safety footwear suited for working in forestry or in a farm must have the following characteristics:
• Water-resistant upper (S2 or S3);
• Protective toecap;
• Resistance to extreme abrasion of the soles (soles of PU/TPU or PU/rubber blend);
• Puncture-resistant soles (S3);
• Slip-resistant soles (SRC);
• Choose a design B or C (ankle boots).
Moreover, the sole can be of almost any material, but it is preferable to avoid single-density PU. The toecap should be metallic, and equipped with a fast-release system.
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: required products
• UNI EN ISO 20345: personal protective equipment – Specifications for general purpose safety shoes. This footwear is equipped with a toecap that protects the wearer from impacts and crushes in the toe area. The toecap can withstand forces of 200J and pressure loads of at least 15kN.
• S3 safety shoes. More information about S3 safety footwear here.
• S5 Polymeric boots;
• Safety footwear with resistance to chainsaw cutting (17249).
Safety shoes for forestry and agriculture: what do you think?
These are the features that I recommend that you check if you are looking for the perfect pair of safety shoes for your needs.
As soon as you get yourself the right product, you will be much safer at work.
I guarantee that if you wear the right type of safety footwear, you will live a better work experience!
What do you think about this type of safety shoes?
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