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Electrical Hazard, Static Dissipative and Conductive Safety Shoe Information

What’s the difference between Electrical Hazard, Static Dissipative, and Conductive Safety Shoes?

The 3 distinct types of conductivity found in Safety Shoes are Electrical Hazard (EH), Static Dissipative (SD), and Conductive (CD).  These are tested according to the ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) standards F2412-05 and F2413-05.

EH Electrical Hazard Safety Shoes

The differences between these classifications of Safety Shoes are that Electrical Hazard shoes are designed to impede (reduce significantly) the flow of electricity through the shoe and to ground, thereby reducing the possibility of electrocution. Electrical Hazard Safety Shoes will have an “EH” clearly visible on the ASTM label sewn inside the safety shoes.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 7.1.5.2)   Only safety shoes can have the Electrical Hazard designation.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 5.5.1),

IMPORTANT:    Electrical Hazard shoes are not designed to be the primary source of protection in an Electrical Hazard environment.  They are designed to be only a secondary source of protection in an Electrical Hazard environment, and that is clearly stated in the ASTM standards for Electrical Hazard Safety Shoes.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 5.5.4 & Sec 5.5.2),

SD Static Dissipating Safety Shoes and non-Safety Shoes

Static Dissipating Safety Shoes and Soft-Toe shoes are designed to dissipate (reduce) the amount of static electricity build-up on your body.  Unlike Electrical Hazard Safety Shoes, Static Dissipating Shoes can be either safety toe or non-safety (or soft-toe).  Static Dissipating shoes actually conduct static electricity through the linings and insole, cement, and outsole and into ground.  Static Dissipating Safety Shoes and non-Safety Shoes have a “SD” clearly visible on the ASTM label sewn inside the safety shoes.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 7.1.5.3),

To accomplish Static Dissipating environments consistently, several things must be controlled.  First, you cannot add any kind of insole to the shoe, except a specially designed Static Dissipating insole.  If a non-Static Dissipating insole is added to the shoe, Static Electricity will not flow through the insole.  When the insole becomes non-conductive; the shoe will not Dissipate Static Electricity.  Also, the floor and sole of the shoe must remain clean and free of dust and other foreign matter to maintain good contact between the sole and the floor.  This allows the Static Electricity to Dissipate, or flow through the sole and into ground.  (This assumes that floor is “grounded” and Static Electricity will flow through to the floor material.) 

Static Dissipating Shoes and Safety Shoes are worn in mainly two types of environments:  Computer component handling facilities and nuisance Static Electricity environments, like plants where the process and machinery create a large Static Electricity field in the manufacturing process.  Typically, this field creates a build-up of static electricity on employees working in the environment, and then discharges when the employee touches metal that goes to ground or has a neutral or less charge than the body has.  This Static Discharge “shocks” the person, creating momentary discomfort and annoyance. Static Dissipating shoes can help this situation, but the floor, mats, and machinery, also need to be grounded to reduce the Static Electricity field in the environment.

Conductive Safety Shoes

Conductive Safety Shoes are designed to “conduct” Static Electricity through the shoes and into ground.  Conductive Safety Shoes are similar to Static Dissipating Safety Shoes because both are designed to dissipate Static Electricity.  Conductive Safety Shoes (CD) Dissipate Static Electricity much faster and more completely than Static Dissipating Safety Shoes (SD). The reason is that Conductive Safety Shoes are worn in environments that are highly flammable and explosive, which means that reducing the possibility of a Static Spark or Discharge is critical to the safety of not only the employee, but the other employees in the immediate area and even citizens in the vicinity of the explosive area.  According to the ASTM Standard, Conductive (CD rated) Shoes must be Safety Shoes (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 5.4.1), and the Conductive Safety Shoes have a “CD” clearly visible on the ASTM label sewn inside the safety shoes.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 7.1.5.1),

Important:    Because Conductive Safety Shoes (CD) conduct electricity, employees wearing these shoes must avoid wearing Conductive Safety Shoes in Electrical Hazard (EH) environments.  Obviously, this could be a very dangerous situation.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 5.4.2.3),

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Electrical Hazard, Steel Toe and Composite Toe Shoe Information

Can Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes have a Steel Toe? And are Composite Safety Toe, Electrical Hazard (EH), Safety Shoes better, or safer than, Steel Toe, Electrical Hazard (EH), Safety Shoes?

Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes can be made with either a Steel Toe, a Composite Toe, or an Aluminum Toe…actually, any type material safety toe is safe, as long as it meets the ASTM safety toe standard.   The safety toe material has nothing to do with the Electrical Hazard (EH) properties of a safety shoe.  The reason is that the safety toe sits on top of the outsole of the shoe, which insulates it from the floor.  The ASTM Standards (ASTM F2412-05 and ASTM F2413-05) that specify the shoe specifications and testing procedures do not require the safety toe to be any particular material.

Very Important to Understand:      Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes are only supposed to be used only as a secondary source of protection in an Electrical Hazard (EH) environment, where employees may be subject to open electrical circuits.  (ASTM F2413-05 Sec. 5.5.4 & Sec 5.5.2)

About the only way that a Steel Toe could be hazardous is if the person wearing them was standing on his toes, which would bring the steel toe in contact with the floor.  If the person is kneeling, his steel toes may be touching the floor; but the knee is touching, too.  An accidental, electrocuting circuit probably would go through the knees into ground since that would be the path of least resistance for the electrical circuit. 

Believe me when I tell you that if the very intelligent researchers, who designed the ASTM tests and specifications for Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes, believed that there was any chance that Steel Toe, Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes were not as safe as a Composite Toe, Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoe, they would not allow them to be made.  The tests show that the Steel Toe Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes pass the ASTM Standard Electrical Hazard (EH) Test just as well and are just as safe as the Composite Toe, Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes.

Electrical Hazard (EH) Safety Shoes can be made with any type safety toe as long as the safety shoe passes the Impact and Compression safety toe tests and the Electrical Hazard (EH) test.

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Finding a Comfortable Pair of Safety Shoes

The most critical thing with purchasing a pair of safety shoes is finding one that is comfortable!

Most problems with the comfort of safety shoes is caused when the toes (usually the large toe or next to the smallest toe) comes in contact with safety toe and “rubs” a blister on the toes.  Generally this is caused because the Customer is trying to wear safety shoes that are too short.  Yes, that’s right—too short…and not too narrow!  As my Dad taught me, comfort comes in length not width.  Here’s the reason:

The only way to relieve the Customer’s toes from the rubbing sensation of the safety toe is to move the safety toe away from the Customer’s toes.  To do that you need to get a longer shoe not wider.  A wider shoe will still have the safety toe located in the same area relative to the toes, and the safety toe will still be encroaching on the foot.   The longer shoe moves the safety toe forward in the shoe away from the toe of the foot.  The reason Customer’s talk about the rubbing sensation is because as you walk, the foot does actually move forward in the shoe naturally.  If the safety toe is too close to the Customer’s toe, then the toe will rub the safety toe of the shoe.

There is a way to determine the proper length of the foot, and that is to have your foot measured by a trained shoe salesman.  Normally, the standard device being used today is the Brannock Device, but many stores have electronic measuring machines in them too.  From what I have seen personally these do a very good job.  These measuring devices measure two dimensionally, length and width, but not thickness or girth of the foot, but they are still very helpful in determining the right size.  The most important measurement is the arch measurement (sometimes called “ball measurement” because that is what is measured).  The arch measurement is important because it measures the distance from the back of the heel to the widest point of the foot, and that is important because you want to get the widest part of the foot in the widest part of the shoe!  This also causes the shape of the foot’s arch to match the shape of the arch of the shoe, which will provide the wearer of the shoe the maximum support from the shoe.  Typically getting the wide part of the foot in the wide part of the shoe provides relief to the foot because as you step down on the foot the wide part of the foot has room to move forward into the tapering toe of the shoe.  If the foot is too far forward in the shoe, then the wide part of the foot starts to flex forward in the shoe from the tapering part of the shoe which causes the wide part of the foot to “jam” into the narrower part of the shoe where the safety toe is.  That is why it is critical fit all shoes using the arch measurement and not the toe measurement.

The second idea for getting a comfortable safety shoe is to compare the shape of the front part of your foot and with the shape of the shoes you are trying to wear.  I am including some pictures I have taken of my Customers’ feet.  Since everyone’s foot is a little different, yours is probably a combination of these photos.  Note that the toe shape of the foot should approximate the toe of shoe you are trying to wear to get the most comfortable toe.  In other words, if you have a “straight toes” or the “extremely wide foot”, you need to be wearing an oblique toe shoe or an extra wide safety toe style. Trying to wear a pointed-toe Wellington boot is just not going to be comfortable, and you can see that by comparing the width of your toes to the width of a narrow toe safety shoe. 

So if you have problems with the safety toe rubbing your toes or wearing holes in your socks, you need to look at the extra wide safety toe shapes, like the oblique toe styles.  If you need help finding the right styles call our office at 1-888-933-5540 and we will show those styles to you.

And, if you have a wide foot, or a foot with your toes all about the same length, or your big toe is straight forward from the ball of the foot, you need to he wearing the oblique or extra wide safety toe styles.

So the main thing to getting a more comfortable safety shoe, especially for “toe comfort”, is to make sure you have “toe room” in your safety shoes.  The first thing to do is get your arch measured and make sure you are wearing that length shoe.  Get the wide part of your foot into the widest part of the shoe so your shoe’s arch will match the shape of your arch and give you maximum support.  Next, make sure the shape of your foot approximates the shape of the safety toe you are trying to wear.   Give your toes plenty of toe room!

One last tip, when you get your new shoes, try them on in the store first.  Make sure that your toes feel no pressure on the side of the big toe or the side of next to the smallest toe.  Any pressure there means the shoe is too small or too short..  Do NOT try to wear new shoes and think this tightness on your toes will “break in”…your toe is the only thing that will “break in” with a big, bad blister!

Finally, NEVER WEAR A NEW PAIR OF SHOES TO WORK!  WEAR YOUR OLD SHOES TO WORK, THEN CHANGE INTO YOUR NEW SHOES AT WORK.  THAT WAY, YOU HAVE THE OLD PAIR TO WEAR IF THE NEW ONES HURT YOU OR ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.

Call us if you need more help! 1-888-933-5540

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Finding Slip-Resistant Shoes

The important thing to know about slippery environments is that they are all different; and they are so diverse, it is very difficult to design a test that simulates the slip-resistance of all environments.  

The reason is there is a multitude of floor surface materials and finishes, and in addition, you have a multitude of materials that are on the floor, and these materials interact with the floor surfaces to produce the slippery condition.  Moreover, there are some materials that clog up the pattern of the sole or coat the sole, and they also cause slippery conditions.  You have wet environments, including liquids of all kinds including water, oils, and chemicals, and you have dry environments including dusty materials like corn starch, talcum, and graphite-like materials.  Another tough environment is materials that are on the floor that clog up the soles, like food materials in food processing plants or residue material, sometimes called “drool”, in injection molding environments.  Some of this material is small enough to get stuck in the grove of the sole of a shoe; and because the material is hard, it causes the shoe to slip since the shoe’s sole can’t grip the floor.  .

While there are two major tests in the US for testing the slip-resistance of a shoe (Brungraber II or III and James Test), none is really good enough to predict the slip-resistance in your area unless it is a simple wet surface.  I maintain the only real way to determine if the sole is going to be slip-resistant enough is to test the shoe’s sole in the environment.  Most manufacturers and even some safety shoe dealers will do free wear-tests; so if you are looking to subcontract your safety shoe program, ask them to do some “wear-tests” for you before you start the program.  The Brungraber Test (Mark I, Mark II, and the Mark III) is the newer of the tests, but the United States Postal Service uses .5 on the James Test to determine their slip-resistant specification.

In summary, there is not a standard ASTM, slip-resistance test for shoes or shoe soles; and even if there was, you would still want to wear-test the product in the environment to really determine if it was slip-resistant.  There are just too many different slippery environments to have a standard.

There is an excellent discussion of all the different Slip-Resistant testing machines in use, which demonstrates why there is no standard.  The website, created by Jay Preston, a Certified Safety Professional and Professional Engineer, is good information.  And Mr. Preston is a member of the ASTM F-13 committee on Safety and Traction of Footwear.  Check out his website. http://www.safetybiz.com/Sliptest.htm

You can view our selection of slip resistant shoes here.

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Comfortable Safety Shoes

One of our customers asked this question: I am in need for a wide size 11 composite safety shoe. I bought a pair from a local store but they hurt my toes and feet so bad I can’t stand to wear them. Is it possible to find a comfortable safety shoe or must I live with painful hurting feet.

Unfortunately, you probably got your shoes too short.  Try a longer shoe.  

When you try on new safety shoes, you should feel NO PRESSURE on the sides of your toes.  (Where your toes are probably rubbing the side of the safety toe.)  If you go to a shoe store, have them measure your foot and ask them to give you the “Arch Measurement” or “Ball Measurement” (same).  This is the critical measurement to wear safety shoes comfortably and you should try to wear the closest shoe size to this measurement you can.   

If you tried a 10W and it bothers your toes, please try the 10.5M.  Go up a half size, and narrow the width if you can.  This may seem wrong, but believe me it works.  The longer shoe will get the safety toe further away from your toes and allow the foot to “flex” forward in the shoe without touching the safety toe.  Comfort in safety shoes is achieved by wearing a long enough shoe to give your toes room to move forward in the shoe when walking.  This movement of your foot back and forth in the shoe during walking is natural; but when the shoe is too short, the safety toe encroaches in the flex area of the foot and toes.  Thus the rubbing you experienced.

Try the longer shoe and you will have more comfort.

You may need to try a different style or brand, or a style with a larger safety toe.

Hope this helps.

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Boot Care Instructions

Keep leather free of dust and debris by wiping boot down with a damp towel.  This will keep the dust or debris from extracting essential oils from the leather and ensure the leather does not become dry or brittle, causing the leather to crack.

If chemicals make contact with your boots, make sure to wash off the chemicals as soon as possible to prevent chemicals from having adverse effects on leather.

Over time leather tends to dry out, which means the leather loses its oil content and you can see the leather fade and dull over time. When this happens, you need to get some oil back in the leather especially in the flex area of the boot. You can use any number of products to put oil back into the leather, including shoe polish, baby oil, Neat’s Foot Oil, Mink Oil, Snow Seal, Silicone treatment, and there are probably several other similar products. Use a cotton ball to apply this material to the leather and focus your effort especially in the flex area of the boot at the sole line. This area close to the sole is the critical area that is most vulnerable. Keep this area oiled and the leather (and boot) will last a long time before it cracks and the boot is rendered “worn out”.

Like all thing the more care you put into your boots the longer wear you will get from your boots. 

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Dress Safety Shoes for Narrow Widths

A customer recently asked me this question about narrow width dress safety shoes:

I have a 10 year old pair of Florsheim Penny Loafer Steel Toe shoes in C width. I have searched the web and cannot find any dress slip on safety shoes in a B or C width. The D or medium widths are just too loose on my foot and not comfortable.

Does anyone make a C width dress steel toe shoe?

Answer:

No manufacturer that I have found does.. I’m also narrow-footed, and I have the same problem.

My solution is not a perfect one, but here it is.

I had to resort to getting the same length of safety shoe in Medium width, then inserting a purchased insole on top of the standard insole in the shoe. This is not perfect, but it’s the only way to get my shoes to fit reasonably comfortably. Make sure you DON’T BUY YOUR SAFETY SHOES A SIZE SHORTER because the steel toe gets too close to your toes and can result in blistered toes.

Sometimes the extra insole might be too thick and cause the shoe to fit too tight on the instep or around the toes. If that’s the case, I remove the original insole (most today are removable) and just use the thicker, added insole. I usually keep the original insole in case the shoe gets sloppy after wearing it a while. If that happens, I just add the original insole back into the shoe with the extra insole.

Thanks!

Bob  

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Compliance of the Rockport Boat Shoe RK6736

ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for years (probably 50 years or more) was the standard for testing safety shoes.  The ANSI Standard you site (1999) was the last revision they did for safety shoe testing.  (The “-1995” standard was the previous revision to the “-1999”.)  In 2005 (approximately, not positive about the year), ANSI decided not to continue supporting testing standards for safety shoes because (from what I understand ANSI determined) they said safety shoes were consistently meeting all standards and they did not see any reason to continue with the standard.
At that point, the safety shoe industry asked (I believe this is the story) American Society for Testing and Methods (ASTM) to take over the standard, which they did.  The standards are essentially the same, with some minor changes in the standards and methods of testing.  Thus the current standard is ASTM F-2412-2005, but it is essentially the same standard as the ANSI standards you site.
All shoe styles and brands that we sell are class 75, including the Rockport RK6736.  In fact, all American brands commonly sold by HYTEST Distributors are Class 75.  There hasn’t been an American brand Class 50 style sold in the US in over 40 years.  (I’m old enough to remember the last one.)
You can read that shoe’s (RK6736) testing specs on the shoe label in the shoes.  If you get a chance to look at the inside label of the shoes before they are worn very much, you may want to check out the label.  It shows the testing Class 75 (I75 for Impact 75 and C75 for Compression 75) on the label, as well as other testing standards it has, like EH for Electrical Hazard, SD for Static Dissipating, M for Metatarsal, PR for Puncture Resistant. Etc.)  RK6736 is an EH shoe and the label will have “EH” on the label.