ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) 2413 sets the minimum standards and testing procedures for safety footwear.
The identification of the ASTM 2413 standard is:
Every year, thousands of work place injuries occur that could have been prevented with the right gear. Safety work boots are tested according to ASTM 2413 standards for impact and compression safety-toe resistance, metatarsal protection, conductivity resistance, electrical shock resistance, static dissipative properties, and puncture resistance. Below is a guide to help understand what exactly ASTM is and how safety footwear is tested.
A safety test is performed by dropping a 50 pound weight from a predetermined height (1.5 feet) at a designated speed. The I/75 C/75 rated footwear will protect the wearer’s toes from an impact of up to 75 foot-pounds and compressive loads up to 2,500 pounds.
The clearances under the safety toe after the test is performed are as follows:
*The standard doesn’t cover the use of ‘aftermarket add-on’ protective toe devices*
Metatarsal protection is designed to prevent or reduce injuries when the toe and metatarsal areas of the foot are exposed to hazards. The metatarsal test is performed by dropping a 50 pound weighted bar 1.5 feet onto the metatarsal guard. (75 foot-pounds of impact energy.) The impact energy is the same as for the safety- toe impact. The clearance is measured by inserting a wax foot-form into the shoe to accurately measure the deflection of the metatarsal guard on the interior of the shoe.
The clearances under the metatarsal guard after the metatarsal impact are as follows:
*The standard doesn’t cover the use of ‘after market add-on’ guards*
Conductive footwear is designed to discharge static electricity from a person’s body through their shoes to the ground. This type of footwear is designed to minimize static electricity and take the “charge” out of your body so static discharge sparks do not occur.
The electrical resistance of conductive protective footwear should range between 0 and 500,000 ohms. (One-half Mega Ohm)
EH protective footwear is designed to reduce the hazards due to accidental contact with live electrical circuits and is only meant to be used as a secondary protection for electrical hazard environments.
The outer surface of the sole and heel shouldn’t be penetrated by any electrically conductive component, like nails in the heel.
EH shock resistant footwear must be capable of withstanding the application of 18,000 volts at 60 Hz for 1 minute with no current flow or leakage in excess of 1.0 milliampere.
SD protective footwear is designed to reduce the buildup of excess static electricity by conducting body static charge to ground, while maintaining a sufficient high level of resistance that protects the wearer from electrical hazards due to live electrical circuits.
The electrical resistance must be greater than 1,000,000 ohms (1 Mega Ohms) and not exceed 100,000,000 ohms (100 Mega Ohms).
Puncture resistant footwear includes a sole puncture resistant device (usually below the insole) which reduces the possibility of puncture wounds to the bottom of the feet.
PR footwear should withstand a minimum nail penetration force of 270 pounds.
Why should you wear safety work shoes?
When you’re on the job site, the goal is to efficiently do your tasks to meet the quality & deadlines that are set for you. You’ve already got so much to do that you don’t have much time to think about your safety workwear & footwear. In all the hustle & bustle of workplace activities, you may face risks of foot fracture, bruising, etc., especially the toe area. If you were to fall down while power-walking to the next task or if you accidentally kick or drop something, your toes may literally be in a world of hurt.
Steel safety toe work boots can help.
While rushing to get done the routine workplace works, you won’t have time to think or guess if your steel toe boots are made with a good safety toe protective cap or not. Daily, you’re just at the mercy of your safety footwear and hope that they’ll keep you safe from any foot or toe fractures.
Don’t compromise your safety! Be prepared ahead of time by choosing the right gear. Your safety footwear or steel toe boots or shoes must meet some specific footwear safety standards in order to keep you unharmed in the workplace. If any mishap occurs & any heavy object falls on your feet, then the most likely outcome will be a toe injury. Certainly, a person working on daily wages or a hard working needy worker in this era of inflation cannot afford such a disastrous accident. In order to save yourself from any serious injury & potential emergencies, protect your feet (especially your toes!) with good steel toe boots.
What is the ASTM F2413-11 safety standard?
Choose a good pair of steel safety toe shoes by knowing whether they meet the safety standards. One of the footwear safety standards is the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) ASTM F2413–11 safety standard for toecap footwear. It gives an idea about the standard performance requirements for protective toecap footwear. This safety standard makes you aware of all the specifications that you should look for in your safety steel toe boots, so you can protect yourself against a number of workplace risks that can cause you a serious harm. Footwear that utterly conforms to this safety standard should meet & possess the following performance requirements:
Working Person’s store offers awesome steel toe shoes that conform to the ASTM F2413–11 safety standard in all of its specifications. Enjoy your job with all your energy & mind focused on the work, knowing your feet have the ultimate safety toe protection.