Which type of sole is best for safety shoes?

16 Dec.,2024

 

The Impact of Sole Material on Safety Shoe Performance

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Footwear

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The Impact of Sole Material on Safety Shoe Performance

The sole of the industrial safety shoes is much more than a base; it forms a base for each step at the demanding working sites. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, slips, trips, and falls comprise almost 27% of all non-fatal workplace injuries. This statistic underlines the importance of selecting proper safety shoe sole material: the thin line between a secure, productive day and potential disaster.

Let's explore why the sole material is essential and how it affects performance, especially in industrial safety shoes.

Why Sole Material Matters

It mainly uses materials like rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane, and EVA, which have some advantages in specific work conditions. For example, soles made of rubber are more slip-resistant. PU and TPU are much better in durability and shock absorption. Knowing these materials will help you make an informed decision so that your industrial safety shoes can meet standards like ISO : of safety, besides offering your feet health and comfort throughout the day.

It mainly uses materials like rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane, and EVA, which have some advantages in specific work conditions. For example, soles made of rubber are more slip-resistant. PU and TPU are much better in durability and shock absorption. Knowing these materials will help you make an informed decision so that your industrial safety shoes can meet standards like ISO : of safety, besides offering your feet health and comfort throughout the day.

Types of Sole Materials

1. Polyurethane (PU)

Below are some of the most common sole materials used in industrial safety shoes, with a cursory examination of how each impacts performance.

Footwear with PU soles often meets EN ISO : standards, ensuring they pass rigorous safety tests. This makes them an ideal choice for construction safety shoes in India.

2. Rubber

Slip Resistance and Heat Resistance: Most famous are the soles made of rubber for their excellent grip, especially on wet surfaces. They are resistant to heat and can resist very high temperatures of up to 300°C; hence, they are very suitable for high heat conditions, such as metalworking, which is very common in Indian industrial safety shoes.

Rubber soles can cut the incidence of slips, which is a tremendous increase in safety, as trips, slips, and falls are among the leading causes of workplace injury. This feature makes them a preferred option for construction safety shoes.

3. Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)

Lightweight and Flexible: EVA is a lightweight, flexible material with high-impact absorption. This makes it a popular choice in sectors where comfort is paramount.

Workers wearing EVA-soled shoes report less discomfort than those wearing heavier footwear, emphasising the importance of comfort in demanding environments. EVA is often used in industrial safety shoes where long hours and comfort are critical factors.

4. Vulcanized Nitrile Rubber

High-Temperature and Chemical Resistance: The compound has been designed to function under extreme temperatures and conditions, giving excellent slip resistance and durability, especially when high temperatures and heavy chemical usage are part of the working conditions.

Vulcanised nitrile rubber-soled shoes are ubiquitous among India's industrial sectors. Such industrial shoes can minimise slips by up to 24% in workplaces and thus help prevent workplace accidents due to slipping.

Here&#;s a table to help you make a better choice for your industrial safety shoes:

Here&#;s a table to help you make a better choice for your industrial safety shoes:

Sole Material

Advantages

Disadvantages

Rubber

Excellent slip and heat resistance

Heavier, less flexible

Polyurethane (PU)

Jianlida Product Page

Lightweight, excellent shock absorption

Lower heat resistance wears faster

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate

Extremely lightweight, flexible

Less durable, lower slip resistance

Vulcanised Nitrile Rubber

High temperature and chemical resistance

Heavier, less cushioning

The Impact on Industrial Safety Shoes Performance

Traction and Slip Resistance

The tread pattern of a safety shoe sole material plays a significant role in slip resistance. Shoes designed with small, uniformly separated tread blocks provide better grip by increasing the contact area with the ground and allowing for efficient fluid drainage. Over time, however, worn-out soles can highlighting the importance of regular shoe replacement. 

Comfort and Ergonomics

Weight and Fatigue: The weight of your industrial safety shoes directly impacts comfort and fatigue levels. Studies comparing light, medium, and heavy-duty safety shoes show that lighter footwear significantly reduces discomfort in some cases. This lessens fatigue, which is essential for productivity and morale when working for extended periods, especially in construction safety shoes.

Cushioning and shock absorption: PU soles are preferred due to their ability to absorb shock. They have to balance comfort with durability. They let the worker move around with much ease without having that heavy feeling, which increases productivity by reducing fatigue. This is especially important in industrial safety shoes that need to provide all-day comfort.

Durability and Wear Resistance

Material Comparisons: While rubber soles generally outperform PU regarding wear resistance, especially in environments with sharp objects and rough surfaces, they tend to be heavier, impacting comfort. On the other hand, PU soles are lighter and offer good shock absorption but may wear out faster in highly demanding conditions. This trade-off means that the choice of safety shoe sole material should be based on the specific work environment.

Remember, the sole of your industrial safety shoes is not just about what's beneath your feet; it's about how that construction supports every move you make. Several sole materials, such as polyurethane, rubber, EVA, and Vulcanized Nitrile Rubber, make a significant difference in the performance of industrial safety shoes. These factors finally affect the primary considerations- slip resistance, durability, comfort, and protection against workplace hazards.

Final Thoughts

SThus, choosing the suitable safety shoe sole material for your industrial safety shoes is more than a decision- it's about taking good care of your well-being at work. Keeping in mind all these differences in every single sole material, Acme ensures that your footwear meets the relevant safety standards, such as EN ISO , and you can take another crucial step toward a much safer and more comfortable workday.

Which Soles Are Better for Safety Footwear

It is a part of your safety shoe or safety boot that doesn&#;t get the attention it deserves. Again, a critical component that needs understanding in order to make an informed decision prior to your purchase. All shoes have a sole, which is the bottom of a shoe, the part that comes into full contact with the ground.

Modern Soles can be made from a variety of materials, but most modern safety shoes have soles made from:

  • PU (Polyurethane)
  • TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
  • Rubber soles

Prior to these compounds &#; during the 90&#;s &#; polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was popular. Today however, it is fairly rare and rather obsolete.

More than 90% of the safety footwear sold and purchased globally will be manufactured out of Polyurethane. Either single density or dual/double density. Dual density has become the global standard due to the fact it offers both a hard-wearing outsole (which takes the impact and pounding of the earth below) and a softer, more cushioned midsole. The midsole, being of a different shore hardness (Shore Hardness is a measure of the resistance a material has to indentation) allows spring and cushioning which provides comfort. Single density doesn&#;t have this best of both worlds scenario &#; so has to compromise on either the longevity of a hard wearing outsole or the comfort factor. This ends up either being very hard and inflexible&#; or not hard wearing enough.

Polyurethane Soles

Polyurethane injected soles in safety footwear; are intrinsically flexible, lightweight, antistatic, oil/acid/petrol & diesel resistant, slip resistant and has a heat resistance of around 90&#; degrees to 110&#; degrees (on better quality chemicals). Due to the massive quantities sold worldwide, it is the cheapest of the predominantly utilised compounds.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane

Thermoplastic Polyurethane soled product is more specialist; a little less flexible, very lightweight, oil/acid/petrol & diesel resistant, but slightly less slip resistant. It also carries a 90&#; degree heat resistant but most importantly, it does have the impressive quality of being cut resistant. A nice feature. Due to its specialist nature &#; it does carry a price premium.

Rubber Soles

And that brings us to the heavy duty sole offering, which is Rubber. More expensive, heavier, but designed to take on the harshest work environments in construction, engineering and mining. It has a harder compound, offering a superior degree of both cut and puncture resistance, as well as resistance to some harsher chemicals. It also boasts a 300&#; degree heat resistant outsole which also makes it non-conductive. Great for applications around both heat, extreme cold and electrical current.

At ProFit Safety Footwear we make use of a range of 5 different anti-static, dual density polyurethane soles &#; and 4 different heat-resistant and non-conductive rubber soles.

Contact the team today to get advice on the best sole for your purpose &#; or give us a call on +27 11 892

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Aircushion Sole Safety Shoes Manufacturers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.