Safety Shoes: Enter The Worksite Safely
Sponsored Article by Panda Safety
Safety shoes are one of the minimum requirements for having access to a worksite in Italy and belong to the so-called PPE or Personal Protective Equipment, as regulated by Legislative Decree 81/2008. This means that they are shoes with special characteristics, that can prevent possible damage or injury and should be accompanied by other protective devices that vary according to the kind of worksite and of risks.
Who has to wear safety shoes on the worksite?
Short answer: anybody who sets foot in one.
Whoever enters a worksite must wear personal protective equipment: in the photo the Panda Safety category 3 Kasmin model
Long answer: the shoes must be worn by anyone who has access to a worksite that does not have a completely safe area separate from the area where processing is taking place (called PPE Free area). The company assigned the task is responsible for making these controls. This obviously includes the assigned workers, the professionals who make inspections and also customers and owners.
Leonardo is wearing the Panda Safety category S3 Auge model
So yes, even if it is your house, as soon as it becomes a worksite, you remain the owner, but you cannot access the worksite freely unless you are accompanied and equipped with the necessary protection.
The characteristics of the worksite safety shoes
To enter a building site you must wear category S3 shoes. They are shoes that respond to many health and safety requirements of those wearing them, even for several hours a day. They have a reinforced toecap, a non-slip and antistatic sole, but above all contain a pierce resistance sheet. Another unique characteristic of the S3 category shoes is the water-resistant upper, meaning that they can be used in environments strongly characterised by the presence of water.
Our responsible worker Michele is wearing the Panda Safety Auge model, while I am wearing the Regata model
In order to choose the right shoes it is worthwhile also assessing the materials: the leather has more durability, shoes with a composite material toecap can be worn even in environments with high level security controls. The Velcro fastening can also make it easier to put on the shoe.
Safety footwear for women
Let us open an almost painful chapter: women’s safety shoes. They are no different to men’s safety shoes, but it is not easy to find the sizes. Women often have smaller and narrower feet and it is difficult to find lightweight and comfortable safety shoes for on-site inspections. And which are not only pink, thank you.
