If your work hours are spent hauling huge machineries or climbing bumpy terrains without safety boots on, you are putting your feet through horrific dangers. Workplace accidents aren’t limited to construction sites, electrical power plants or warehouses, foot injuries are a common thread across industries.

If the lack of glamor and heavy weight are 2 reasons you ditch safety boots, we’ll give you 10 reasons why you shouldn’t.

Some workplaces can be messy. Construction sites, in particular, require you to maneuver through rough, uneven terrains. Two of the most common safety shoes features that come into play here are – stability and slip resistance.

Safety boots hold your entire feet in place with a full lace-up fastening design. The thick leather upper rise above your ankles engulfing them in a snug fit. Even if you walk over bumpy surfaces, your ankles stay in place. This safety is further enhanced with steel toe boots.

1. Allows you to move around workplace safely

To provide optimum slip resistance, safety boots are designed with soles with prominent lugs. These lugs keep your feet fixed to the ground by displacing water at every step. Now you know, with safety boots on you’ll be the first person to rush to damage control in case of an accidental oil spill or water clogging.

If your workplace deals with nails and glass instead of oil and water, safety boots got you covered there as well. Safety shoes come in-built with a solid plate layered between your feet and the sole of the shoes. These plates prevent nails, glass and other sharp objects from digging into your feet if you accidentally step on them.

This might be the most obvious reason you are looking out for safety shoes. Even the most safe-looking workplaces and the most carefully stepping worker is bound to trip into an accidental injury.

2. Offers complete protection against injuries

Safety boots are designed keeping workers in mind and every detail is carefully planned out to ensure they get as much protection as possible.

The upper is crafted from durable leather that provides resistance to abrasive damage while the thick rubber soles can withstand a solid amount of wear and tear.

Durable leather upper and thick soles are common features that run across all safety shoes. However, what’s even more exciting is that you can pick safety boots with features that are designed for the nature of your job. For example, if you work near electrical equipment, you can look for shoes that can withstand high-voltage jolts. Similarly, if your work is more prone to equipment falling on your feet, you can go for safety boots with a protective toe cap.

3. Improves productivity at work

Psychologically speaking, when you wander around your work area with a solid pair of safety shoes on, you will be less frightened and more motivated to tackle any task at hand. Since you don’t run the risk of hurting yourself. As a result of carrying out hardcore tasks, you’ll feel a lot more confident. Just find a pair that you love and you won’t go a second without them.

4. Withstands unpredictable weather

Extreme weather changes can take a toll on your body temperature. Regular footwears do not have the capacity to regulate body temperature. However, safety boots can do the trick. With an interior breathable lining, they keep your feet cool in the summer months. As soon as the winter dawns, its in-built snug insulation kicks in to keep your feet warm and comfy.

If you work under hot summer sun, invest in a good quality pair of safety shoes lined with moisture-wicking fabric. Shoes with in-built ventilation also provide sufficient air circulation so your feet don’t sweat as much and feel suffocated when you click in longer work hours. Similarly, go for safety boots with thick insulation capacity in cold, snowy environments.

Even rainy days are waterproofed with safety shoes. All the different types of safety shoes are fabricated out of waterproof materials to prevent rain and snow from impacting your feet.

5. Prevents muscle strain and fatigue

Typically workers spend all day on their feet. Especially on hard surfaces like concrete, muscles in the feet, legs and back grow tired and fatigue becomes a real issue. Without shoes that provide optimum cushioning and arch support, muscles strain increases to an unbearable level.

Safety shoes have in-built arch and heel cushioning that provide adequate support needed to be on the feet all day without feeling dizzy. Some shoes even come with shock-absorbing features and support to the torso. Prevention of muscle strain keeps workers more alert and more efficient.

6. Required by the law

If you thought not wearing safety boots was a choice you had, you don’t. There are government bodies in place to regulate the use of safety gears at workplaces and safety shoes are one of the safety gears in question.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration makes sure every workplace provides work boots to their workers. If not complied with, your organization may end up facing a lawsuit and even lose their license all together which will end up with you losing your job.

7. Needed for every workplace

If you thought your workplace doesn’t need safety boots since you don’t work with heavy objects, you might want to think of your safety priorities again. Even if your organization takes extra care for your safety, your workplace isn’t immune to injuries.

A considerable amount of these injuries impact the feet and the right work footwear can avoid all of these effectively.

8. Prevents chemical burns

When we think of burns, we think of fire. At a workplace, there are more reasons to burn yourself than a fire break. Safety boots prevent chemical splashes and molten metal splashes to come in direct contact with your skin and injure your feet.

9. Comfortable to wear

Contrary to the popular belief, safety shoes do not squish your feet and suffocate them. They offer a snug fit so they don’t slip off while you are engrossed in work. If you have got the right size, you don’t need to worry about comfort. Safety boots keep your feet warm and cozy for most parts.

10. Fashionable and trendy

Safety shoes are running high on-trend nowadays with the choice of wearing them even outside of work. They aren’t always chunky and boring. With varied colors and designs, you can reap the benefits of safety footwear along with maintaining your personal style statement.