One Step Ahead: A Safety Manager’s Guide to Protective Footwear

Key Highlights

Safety managers must select protective footwear that aligns with job demands and complies with updated standards.

Key safety features include toe caps, slip resistance, puncture protection, metatarsal guards, electrical hazard, and static dissipative ratings.

Beyond compliance, comfort, durability, proper fit and proactive replacement are essential for reducing injuries and fostering a safety-first workplace culture.

Every day, millions of workers lace up their boots, counting on them to provide safety and comfort from punch-in to punch-out. But when the wrong footwear walks onto the jobsite, it brings preventable injuries with it.

Safety managers play a critical role in selecting protective footwear that matches the demands of the job. Knowing which features to prioritize and how they’re regulated can help prevent injuries, reduce downtime, and support compliance.

Who Sets the Standards?

OSHA sets the baseline requirements for workplace safety, including safety footwear. For construction, general industry, and food processing, OSHA mandates compliance with ASTM International standards—specifically ASTM F2413, which governs safety toe boots.

Footwear that meets ASTM requirements is certified by an independent lab, which issues a Certificate of Conformance. This certification allows the product to carry labels showing the ASTM safety specifications it meets.

Ultimately, employers are responsible for selecting proper footwear and ensuring it’s worn consistently, whether they provide the boots or workers supply their own.

Reading the Labels: What Safety Features Mean

The ASTM F2413-24 standard was recently revised in 2024 to include updated test methods, slip resistance criteria, and more transparent labeling. The following explains ASTM ratings and labels for safety features most commonly required in general industry, construction, manufacturing and food processing.

I/C: Impact & Compression Ratings for Safety Toe Caps

Safety toe caps protect workers’ feet from impact and compression injuries. Impact injuries might come from falling objects, such as a fumbled tool or dropped materials. Compression injuries come from roll-over accidents like equipment or a vehicle wheel rolling over the foot.

ASTM F2413-24 details the standard requirements for safety toe caps. Work boots that meet ASTM F2413-24 specifications will be marked with “I/C” to indicate that the toe cap is capable of withstanding an impact force of 75lbf and withstanding a compressive force of 2,500lbf, at a minimum, and retaining a 1/2” clearance for men and a 15/32” clearance for women.

It’s important to note that the ASTM standard doesn’t require the toe cap to be made of a specific material. Steel, aluminum and composite toe caps can all provide the necessary protection.

Steel toes are the strongest and most popular among construction workers who are at greater risk for impact and compression injuries. Aluminum toes are lighter than steel and can be a good choice for industrial and warehouse workers. Composite safety toes are the lightest and are the preferred choice for cold storage and temperature-controlled food processing workers because composites don’t conduct cold as well as steel or aluminum. Hence, the feet stay warmer while walking on frozen surfaces.

SR & SRO: Slip Resistance Ratings

Slip resistant outsoles protect workers from injury by making it easier to stay upright on challenging terrain. Such outsoles provide more secure traction against uneven, wet or debris-filled surfaces because they are made with specialized materials, such as rubber compounds, that grip the ground. The treads are molded with multi-directional patterns of varying sizes or depths that increase traction and channel any moisture around the foot as it contacts the ground or floor.

Slip resistance is incorporated into the ASTM F2413-24 standard and evaluates footwear performance in terms of its coefficient of friction (COF), the numerical measurement of traction between the boot and the floor. The higher the number, the better the traction and the less likely the wearer is to slip.

When a retailer or distributor says that a boot is “non-slip” or “slip-resistant,” check that the boot has been tested using officially accepted ASTM test methodologies by looking for an ASTM slip resistance rating on the label.

Work boots labeled with ASTM F2413-24 and the term “SR” have a COF of 0.4 or greater on wet and dry surfaces. Work boots labeled with the term “SRO” meet the requirements for the SR rating, plus they have a COF of at least 0.33 on oily wet surfaces.

PR: Puncture Plate Protection

Walking on an active job site can feel like crossing a minefield, with nails, blades and sharp-edged scrap metal just waiting to stab the soles of unwitting workers.

Work boots with an extra plate of steel, durable rubber or other protective material between the insole and outsole can protect against this type of puncture injury. Such footwear will be labeled with ASTM F2413-24 and “PR” to show that the outsole can withstand 270lbf of force.

MT: Metatarsal Protection

Metatarsal guards protect the top of the foot and must maintain 1 inch of clearance under a 75 lbf impact. These “Mt” rated boots are best for environments where larger objects may fall or swing onto the foot.

EH: Electrical Hazard Protection

Footwear labeled “EH” contains non-conductive materials and is recommended for general use to protect against accidental contact with open circuits up to 600 volts in dry conditions.

SD: Static Dissipative

“SD”-rated boots help prevent static buildup in sensitive environments like electronics manufacturing or flammable material handling. The number that appears after “SD”, either 10, 35, or 100, specifies the upper limit of electrical resistance against which the footwear has been certified. 

Beyond Compliance: Key Comfort and Durability Features

ASTM compliance handles protection, but a well-rounded footwear program also considers comfort and long-term durability.

Anti-Fatigue Insoles

Jobs requiring long hours on foot can lead to chronic fatigue or musculoskeletal issues. Look for insoles with arch support, multi-layer shock absorption, moisture-wicking liners and insoles with gel or air-cushioned pads at pressure points to help reduce impact on joints.

Waterproofing

Wet feet are more than uncomfortable; they’re dangerous. Prolonged exposure to moisture can result in trench foot, blisters, and infections.

Choose boots with bonded or glued construction rather than welted to limit water entry. Consider uppers made from synthetic materials like nylon or Kevlar, which resist moisture and require less maintenance than leather.

Insulation

Cold environments call for insulated boots, but not too insulated. Overheating leads to sweating, which increases the risk of frostbite and other cold-related injuries.

Use ambient temperature and activity level to choose insulation density, typically labeled in grams (gsm). For extreme cold, pac boots with thick insulation and rubberized exteriors are ideal. 

Building a Smart Footwear Program

Selecting the right boots is just the start. A smart safety footwear program ensures that boots are worn, maintained, and replaced at the right times.

Focus on Fit

As of 2024, OSHA explicitly requires proper fit for PPE, including safety footwear. Ill-fitting boots increase injury risk and reduce compliance, so ask vendors for inclusive sizing and fit guides. Consider on-site fittings to ensure each employee gets the right fit.

Field-Test Before You Commit

Use field trials to get feedback from workers about real-world performance. Do the boots flex and pivot as needed? Is the boot height supportive without being restrictive? Engaging workers early helps ensure buy-in and long-term compliance.

Replace Worn Footwear Proactively

Work boots and safety shoes don’t expire, but even the most durable footwear won’t last forever. Keep safety boots in good shape or their protective features can be compromised. Build boot replacement cycles into your safety planning—don’t wait for injuries to trigger an audit.

Safety Starts from the Ground Up

Slips, trips and falls are still among the most common and preventable workplace injuries. Safety footwear is a critical line of defense, offering traction, impact resistance, and support to keep crews safe.

An effective footwear program isn’t just about compliance; it’s about building a culture of safety. Equipping workers with the right boots will improve their ability to stay focused, productive, and on their feet.