Shoe fits

What would it cost to give all your employees safety shoes? Toronto-based worker’s comp consultant Les Liversidge tells a story about a new safety manager who analyzed lost-time accidents at his fleet and suggested the company buy safety boots for all its workers. The exercise would cost $80,000, money the boss said he wouldn’t spend on “frills.” Then the numbers came in and lost time to foot injuries alone cost the company almost $300,000 that year. So everyone got boots.

Safety shoes typically have a metal toe-cap, which adds protection but also weight. Instead of using steel, Dakota’s Fusion work boot from Mark’s Work Wearhouse (www.marks.com) has a composite toe-cap and plate that runs the length of the boot. Indeed, Fusion boots are completely metal-free, substituting steel eyelets with a nylon and plastic lace system in order to help prevent the triggering of metal detectors.

As a result, the boot is 33-per-cent lighter than similar steel-toed designs. It’s also warmer. Styled like a hiking boot, the exterior of the boot has a full-grain waterproof breathable leather upper and a high-traction rubber outsole design that’s CSA International certified for electric shock resistant protection. Dakota’s Fusion work boot retails for $149.99.