The most commonly used types of safety footwear include steel-toe boots, lightweight composites, regular work boots with reinforced soles, non-slip boots, and waterproof boots.
These shoes protect your feet from injuries or infections. But you want to know if the safety shoes have expired?
Safety shoes also have a shelf life. But you wondered how old your safety boots are… is it time to replace them? Has it expired?
In this article, you get to know about all these questions.
How to Check the Safety Elements of the Shoes
First, looking at parts of a work shoe assures you of their effectiveness in protecting your foot while working all day.
We need to know that all these elements are functional when we wear the shoes, and obviously, we need to replace them even if just one is no longer that effective. There are some safety shoes like;
Reinforced Toe Cap Shoes
These shoes are made of metal or another material, which is used in multiple safety shoes and protects the toes from the impact of a heavy weight fall on the shoe that could crush it.
It’s important to know that once this material is damaged, it no longer functions properly, so if the toe cap of your safety shoes has suffered a serious impact, it’s time to replace your shoes!
Slip-Resistant Shoes
This is the most important factor in safety shoes. The unique design offers varying degrees of durability and safety depending on the model. If the sole is cut or worn too much, it cannot guarantee stability on the slippery surfaces you will be working on, and therefore, you need to replace your shoes.
Also read more: how to make shoes non slip.
Rear Reinforcement Lug in Shoes
They are designed to keep the foot stable and protect it from injury. Again, if these elements wear out, the time has come to invest in a new pair of work shoes to ensure maximum protection.
How to Check the Expiry Date of Safety Shoes
Some safety shoes have expiry dates that can vary from one manufacturer to another and from one shoe style to another. So, most safety shoes are sold by different manufacturers with different expiration dates because they may use other materials or manufacturing techniques. The best way to find out how long your safety shoes will last is to contact the manufacturer directly or check the tag for a description of their life expectancy.
Most safety footwear expires in three to five years, with some brands even guaranteeing their product for up to ten years after purchase.
Here are some guidelines to find the expiry date.
- Check your shoe’s Cracks or Holes
- Check the Laces for Damage
- Check that the arrow on the bottom of the shoe has a dial around it and points from one number to another.
- The rotation of numbers is 1 to 12.
- 1 is for January 2 is for February and 12 is therefore December. That’s how they mention months. These dates show the construction of safety shoes.
Also learn shoe cleaning hacks from our shoe care guide.
Conclusion
If you decide to buy some new safety shoes. Firstly, it is essential to check their expiry date. These are important safety shoes used by employees in industries that use heavy construction equipment, e.g., power tools, forklifts, cranes, etc.
These shoes are those used by workers who have to stand for long hours during shifts such as manufacturing plants, warehouses, etc. Apart from the expiry date, it is always a good idea to check the fit of men’s work shoes before buying them.
