How do you get your foot out of a shoe when the steel toe has been crushed????
From a web site with safety shoe info:
Q: What does the impact rating mean?
A: Safety toe boots are tested to meet one of two units of measurement for impact rating; 50 or 75 foot pounds. This test is performed by dropping a weight from a predetermined height at a designated speed. Thus, I/50 rated footwear will protect the toes from an impact of up to 50 foot pounds and I/75 rated footwear will protect the toes from an impact of up to 75 foot pounds.
Q: What does the compression rating mean?
A: Safety toe boots are tested to meet one of two units of measurement for compression rating; 50 = 1,750 pounds and 75 = 2,500 pounds. This test is performed by applying a load up to the designated number of pounds before the toe cap begins to crush or crack. Thus, C/50 rated footwear will protect the toes from compressive loads up to 1,750 pounds and C/75 rated footwear will protect the toes from compressive loads up to 2,500 pounds.
Q: Are add-on protective devices sufficient?
A: According to both ANSI and ASTM standards, protective toe caps must be an integral and permanent part of the footwear, so add-on devices do not meet those requirements. While those two standards exclude add-ons, however, it does not mean that such devices are not acceptable to OSHA. Those standards state that if the device has independent testing data to show that it provides protection equivalent to the ANSI requirement, then the add-on protective devices are acceptable to OSHA.
Q: What is a composite toe?
A: A composite toe is essentially the same as a steel toe, but it is non-metallic and non-magnetic. It is slightly lighter (mere grams) in weight than a steel toe cap, but meets the same ANSI/ASTM safety requirements as a steel toe.
Q: Which is better, a steel toe or a composite toe?
A: Both styles of safety toe caps offer the wearer a measure of protection because each meets ANSI/ASTM safety requirements. Steel toe boots tend to be slightly heavier (mere grams) than composite toe boots, but many people feel that a steel toe cap affords them more protection.
Q: What type of work is a composite toe boot best suited for?
A: Composite toe boots are better suited for those who must pass through metal detectors (nuclear workers, airport workers and security personnel) during the course of their work day.