Metatarsal Boots: Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Own a Pair
There are various types of work boots, but none compare to metatarsal boots when it comes to safety. Metatarsal boots are the sturdiest boots available, giving you almost total protection.
If you want to browse through different models, you can check out overlookboots.com/met-guard-boots.
Yet, if you are unaware of the reasons why you need a pair of metatarsal boots, keep on reading.
#1 Work Safety
It sounds like an obvious thing. Of course, you buy work boots for protection.
But, there’s an additional layer of protection you can purchase. This protection comes as metatarsal boots.
The primary disadvantage of steel-toe boots is the lack of protection for the rest of the foot. So, while steel-toe boots protect you, you still lack essential protection.
For general protection, you may use steel-toe boots. However, some workplaces require PPE with specifications you need to fulfill.
#2 Specific Workplaces
There are general-purpose jobs like working in construction, logging, or railroads. There, you can get by with regular steel-toe boots.
However, once you want to move to a specific sector or an industry, you need better protection. Specific workplaces have more hazards.
Potentially, these workplaces could damage your feet permanently. There may even come a moment when the damage leads to the severing of feet.
Instead of moving recklessly in the workplace, do better. You want more layers of safety.
#3 Multi-Layered Protection
You want protection from direct impact, severing, penetration, burns, and chemicals. Also, in the case of an object or hazard breaking through the boot, you need more resistance.
A typical problem with the steel-toe cage is that it covers the toes but not the whole front of the foot. While the steel-toe guard protects the toes, it leaves the metatarsal bones open to injury.
Metatarsal bones include the whole area from the toes up to the joint. This area is prone to damage coming from above the foot.
Another problem with the regular steel-toe boots is that they are too specific. When you browse for models, you are looking at specific-purpose models.
Metatarsal boots have a general-purpose, and that purpose is the complete protection of the feet.
#4 Protection From Impact
Yet, the basic need for both metatarsal boots and steel-toe boots remains the same. It’s all about protection.
Falling objects are the more obvious work hazard. Regardless of the worksite, falling objects are heavy and highly damaging to your feet.
The steel-toe guard can’t protect you against steel or metal objects. They are crushing your feet, and that’s not a phrase.
But, with the metatarsal guard, you get full feet protection. The metatarsal guard is strong enough to withstand an impact without your feet breaking.
#5 Protection Against Foot Severing
Next, manual labor could prove quite traumatic. There are cases where workers lose their feet from chemicals, burns, or falling objects.
Another instance is losing a part of the foot by penetration. Foot severing may happen when the foot is open for direct damage.
While these cases are rare, they may happen. Still, you won’t go around wondering whether you’ll sever your foot today.
However, prepare for the worst. It may be a slim chance for that to happen, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
#6 Protection From Penetration
Penetration is a more common concern for workers. When you work on a worksite with a lot of metal, you want more protection from piercing damage.
For example, a construction site has many potential hazards. Demolition leaves wires, pieces of scrap metal, and parts of infrastructure lying around.
You could step on them or move in the wrong direction, leading to a puncture wound. Another issue is that some workplaces are hard to clean.
A metatarsal guard offers protection from under and above the foot. It reduces the chance of penetrating your feet a lot.
#7 Protection From Burns
A burn is a rather harmful workplace hazard. A burn may be a result of chemical or electrical damage. In any case, it could lead to a potentially life-altering injury.
Metatarsal boots use conductive and resistive materials. While they use standard materials like leather and neoprene, metatarsal boots need more.
They often use rubber and similar materials to prevent burns. Aside from resistant materials, the inner plates of metatarsal boots offer even more protection.
Finally, burns are tough to deal with. But, you can stop them.
#8 Protection From Harmful Chemicals
It’s harmful chemicals you want to worry about. In reality, burns from electrical and chemical damage are much different.
Electrical and even fire burns are easy to contain. Once you remove the foot from the source of the burn, you are safe.
Chemicals are much different since chemicals may continue burning through the material. It’s not unheard of acids eating through the foot.
While it sounds like something from a horror film, it can happen. So, the best way is to use two-way protection. You use one for the inside and one for the outside of the foot.
#9 External Protection
The best thing about metatarsal boots is that they offer dual protection. There is a part that serves for external and part for inner protection of the foot.
The external protection is sturdier and consists of a large metal plate. This plate should stop any incoming damage or hazards.
Also, the external plate helps you reduce the force of the incoming damage. With the steel-toe cage, the metatarsal bones are open to damage.
However, external protection gets even better when you consider there’s another layer of protection.
#10 Inner Protection
The inner protection or the inner plate helps you to stop the damage completely. The inner plate of the boot has a refined edge. It stops electrical and chemical hazards completely.
Also, the inner plate gets more attention during the final production. Depending on the model, the inner plate should have properties to stop specific hazards.
Finally, the inner plate may have an additional coating, giving you even more protection.
Get Metatarsal Boots
There you have it. The whole point of buying metatarsal boots is to get maximum protection for your feet.
If you work on a worksite with a lot of hazards, get metatarsal boots. They can mean life or death in your workplace.
