Compare And Contrast Steel Toe Vs Composite Toe

In general, both the steel toe and composite toe are considered to be safety toes, and are designed to protect your feet from impact, compression and or injury that could be sustained on the job. However, there is a slight difference in the two, and depending on where and how you will use them will make the difference in how you select.

Steel toes have been around protecting feet in the work field for many years. The plate situated over the toe area is constructed of heavy-duty steel. Because they are a safety toe OSHA requires them meet ASTM standards, and receive ratings for impact and compression. For example: A rating of I/75 means that the steel toe can withstand an impact of 75 lbs. A rating of C/75 is a compression rating of up to 2500 lbs. of pressure. Composite toes, also referred to as a safety toe has to meet the ATSM standards as well and receive ratings.

Composite

There is nothing more important than using common sense when it comes to knowing where to use steel toes. Steel toe boots offer greater protection to your feet when your job site poses the threat of injury. A construction site where there is a risk of heavy objects impacting or smashing your feet would be an ideal place to wear steel toe work boots. Other instances that steel toe boots would be beneficial are working with heavy equipment, outdoor logging, or even welding, as welding tends to produce sparks that could land on your boot, and without the proper protection might burn right through. Furthermore, accidentally kicking a solid object without steel toes could cause some serious damage, so, even if the chance of a heavy object falling on your foot is remote, there still other ways that a steel toe boot will protect.

In general, you should consider your feet a valuable tool to be protected at all times. If there is any chance at all for injury on the job, it’s never a bad idea to wear steel toe boots instead of risking serious injury without