On average, the UK experiences about 23.7 days of snowfall each winter, with England and Scotland seeing particularly heavy amounts. Once melted, the snow can turn to ice on pavements and motorways, becoming extremely hazardous for both pedestrians and motorists. Depending on the nature of your employees’ jobs, specific protection and safeguards are required and ice and snow boots are recommended in these situations.
Rain, fallen leaves, ice and snow only further increase the risk of slips, trips and falls in the workplace. Because the risk of injury when walking on ice or snow is high, a new technology had to be developed to better protect employees, particularly delivery drivers, military personnel, construction and warehouse workers as well as logistics staff.
In this article, we will tell you all about our new ICE PRO outsole, how it was designed and why it is an important feature for our Shoes For Crews’ ice and snow boots range.
The ICE PRO outsole: background, features and performance
With a focus on the industrial sector, we are constantly striving not only to develop our technology and expertise, but also to meet the challenges and demands of the workforce across the military, ambulance, police and safety sectors. We will still continue to be Shoes For Crews, but the introduction of our new SFC PRO brand will be used to differentiate us from our well-established presence in the hospitality, restaurant and catering sectors.
Why was the ICE PRO outsole developed?
The ICE PRO outsole has one main objective: to meet the safety needs of the most demanding manual and intensive jobs. In winter conditions, when snow turns to ice, the risk of accidents is extremely high, especially in the following industries: construction, transport and logistics. These risks can be exacerbated by moisture and which can reduce the slip-resistance properties of ice and snow boots.
Our ICE PRO outsole is the leading solution for workers who regularly encounter icy surfaces. Featuring a unique structure and blend of formulated layers of materials, this slip-resistant outsole is specifically designed to work in a variety of icy conditions such as dry ice, humidity and frost.
Technical features of our ICE PRO outsole
- Unique structure (a complex geometric herringbone shape that improves traction on icy surfaces).
- Layered mix of materials (an innovative blend of materials, optimised to maximise grip on icy, wet and frosty roads and pavements).
- Superior slip-resistance (tests carried out in compliance with the SATRA TM144:2021 test method have shown outstanding results).
- ESD Compliance (protects against electrostatic discharge).
Real life conditions and performance
Changes to EN ISO 20345:2022 have brought new additions to the standard ratings for safety footwear, which means extra comfort and protection for your teams when they need it the most. The standard has a transition period until the end of 2027. This will give you time to make the best decision when it comes to updating your employees’ ice and snow boots with the latest slip-resistant technology.
Extensive testing has shown that the ICE PRO outsole significantly improves safety on icy surfaces. The following tests were carried out using the SATRA TM144:2021 test method, based on a scale of 0 to 1, where 0 is no friction and 1 is very high friction. Here are some key findings:
- On dry ice: the ICE PRO outsole increased front heel friction by 0.25 compared to 0.14 for a competitor’s outsole, a 179% improvement.
- On wet ice: it improved front heel friction by 0.18 compared to 0.11 for a well-known competitor’s outsole, an improvement of 163%.
- On frozen ice: forefoot-to-toe friction reached 0.43, performing 130% better than the competitor’s outsole.
These scores demonstrate that the ICE PRO outsole far exceeds industry standards and improves safety on the most slippery surfaces.
