How Often Should an Employer Replace Their Team’s Safety Boots?

Safety boots are designed with the specific purpose of preventing your employees from encountering dangerous surfaces and thereby avoiding injuries. While this type of footwear is designed to be durable, they are not guaranteed to last forever. The HSE recommends having a system in place for checking and replacing their footwear before it becomes too worn. It is essential that you, the employer, know how often safety boots should be replaced.  

It is imperative that you regularly inspect your team’s footwear and replace it when necessary to ensure optimal safety and protection. Read on to learn about the common signs of wear and tear, how to care for safety boots and when employers should replace them. 

6 Common signs of safety boot wear and tear 

The wear and tear on work boots used daily in heavy-duty environments such as construction, manufacturing and facilities is likely to be greater than on boots worn by workers in less high-impact industries. The lifespan of safety boots will last depend on usage, frequency and the specific working conditions they are exposed to. Let us look at the most common signs of wear and tear that all safety boots encounter at some point. 

1. Separated uppers 

Safety boot uppers can become worn out or even damaged from extensive use, which can compromise their protective abilities. Common indications of wear include the appearance of separated uppers, holes and openings along the boots’ edges. 

2. Loss of traction

The combination of a safety boot’s tread pattern and sole composition are both key factors for slip resistance. A closely packed tread pattern is optimal for use in indoor environments, particularly when encountering liquids and chemical substances.  Alternatively, a more open pattern is better suited for outdoor use and for dealing with more solid contaminants. As cleats wear down over time, the slip-resistance can be compromised, and the safety boots must be tested and replaced if they are deemed unfit for continued wear. 

3. Worn slip-resistant outsoles 

The average person in the UK walked 220 miles in 2020, but of course this does not mean that this distance was walked at work, nor does it represent what a worker in safety boots walks in a day. With this in mind, the normal lifespan of a pair of boots is said to be between 300 and 500 miles. Where possible, encourage your employees to wear a pedometer to track their mileage. This will allow them to inform you when they are approaching the point at which they will require a replacement safety boot. 

4. Damaged midsoles 

At Shoes For Crews, our extra cushioned midsoles make every step 100g lighter, which provides significant relief for the joints and legs. If the wearer experiences pain or stiffness in their legs, heels or joints, the midsole may be wearing down, indicating it is time to look for a new pair of safety boots. 

5. Safety boots with too much flexibility

A high-quality safety boot should be both tough and flexible, but excessive flexibility can compromise impact resistance. This can be assessed by observing the wearer’s foot during wear or by feeling the boot as it is removed. An increase in the boot’s suppleness may indicate the need for replacement.  

6. Insufficient outsole protection

It is fundamental to test a safety boot’s slip-resistance in order to ensure its effectiveness in protecting the wearer. If the tread has become worn down or too thin, it is best to retire them.

Our Shoes For Crews slip-resistant technology outperforms the average safety boot in tests. They consistently surpass industry standards for safety boot outsoles which contributes to an 80% reduction in slip and fall accidents in the workplace. 

What does UK law say about employers providing and replacing safety footwear? 

1. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Section 9 of this Act explains that no charge can be made to the worker for the provision of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) which is only used at work. It must be either CE or UKCA marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations.  

2. The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations of 1992

This regulation was recently amended in 2022. It places a duty on every employer in the UK to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to their employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health and safety while at work. The safety footwear that is provided must be compatible, maintained and stored correctly. If it is lost or becomes damaged, the worker must report this to you as the employer and ask for it to be replaced. 

3. PPE assessments by the Health and Safety Executive

Employers must ensure the ongoing maintenance of their workers’ safety boots and review its use. It is advisable to check regularly that employees are using their PPE properly and to display safety signs to remind them to wear and maintain it.  

Safety boots reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace, which is why they are necessary in high-pressure sectors such as manufacturing, facilities, industrial and warehousing among others. By following proper cleaning and storage procedures will ensure that your team will be ready for the next PPE assessment by the HSE. 

Once all the recommended care procedures have been followed and your employees’ boots have reached the end of their lifespan, it will be time to purchase new ones. We recommend that you replace your employees’ footwear every 6 months. We are confident that you will find the best fit and style for your team. To see our powerful slip-resistant traction for yourself, please get in touch with us to take advantage of a free shoe trial. You can also review our Catalogue to learn more about all our safety boot styles and their features.