Safety Shoes Buying Guide: Steel Toe, Composite Toe and S3 Ratings Explained
How Do You Choose the Right Safety Shoes? Choose safety shoes based on workplace hazards, including falling objects, sharp materials, slippery floors, moisture and heat. Steel toe and composite toe footwear can both provide certified impact protection when designed and tested to the applicable standard. S1P footwear traditionally adds penetration resistance to S1 features, while S3 footwear includes additional water-resistance and outsole requirements. Always verify the complete footwear rating, fit and manufacturer specifications.