Best workplace shoes for safety

When working a job on your feet most of the day, having the right pair of workplace safety shoes can sometimes make all the difference. Your shoes can also impact your health and safety, leading to injury or illness if you are wearing the improper shoes.

A person walking showing the bottom of their workplace safety shoes in a warehouse. — If you work on your feet all day, find the best safety shoe for your workplace.

A study conducted on footwear for standing jobs in 2017 states, “many work places require standing for prolonged periods of time and are potentially damaging to health, with links to musculoskeletal disorders and acute trauma from workplace accidents. Footwear provides the only interaction between the body and the ground and therefore a potential means to impact musculoskeletal disorders.”

Prolonged standing during your workday can lead to health issues including:

Chronic venous insufficiency
Low back pain
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders

Marshfield Clinic Health System’s Occupational Health providers work directly with employers and employees to help prevent work-related injuries.

Additionally, another study assessed three occupational footwear, including low top shoes, tactical work boots and steel-toed work boots, which concluded that you have lower postural stability with tactical work boots and steel-toed boots.

What to consider when buying shoes for work

Here are five factors to consider when deciding what workplace safety shoes are best for you:

Slip resistance – When working in a warehouse setting, you want to avoid any slips, trips and falls. A fall can be even more dangerous if you are carrying a heavy object while walking. Shoes with slip-resistant soles can help reduce the risk of fall injuries.

Arch support – When you are on your feet for long hours, having proper arch support can help avoid inflammation and pain with standing. Shoes with proper arch support can increase a worker’s stability and endurance while working. Beyond arch support, shoes need cushion and support for your foot. A cushioned shoe helps support your feet by adding a padding from the ground or hard surface.

Space — If you wear shoes that cram your toes, arches or heels, you are more likely to feel pain throughout your day. Additionally, tight shoes can lead to bunions or you won’t get proper blood flow to your feet. Look for a shoe with a square toe box to give the toes more wiggle room.

Reinforced toe — When working with heavy machinery or heavy lifting, you may need a shoe with a reinforced toe. A reinforced toe can help reduce injury if something heavy falls on your foot. While steel toes are incredibly strong, companies now make shoes with lighter materials, like alloy and strengthened fabrics, to enhance mobility.

Composite vs. steel toe
Jon Ekhoff, athletic training services manager for Occupational Health with Marshfield Clinic Health System, explains there is a difference between steel toes and composite toes.

“Although steel toes are sturdy, we have lightweight options like aluminum and non-metallic composite or carbon-fiber safety toe shoes,” he said. “Carbon-fiber are lighter than steel toe, which could be convenient for employees who have metal detectors at work or just need less weight to move more easily throughout your day.”

Breathability – Depending if you work outdoors or in a warehouse, your feet may become uncomfortably warm during the day. Wearing breathable shoes can help keep you cool and add comfort to your work life.

Best shoes for your workplace

Here are six common workplace settings that need specific workplace safety shoes to keep you stay safe and healthy while you work.

Best shoes for health care

In a health care setting, you want to prevent falls on smooth floors. You also want to make sure they are comfortable and provide support for being on your feet for long shifts.

Shoe features: Slip resistance, comfort and support

Best shoes for metalworking

Industrial and metalwork needs footwear that can handle impact and has compression and puncture resistance. You also need protection against any electrical hazards and metatarsal guards to protect the top of your foot. You should have a full boot that covers six to eight inches of the ankle.

Shoe features: Safety toe, puncture resistance, electrical hazard protection, metatarsal guard, full boot
Best shoes for first responder

Working as a first responder like firefighters, EMS and police officers, you will need protection against many hazards and must have puncture resistance and good traction to avoid slips and falls. Lightweight footwear may also be a positive to be able to move quickly in the environment.

Shoe features: Depends on hazards; safety toe, puncture resistance and slip resistance

Best shoes for oil and gas

Oil and gas workers need shoes with safety toes, metatarsal protection, electrical hazard protection and slip resistance. Waterproofing is another consideration if you work outdoors because moisture can lead to trench foot, a serious health condition.

Shoe features: Safety toe, metatarsal protection, electrical hazard, slip resistance and waterproofing

Best shoes for construction

Construction workers need similar shoes to oil and gas workers like toe protection, slip resistance, puncture resistance and electrical hazard protection because you may be exposed to an electrical hazard.

Shoe features: Safety toe, metatarsal protection, slip resistance, puncture resistance and electrical hazard

Best shoes for warehousing

A warehouse employee should wear lightweight shoes but also have safety toes for impact or compression hazards. Sneaker-like options for warehousing can be comfortable and supportive but should have a safety toe.

Shoe features: Safety toe, comfort, support and static dissipation

Download Best Shoes for your Workplace Handout

Infographic sharing the best shoes based on your workplace

For foot pain, talk to a Marshfield Clinic Health System provider.

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