While a lot of manufacturing companies may focus on personal protective gear and have helmets, headgear, coveralls, and gloves as a part of their safety workwear, the importance of having safety work boots cannot be stressed enough.

In hazardous environments where there is a lot of movement of vehicles and people, and when heavy loads are being carried, there's always the risk of your feet getting crushed under a heavy falling object or getting pierced by accidentally stepping on a sharp nail or stone. This is where safety shoes come into play.

Steel Toe Cap Shoes:

Steel toe work boots are a kind of safety footwear wherein the front of the shoe is reinforced with a steel cap for maximum protection. These steel toe caps work as a barrier between heavy falling objects and your toes. With their solid protection, these shoes can bear enormous loads without breaking. In busy construction sites, or in logging industries, steel cap shoes are a dire necessity for the workers. It also helps that steel is a relatively cheaper material, and thus these safety boots are easily available at reasonable prices. They are also durable and sturdy and heavy.

Best marine provides such safety shoes online on their website www.bestmarine.com, and they are known for their premium grade PPE workwear that meets all the stipulated safety criteria. Steel toe shoes have been around for the longest period right from the mid 20th century and have found applications in lumbering, logging, construction, manufacturing, and even agriculture.

Alloy Toe Cap Shoes:

On the other hand, alloy toe work boots incorporate a combination of alloys including aluminum and titanium as well as other lightweight materials. Alloy toe capped shoes are also used to protect heavy falling objects and weights. But, due to their lighter metals, these shoes are more comfortable and lighter to wear. This makes alloy toe work boots ideal for workers who need to be on their feet all day long. However, these safety work boots are more expensive than the conventional steel toe boots, as they use costlier alloys in their making.

Steel toe vs. Alloy Toe

• Steel toe boots are relatively older. They've been around for almost a century. They've been used by workers from different industries for safety and protection. Tried and tested, they are highly effective, easily available and meet all the safety criteria.
• Alloy toe shoes are relatively new. They have gained popularity in the past few years. Although these safety work shoes meet the safety regulations and standards, they aren't as resistant to heavy loads as their steel-capped counterparts.

• Steel toe shoes although highly effective, are cumbersome and it is a pain having to lug them around all day. This is why lightweight safety footwear is needed for workers who are on their feet for long hours daily. Moreover, steel caps make the shoe more compressed leaving less room for your feet. 
• Alloy cap shoes, on the other hand, are much lighter in weight and are the preferred choice where the work requires a lot of walking around or standing for prolonged durations. Also, the lighter, thinner alloy cap allows wider room for your feet which makes the shoes more comfortable.

• Steel cap boots are reasonable and easily available. Steel is cheaper which makes this safety footwear light on the pocket.
• Alloy Cap boots, as they make use of relatively expensive materials like titanium and aluminum are costlier as compared to the steel cap shoes
  .

• Steel toe boots find maximum usage in logging and construction sites where there are higher chances of crushing injuries and falling objects. Their new middle soleplate prevents piercing from stepping on sharp objects and abrasive materials. 
•  Alloy toe shoes are the preferred choice for manufacturing industries where the workers need to be on their toes for long hours and must experience as little fatigue as possible.

The Verdict:

Industrial shoes make use of both alloys as well as steel capped shoes. Both have their pros and cons. But the right choice for you would be based on your field of work and the type of usage. If your field of work requires durable, heavy-duty protection, at a reasonable price, then steel toe boots are the choice for you. Whereas if your work requires long hours standing or walking around, and needs medium protection, lightweight alloy toe work boots are the ones for you. A possible problem you may face with allow cap shoes though is that they set off the metal detectors easily which may be a bother if you are working in security zones.

All in all, both kinds of safety shoes are popular and serve specific purposes. You can contact the Best marine to avail some of the best safety shoes for your workplace and ensure the protection of your employees.