What is the difference between a safety toe and a composite toe?
Composite toe boots, while meeting safety regulations, cannot resist the same amount of impact as steel toe boots. Steel-toe boots provide better protection than composite-toe boots because they can withstand a greater impact mass. They also have the benefit of being significantly less costly. Composite toes are made of plastic or rubber and are placed inside the boot to protect the foot from sharp objects that might be lying on the ground. Safety toes were originally developed for use by workers in dangerous jobs. The term "safety toe" comes from the fact that these shoes have a thick metal plate attached under the ball of the foot to act as an anvil, giving the shoe some weight about which to balance when standing on one leg. By wearing safety toes, the worker can avoid stress fractures resulting from walking in low-quality workboots without ankle support. Safety shoes with metal plates attached under the balls of the feet to prevent injuries from falling objects are now used by workers in many industries, including construction, mining, manufacturing, shipping, and transportation. These plates can be made of metal, plastic, or composite material. Their purpose is to reduce the risk of injuries caused by falls from height or from other heavy objects. Safety toes are also called load-bearing devices because they distribute the weight of the body across a large area of the foot, minimizing stress on any particular part of it. This allows workers to walk long distances without pain or injury.