Innovative safety footwear products were showcased at the Safety & Heatlh Expo, which took place from 19-21 June at Excel London
Launching at the show and drawing the crowds was Brightboot, the world’s first high visibility safety work wear boot, which combines safety footwear protection with 360 degree high visibility in low light, daylight and at night as well as in adverse weather conditions.
Designed and manufactured to withstand the harshest of conditions Brightboot is waterproof, windproof and breathable. It conforms to the EN ISO 20345:2011 safety standard while the high visibility waterproof neoprene upper and 3M reflective elements comply to |EN ISO 20471:2013 high visibility standard.
A composite protective toe cap and Kevlar perforation resistant insole ensure Brightboots are 100 per cent metal free and anti-magnetic.
“Historically the emphasis on PPE in the footwear category has focused totally on the protection of the wearer’s foot, which has undoubtedly reduced the amount of foot injuries,” said the company. “However little or nothing has been done to increase the visibility of safety footwear, until now.”
“A lot of thought has gone into this product,” commented managing director Marcus Aldred to Health, Safety & Security Review Middle East, adding that it has received “massive interest.” The product has GB and international patent pending.
Suitable for a wide range of sectors, from construction and airports to utilities and mining, it has been designed to ensure it meets the specific requirements of the oil and gas industry, and Aldred foresees a strong potential market in the Middle East.
Also attracting interest at the show were the world’s first ever ‘circular’ safety shoes from Emma. Combining safety with sustainability, the shoes can be entirely recycled and all materials are 100 per cent reused, for example in furniture, as building material and naturally in new safety shoes. The company aims to make its entire range of safety shoes circular by 2019.
Emma’s range of business safety shoes, which are smart enough to be worn with businesswear, has proved very popular, and has found a good market in Saudi Arabia, according to the company.
Other innovative products on display included a new range of Grip anti-slip footwear from Safer Safety with new durable, easy to clean, high performance rubber outsole. This achieves the highest possible grip rating from the UK Health & Safety Laboratory, and grips even at 30 degrees on a soapy, oily, stainless steel surface. The company also produces an antibacterial rubber mat which is slip-resistant on both sides.
