Why you should choose safety boots endorsed by Australian physios
The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is the peak representative body for physios and their patients.
Steel Blue is the first Australian safety footwear manufacturer to earn APA endorsement.
Choosing safety boots that carry APA endorsement is an investment in your long-term health and safety at work.
Here’s what Physiotherapist, Ruth Lennon, from Life Ready Biosymm Physiotherapy said: “Steel Blue work boots are an important piece of personal protective equipment in many industries including mining, construction, warehousing and manufacturing.”
“Comfortable work boots can increase comfort, productivity, and reduce foot and lower limb problems,” she said.
For you, the hardworking tradespeople who rely on Steel Blue safety boots, APA endorsement provides the confidence that you’re buying more than comfortable work boots.
Why good quality work boots matter
Safety boots serve dual roles as PPE and essential equipment. So it’s not enough your boots simply ‘get the job done’ when you could be excelling by stepping into a better quality work boot.
“In a study on shoe concerns and foot problems of workers wearing steel caps, 47% of workers reported issues with pressure from the steel toe cap. It is vital to get a pair of boots that fit correctly,” said Lennon.
Poor-fitting boots are not only uncomfortable, like using a drill to dig a trench, the wrong work boots are unfit for the task and a risk to your entire team.
There are several reasons to seek out comfortable work boots engineered for whole-body support.
Strain and injury reduction
Despite making up 30% of the workforce, tradies account for 58% of serious injury claims in Australia. Strains and sprains consistently rank among the most common workplace injuries.
Combined with correct lifting technique and regular stretching, wearing good quality work boots reduces your risk of lower back and leg strain.
The Trisole® Comfort Technology in Steel Blue work shoes is specifically designed to do just that: cushion, cradle, and support the foot to reduce the risk of strain and injury.
Engineered for all-day comfort
Avoiding acute strains is only one benefit of wearing good quality work boots.
When long hours become long weeks, and long weeks become a successful career, the constant low-level shocks of physical work can really take their toll.
Conducted research by Edith Cowan University shows Steel Blue safety boots are 30-40% more comfortable than other brands across all areas of the body and even after a lengthy standing task.
We engineer our men’s and women’s work boots for whole-body support and all-day comfort.
And we stand by our claims: every pair of Steel Blue boots carries a 30-day 100% comfort guarantee and 6-month manufacturer’s warranty.
Constructed with care and high-quality materials
APA endorsement is not given out lightly.
Steel Blue remains the only safety footwear manufacturer in Australia to carry the endorsement mark after a review of the products by the APA. We are constantly working to ensure our safety footwear stand up to the rigours of modern trades.
Every part of every boot – including our chemical resistant styles, executive fits and non-safety boots – is carefully crafted using the highest quality materials:
- Trisole® cushioning system supports feet, knees, hips and lower back
- Ortho Rebound® Footbed moulds to your foot
- Specially designed women’s styles
- Lightweight, breathable leather (and vegan alternatives)
- Enhanced safety features for specialist roles
These technology innovations add to the comfort of your work boots while also giving you the confidence to complete excellent work every day.
Available in half-sizes
To give tradies more choice and comfort, most of our men’s safety boots and all ladies’ work boots come in half sizes.
Half-sizing accommodates the incremental variations that take a boot from ‘just ok’ to ‘excellent’.
Steel Blue Founding Director, Ross Fitzgerald, weighs in on the reason we take care to design comfortable work boots: “The primary focus when we design boots is safety, and the one of the fundamental requirements is getting the right fit,” he says.
“That is why we have specially designed Ladies Fit boots and now half sizes.”
Ruth Lennon agrees.
“Getting fitted to the appropriate size, whether that is a full or half sizing, allows workers to wear steel caps with a better fit, improving comfort and reducing the risk of foot and lower limb issues,” she says.
Always taking steps to improve work boot comfort and quality
APA endorsement recognises Steel Blue’s commitment to designing comfortable work shoes that support whole-body health.
But while we didn’t set out with the goal of APA endorsement. Our main goal was – and still is – to make excellent quality work boots for men and women who work hard.
Browse our APA-endorsed safety boots and discover the innovations that keep you comfortable day in, day out.
