No it's not true. However lots of construction sites don't allow them to be worn on site, allegedly due to lack of ankle support. A quick google search finds lots of impassioned arguments both for and against. Where did you hear this? If it was at a construction site then basically it is their site and so their rules...

This issue arises primarily when the boot is ‘worn-in’ and the ankle section affords little or no lateral support or protection. You can however purchase riggers with additional ankle support. As has been stated, the ‘ban’ is due to policy.

Rigger boots are banned on the Railway ... Lack of ankle support even stated in there documentation.. This has also lead to Large Multi Nationals who work on the railway making it so across all there other sites othere just pick up on it...

Joe As my fellow colleagues have pointed out riggers are universally banned from construction and railway work places for the main reason of the lack of ankle support. However, I did give a special dispensation for a plant operator who turned up one day without riggers on the basis that he would not be at risk. I would also allow riggers for excavation work, indeed in the utility industry riggers are the norm as they prevent water seeping into the boot which normal boots do not. There is of course no 'law' which prevents the use of riggers. PPE is supposed to arise from a risk assessment but in many cases it is implemented through boardroom policies, so much for consultation - hey, ho.

this is an old chestnut - There is no real evidance that I know of where 'Riggers' are any worse in the average situation than other boots - I have worn them for years with no ill effect in all kinds of situation Young girls dance for hours in discos on very high heels and the real problem situation is apparently miniscual and just watch the areobics people - there is no ankle support there either nor in the average running shoes! Riggers have the same unjustified press as H&S does

It's the same old thing someone at a desk has decided something that is not relevant in the real world. Yes on the railway you need the anklesupport, I assure you mine have that, but lace ups are better in that situation. Stuff gets in the top of the boot, wear your trousers over the boots instead of tucked in the boot. Let's get real, my guys wear wellies as they work in screed and slurry. (loads of ankle support there) A lace up boot would not be suitable for obvious reasons and they wouldn't last. So now we need to wear a differnet Hi viz for every site along with carrying 3-4 pairs of gloves and a variety of boots to suit the whim of someone who doesn't really understand risk assessment or can't be bothered to get out there and do one. Oh and I've never lost my rigger boot in the mud as mine fit and I wear decent socks as do my site personnel.

In the rail sector where maintenance workers ending up walking on ballast, the accident stats demonstrated the need for better ankle support, hence Network Rail policy change some years ago. Usually on a construction site, you would be questioning the standard of housekeeping if workers were walking on anything akin to ballast. P