Rank: Forum user 
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Hi,
I am looking at new safety boots for our welders. At the moment they are using normal rigger boots which offer very little ankle support. Does anyone have any experience with what is best suited to welders, bearing in mind zips and laces are no good unless hidden/protected from slag?
One of the reasons I was given for using rigger boots was that they are quick to escape from in the event that slag does fall down them. Not sure I agree with that especially as rigger boots offer a much greater catchment area in the first place.
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi,
I am looking at new safety boots for our welders. At the moment they are using normal rigger boots which offer very little ankle support. Does anyone have any experience with what is best suited to welders, bearing in mind zips and laces are no good unless hidden/protected from slag?
One of the reasons I was given for using rigger boots was that they are quick to escape from in the event that slag does fall down them. Not sure I agree with that especially as rigger boots offer a much greater catchment area in the first place.
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi Chris
Not an expert on welding boots, but have had a fair bit of experience with Foundries, have you thought of looking at foundry boots (lots on good old Google), these over quick release and are also constructed to have no little areas where molten metal could sneak into.
Might be seen as overkill for welders, but if you want quick release then they may be what your looking for.
With regards to your comments regarding rigger boots, then if trousers/overall legs are tucked into the tops of them then yes slag could fall inside the boot, but if trousers cover the tops of the boots (and they offer some resistance to molten metal splash) then this should not be a major risk.
Wont get involved in the ankle support argument as this has been done to death on this forum.
HTH
smitch
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Rank: Forum user
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oops
................these over quick release...............
Should have read ..........these offer quick release.........
oh for an edit funtion.
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks for that Smitch, I will look into those boots.
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks for that Smitch, I will look into those boots.
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Rank: Forum user 
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Chris
The railways banned rigger boots a number of years ago because they did not provide suitable ankle support. They used to provide welders with suitable boots, which had a cover over the laces. They were made to wear their flame retardant trousers over the boots, so nothing went inside. There are a number of suppliers that will provide the right type. If you Google welding boots and go to images, you'll find a picture of the right type of boots with over-flaps. The alternative is spats, but you might not find they want to wear those, or they forget to put them on, so the welding boots with the over-flaps are better.
SL
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Rank: Super forum user
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Foundry boots and welders boots are nearly the same, unless you go to the knee-high type.
And most welders, when provided with lace-ups, don't lace up.
Very hard to get laces undone when spatter gets into the boots....which it will with welders boots....because they are mainly only ankle-high. Ok, the laces won't burn away....and the stitching won't either....just feet and ankles...
Riggers boots are worn with the trouser tucked into the top, and the [flame retardant] coverall over the top.
If your welders do a lot of walking I'd look at improving the workplace. Most don't.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I remember seeing a company allowing use of lace up red wings, with the laziness of not tying up laces an alternative is what the army peeps used was a zip that could be laced into the front of the boot. I expect from all good military wear stockists!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Not laziness. Sense.
Quite simply....I wear riggers boots.
Easy, and fast, to get off WHEN spatter or slag gets INTO the footwear WHICH IT ALWAYS DOES.
Mind you, one company insisted that the welders always wore lace-ups, laced-up, and with spats over the laces.
Spatter still got into the boots...and the accident book filled-up with burns injuries. The accident book was locked away...and an anon complaint got made to HSE...out came the accident book again....but it had to be filled-in with the manager present (it still got burns entries though)
Never had an ankle injury, even with riggers boots......
So, rather than reading the latest PEDANTS TIMES, get welding.
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Rank: Forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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Try wearing a few different boot samples yourself in the actual environment that the welders work - only then will you get a proper feel for the real difficulties as only then will you know but in all cases the guys should have a real input
As for myself I would wear riggers that are in good condition as my first option every time [after having lots and lots of experience in this area]----- and has already been said the 'ankle support' subject has been done to death noting that there is no scientific info saying one boot is better than another and most of the world are still boot/shoeless without ankle problems!
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