Rank: New forum user 
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Our Company currently provides safety boots and where possible aim to provide the type of boot that each person prefers. This can get a bit silly at times. I would like to provide a basic pair that we can keep in stock and if any other is required then ask the employee to purchase their own and we will provide payment up to £30. Does anyone have any ideas or comments as to if this woud be a suitable option, or if we could reduce the payment towards the boots?. We also give boots out as required but i am sure that some people take the mickey when it comes to repeated issues of boots, how does everyone curb issuing too many to individuals.
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Rank: Forum user 
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The regulations require that you provide PPE free of charge and that it is fit for. The HSE says: - Choose products which are CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 – suppliers can advise you
- Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it.
- Footwear can have a variety of sole patterns and materials to help prevent slips in different conditions, including oil - or chemical-resistant soles. It can also be anti-static, electrically conductive or thermally insulating
- Appropriate footwear should be selected for the risks identified.
In my opinion £30 is not enough for a decent pair of comfortable safety boots. Remeber buying cheap is often a false economy and you will likely be replacing them sooner. In my experience in previous employment the cost limit has ranged from £60 to £100 with employees able to top this up if the want a specific pair of boots at a greater cost. Remember the employee has a duty under the regulations to look after the PPE that they have been issued. If employees PPE is lost or damaged beyond fair wear and tear then this may be an HR issue but you will still have to replace it free of charge. If employees are requesting that they need new boots i would be asking to see them if I felt that they were taking the micky and only replacing them when actually required. Also remember they only need to be issued where risk assessment has identified a need for them and there are no other suitable control measures. With something like safety boots though there is a number of enviironments where they may be deemed neccesary and also sometimes beyond your control such as working on clients sites or in constuction. http://www.arco.co.uk/search/Footwear-Men-s-Safety-Footwear/_/N-86i
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Rank: Super forum user 
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The question of can you supply a 'basic' PPE and allow staff to buy a 'rolls royce' variety but only refund the cost of the 'basic' comes up periodically. My opinion is that this is OK, provided that the 'basic' provision is basic-but-wholly-adequate. That is, it's not good enough if the 'basic' is good enough in theory, but is actually uncomfortable or awkward or not really suitable.
With respect to boots, our basic assessed requirement is "EN ISO 20345 S3 or SB+P+E+WRU with ankle support and laces, zip or other positive fastening." You probably can buy S3 boots for £30, but I wouldn't want to spend 10 hours a day in them five days a week. Our system is that employees may choose any boots that meet the defined requirement from the range offered by the existing PPE suppliers with whom we have accounts and which cost no more than £60. In this case there will be no cost to the employee. Alternatively, employees may purchase their own boots from any supplier, provided the boots satisfy the same defined performance criterion. They need to get a director's approval before purchase, and then the employee may claim up to £60 on an expenses claim (but no more than the actual cost, and the claim must be accompanied by a receipt or invoice). We keep track of how often they need new boots.
More than 90% of people pick one from the existing suppliers. Actually, we keep a stock of boots in most sizes, and most people just take from stock.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Yes you can give £30 towards boots if boots that cost £15 meet the requirements for the job you can also either supply these or let them put it towards the boots of thier choice. Make sure that they boots they are buying meet the correct requirements.
You could issue boots and record when they get a new pair and ask for new for old. If they are asking to often for boots then they need to show how they are damaged.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Bearing in mind that the reason that some safety boots are cheap in because they are of an inferior quality and it can sometimes be a false economy to keep buying cheap shoes which fall apart rather than a better quality pair that lasts.
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