Technical

How are they made?

Workmaster™ boots are manufactured at our automated state of the art footwear factory based in Crawley (in the United Kingdom). The injection moulding manufacturing process guarantees a seamless leak-free construction. This modern high-volume production facility enables the manufacture of different types and styles of boots within the same operating run, giving the flexibility to meet rapidly changing market demands.

All our boots are REACH compliant and both boots and insoles are machine washable at up to 40°C with a shelf life in excess of 10 years.

Boot Features

1. Slip-resistant vulcanised rubber sole
2. Steel toe cap
3. Stainless steel mid-sole
4. Comfort insole
5. Cushioned heel
6. Kick-off lug
7. Adjustable height
8. Single piece injection moulded construction
9. Non-wicking polyester lining Not all features are present on all boots - please check the product page for the specific boot you are interested in.

Comfort Insoles

Our latest ergonomic design comfort insoles went through an extensive wearer trials program and the results demonstrated a significant improvement in cushioning and wearer comfort. Thermal insulation has also been greatly improved, with a temperature drop of only 0.5°C in the EN 20345 cold insulation test, an improvement of 90% over our previous insole.

Comfort insoles are fitted as standard to all of our boots except the Hazmax YS, Dielectric N, Solestar and Digger models, where they are available as an option. Replacement insoles are also available.

Benefits of a Vulcanised Rubber Sole

Over 30% of industrial accidents result from slips, trips and falls - as Workmaster™ boots are frequently used in environments where there are liquids present a slip resistant sole is crucial, which is why we fit a high-performance vulcanised rubber sole to our boots.

This provides a number of important benefits:      

• Slip resistance is twice that required by EN 13287 SRA and SATRA TM144 standards      
• Grip is 30% better than with a conventional safety boot sole      
• Wear resistance is two to three times that of conventional soles      
• The sole is resistant to fuel and oil      
• Greater cut resistance than conventional soles      
• Resistant to hot contact for 60 seconds at 300°C      
• Cold insulation

As part of mandatory testing for the latest edition of the EN 20345:2022+A1:2024 standard, footwear is tested for forward heel slip resistance and backward forepart (ball of the foot) slip resistance at a 7° angle on a ceramic floor tile with a soapy water (Sodium Lauryl Suphate) solution. 

An additional, more demanding test, using glycerol oil on a ceramic tile (to simulate an oily/greasy floor) can be performed; the test measures backward slip on the ball of the foot with the heel raised and forward heel slip at a 7° angle and boots that pass this additional test can be marked SR.

These tests replace the previous SRA and SRB tests in the 2011 version of the EN 20345 standard. SRA testing was similar to the mandatory test in the current standard and was assessed using soapy water on a ceramic tile. The SRB test used oil (Glycerol) on a steel plate; this test had a very low pass/fail limit and the error in measurement was +/- 50%. The pass value is so low that the probability of a fall in this environment is still high, which is why this test has now been replaced. The SRC marking in the 2011 standard indicated that boots had passed both SRA and SRB tests. 

The vulcanised rubber sole on Workmaster™ boots produces very high levels of slip resistance with soapy water on a ceramic tile (the most common use case scenario), and these test results have been confirmed during customer wear tests. Due to the performance characteristics of the sole material, boots with our vulcanised rubber sole also achieve a pass on the new SR (glycerine on a ceramic tile) test and the previous SRB (oil on steel test). Boots with a vulcanised sole that have been assessed to the new standard are marked EN 20345:2022+A1:2024 SR, boots that have not yet been reassessed are marked EN 20345:2011 SRC.

Note: Some manufacturers add rubber to PVC to improve its resistance to fuel & oil, but this is not the same as a vulcanised sole and does not improve slip performance.

Boot Compounds

We have six compound families we use in our Workmaster™ boots that enable us to provide solutions for a wide range of industries and applications:

Hazmax™ Widely used and highly effective chemical protection

Dielectric Protection for high voltage workers

Cryotuff Extremely durable providing protection against oils, common cleaning agents and solvents

Cryolite Lightweight and environmentally friendly with excellent low temperature performance

ISOTEC Heat and flame resistant

Solestar A cost effective PVC based compound for general purpose footwear

PHYSICAL & MECHANICAL TESTING

We test every element of our boots to ensure their safety, performance and comfort. Some testing is carried out at our factory while some is undertaken for us at specialist accredited testing laboratories. Our factory can conduct, high-voltage testing, deformation testing on toecaps, flex cracking and low temperature flex cracking on boot compounds. Boots are also extensively trialled by users to check for comfort, wear and durability during development.

Chemical Permeation Testing

We thoroughly test our compounds materials for their chemical resistance at an independent UKAS accredited laboratory for chemical permeation testing and for testing the physical properties of materials. We regularly re-test our fabrics and seams to ensure quality. 

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HIGH VOLTAGE (DIELECTRIC) TESTING

Every pair of Workmaster™ Dielectric boots is electrically tested to EN 50321:2000 prior to dispatch. The test involves filling the boot with water and submerging it in a water bath, an electrode is placed inside the boot, with a second electrode connected to the metal frame of the bath. A test voltage is then applied. Boots are tested at 5kV for leakage current and are then submitted to a withstand test at 10kV for three minutes.

We regularly test samples from production at 20kV (which requires a slightly different setup for the test rig), and customers can specify boots are tested at this higher voltage if required.

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STEP VOLTAGE HAZARDS

Step voltage is the voltage between the feet of a person standing near an energized grounded object during an electrical fault, such as a power line short circuit or even a lightning strike. In this situation electric current flows through the surrounding soil and the resistivity of the soil creates a potential gradient that is at its highest at the fault and decreases as you get further away. If a persons feet are different distances from the fault, the difference in electrical potential (voltage) between them can pose a significant risk, as current can pass through their body from one foot to the other. The primary danger associated with step voltage is the potential for severe electric shock, which can lead to serious injury or even death. Understanding and mitigating the risks of step voltage is crucial for ensuring safety in areas prone to electrical faults, such as pylons, substations and high voltage industrial environments.

Although step voltage passes through a persons legs and groin, avoiding vital organs, when a person is subjected to a high step voltage, their muscles will contract, potentially causing them to fall to the ground. This not only increases the current acting on the body, but also changes the path of the current, potentially causing it to flow across the heart or through the head; this type of electric shock can be fatal.