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www.mcsmag.com DECEMBER 2020
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public transit, by utilizing the funds from
a gas tax increase. The plan also includes
a $25 million investment to recruit and
support more women in the trades. With
women becoming a larger segment
of today’s construction workforce,
it is critical that PPE be created
specifically for a woman’s body and her
specific needs.
With a shortage of trades workers in
America, many companies are recruiting
qualified women to fill positions across
all areas of the jobsite, and that’s gone a
long way to help bridge the gender gap.
Construction work and other trades have
always been considered predominantly
male industries, but as more women
carve their place in the gritty
construction and contracting landscape,
they’re now taking a larger portion of the
workforce than they ever have before.
ANATOMICAL DIFFERENCES
Safety products for the jobsite are
adapting to the growing demographic of
women in the construction labor force.
More companies are offering the right
tools for the job simply by making more
women-specific PPE.
It is important for women on the
construction site to have safety footwear
that is made specifically for them and
their body structure. The anatomical
differences between a man and woman’s
foot are inherently different. A woman’s
foot is smaller and her bones and
tendons are shaped differently. Bone
structure, size, width, and shape of
men’s and women’s feet create a need
for a different ground-up design, not
necessarily different styles or even
materials. Additionally, the way a woman
stands, moves, and walks is different,
and this creates a vital need for safety
footwear to fit the structural differences
between genders.
When women are spending long
days on the jobsite, comfort is key, and
this often begins with properly-fitted
footwear. Women who might have
chosen a men’s style work boot usually
have to compensate for the poor fit and
this affects their performance on the job
and potentially puts them at a higher
risk for accidents. For example, when
women wear men’s boots their foot will
often shift inside the shoe, causing more
chances of hot spots which can develop
blisters. The upper is often built too large
to accommodate a woman’s smaller foot
shape, making it harder to tighten the
laces enough to secure their foot in the
shoe. Mens boots are also heavier to lift
with each step which only increases the
chances of slips, trips, and falls—the No.
1 cause of injury on jobsites.
EVOLUTION OF FOOTWEAR
The modern work boot has evolved.
Materials have advanced. Outsoles,
uppers, and construction options have
also improved over time with research
and development around comfort and
durability. Styles too have changed as
jobs have become more specialized and
the worker’s need for fit and function
have become a priority.
Today, there are a multitude of
different features, styles, fabrics, and
technologies in the women’s work boot
market that make it easier for her to
choose the proper work boot or work
shoe for the job. Women no longer
have to settle for a bulky work boot, or
worse, a flimsy boot with shades of pink.
Women’s safety footwear now comes
in a variety of silhouettes, from Romeo-
style pull-ons to 8-inch lace-ups. Not
only is this diversity of offering important
to the preference of the wearer, but it
makes choosing the right boot or shoe
for the job easier.
At a time when numerous skilled
trade jobs require a safety toe, we’re
also seeing an evolution in the materials
used for toe caps that are being
integrated into women’s safety footwear.
While tradeswomen can still purchase
footwear with the traditional steel or
aluminum safety toes, more options like
composite or carbon-fiber, which is 15
percent lighter than steel toes, are being
designed into women’s product lines.
The new Chicago waterproof boot is the
first KEEN Utility work boot to feature
a carbon-fiber safety toe as a part of its
Tradeswomen Tested collection. The
advantage of a lightweight material isn’t
limited to gender, it’s a critical safety
component that factors heavily into all-
day comfort.
There have also been numerous
material and technological innovations
in women’s safety footwear to improve
jobsite safety. Reflective material is
used in safety shoes for workers in low
lighting conditions, reflecting active light
sources to keep workers visible in dimly
lit locations. Heavier duty materials such
as Barnyard-Resistant Leather are being
designed into the boot’s construction
to protect the wearer but also to extend
the longevity of the product from harsh
chemicals or minerals on the jobsite.
CLOSING THOUGHT
No matter the profession, women work
in the same conditions and require the
same level of quality and durability as
men. Today’s tradeswomen can expect
to find a great safety boot or shoe with
all the same advanced features and
quality of materials included in men’s
styles. Proper fitting women’s PPE can
make all the difference in the prevention
of injury and accidents and the leading
brands are continually working to learn
and understand how to produce the best
footwear to support tradeswomen across
all industries.
about the author
Robin Skillings is the senior global marketing
director at KEEN Utility. KEEN Utility, a
leading industrial and service footwear
brand, successfully exceeds footwear safety
standards while combining advanced durability
and innovation with the same comfort and
unparalleled classic fit offered by KEEN outdoor,
lifestyle, and kids footwear. KEEN Utility
footwear is grounded in protection with the goal
to make boots to fit you better. The whole you.
For more, visit keenfootwear.com/work.
