Women's work shoes

If some want to stay sober in the world of work by opting for mixed or unisex shoes, others want at all costs to assume their femininity. This is where women's work shoes become very important. Most often offered in smaller sizes (from 35 to 42), women's safety shoes stand out for their colors, designs and details. Perfect models for a woman wishing to assert herself even in a work environment such as a construction site for example.

Comfortable, lightweight, safety work shoes for women

In a difficult work environment where you have to spend a minimum of 7 hours in your work shoes, ladies, you should not neglect comfort in any way. To make sure of this, the first thing you will need to look at is the weight. Similar to what you can see on Oxwork, this information should be available on the data sheets of each pair of shoes. Nevertheless, you should know that a light shoe should weigh around 480 g for the reference size of 37.

The second point to take into account is the comfort of your foot and cushion. The latter is essential in order to avoid having pain on the sole of the foot and in the heel. The inside of the shoe must be quite comfortable. The quality of the outsole also comes into play for this criterion. The ideal is therefore to choose fairly soft materials such as polyurethane and EVA for example. These have good flexibility properties which greatly contribute to the flexibility of a shoe. Finally, to enjoy optimal comfort, you must choose a pair of shoes that offer good support.

The third point, the safety shoe, is a shoe intended to be worn by a worker when the latter performs a task exposing them to a risk of falling objects or being crushed. For safety shoes used for general purposes, there is the ISO 20345 standard which is international. This standard makes it possible to classify work shoes in different categories to allow customers to find their way around when shopping. Several categories are then visible:

• Standard S1: Safety shoes for indoor activities. They are resistant to oils and hydrocarbons, with a protective toe and have a heel that absorbs shocks.
• The S1P standard: The S1 standard to which puncture resistance must be added.
• The S2 standard: safety shoes for outdoor activities. These shoes are resistant to water penetration and absorption
• The S3 standard: the S2 standard with the addition of a studded sole and resistance to perforation.
• The S4 standard: The protection is 200 joules for the shell. All rubber or polymer shoes have antistatic properties. These shoes are resistant to oils and hydrocarbons, heel energy absorption and closed back.
• The S5 standard: The S4 standard as well as a studded sole and puncture resistance.

Work shoes that meet manufacturing and protection standards

In addition to aesthetic and visual criteria, good quality work shoes must meet strict standards in terms of resistance and robustness. Be aware that their comfort and lightness should not penalize them in relation to their solidity in a demanding workplace. Therefore, to be a good pair of professional shoes, it is crucial that they comply with the EN ISO 20347 standard. In addition, there are several levels of protection for shoes that meet this standard:

• The OB level: resistance to abrasion, slipping, bending, tearing and water vapor permeability.
• Level O1: which takes up the requirements of level OB with antistatic and shock-absorbing properties in the heel area as well as a closed back.
• The level O2:: taking up the characteristics of the levels OB and O1, but with an additional water-repellent characteristic.
• The O3 level:: involving OB, O1 and O2, but with the presence of a studded and anti-perforation sole.

For boot type work shoes:

• The O4 level:: including OB, a closed back, shock absorbing capabilities and anti-static properties.
• The level O5:: combining OB, O4 plus the presence of studded and anti-perforation soles.

Depending on the constraints of your job, you should know that it is possible to add additional protection to certain models of work shoes.

The slip resistance of non-slip work shoes

Slip resistance is a fundamental requirement of EN ISO 20347. Shoes that have this capability must meet one of the following conditions:

• The SRA: sole that resists slipping on ceramic floors.
• The SRB:: sole that resists slipping on steel flooring.
• The SRC:: sole that resists slipping on ceramic and steel floors.

You will have understood that all work shoes are anti-slip. You will thus be protected from the risk of slipping.

Where to buy women's professional safety / work shoes?

Whether you are looking for boots, clogs, safety shoes, Oxwork offers a wide range of shoes for all categories of work: kitchen shoes, medical shoes, construction shoes, etc. We offer quality products in our shoe selection, in case of doubt for the choice of a shoe model, our customer service is at your disposal. Oxwork is much more than shoe models, it is also work clothes, to bring you a complete outfit specific to your needs.