Blundstone’s mining boot a step ahead
A new waterproof, hard-wearing safety boot manufactured specifically for the mining industry has taken out the NSW Minerals Council’s health and safety innovation award.
A pair of Blundstone’s 980 underground mining boots on the left and, on the right, a pair after a lot of use.
Manufactured by Hobart-based footwear specialist Blundstone, the 980 Underground Mining Boot is a 350mm-high waterproof mining boot which was designed through consultation with workers at Centennial Coal.
The manufacturer explains: “Working directly with the miners experiencing firsthand the environment they operate in enabled Blundstone designers to create a purpose-built boot that stands up to the harshest of conditions, whilst addressing an age-old health and safety problem.”
Made from high quality leather, the boot has been crafted using “the most innovative finishing technologies,” says Blundstone, which achieves superior waterproofing, abrasion resistance and tear strength to that of other leathers.
The NSW Department of Resources and Energy’s director of mine safety operations Rob Regan said the new boots have fundamentally changed the way a mining boot is made.
The boots include fully enclosed metatarsal protection featuring Blundstone’s specialised metatarsal guard, designed to provide protection without sacrificing flexibility or comfort, the company says.
They also boast a quick closure lacing system, designed to be both secure and able to offer a personalised fit.
A rubber outsole is designed to specifically increase slip resistance in varied environments, and makes the boot impervious to hydrolysis and microbial attack. The outsole and is designed for excellent cut resistance, Blundstone adds, is heat resistant to 300°C and is oil, acid and organic fat resistant.
The boots’ non-metallic penetration resistant insole is compliant to BS EN ISO 20345:2004, Blundstone says. They are available in sizes between 3 and 14 (mens) and 7.5 and 10.5 (womens), and are certified to Standard AS/NZS 2210.3.2009, and Standard ASTM F2413-11 including electrical shock resistance (Clause 5.5).
Source from here
