When it comes to replacing your work shoes or any of your personal belongings, there is no fixed timing or duration. Your personal belongings are yours, and you alone wield the right to decide on changing them when you deem fit. After all, it’s not like anyone can force you to the store to spend hundreds of dollars or even more on a new pair anyway.
Different factors might influence how long people take before replacing their work boots. Some of these are:
- Financial capabilities
Some people want to change their worn-out boots but can’t afford to, at the moment. So, they have to make do with what they have for longer.
- Quality
Boots come with different price tags and, consequently – different quality levels. The disparity in quality levels also means their durability level would most likely differ. This means it might take a while longer for MR. B to replace his boots than it will take MR. A, depending on the quality of the products.
- Repair culture
Some people simply love draining the last penny out of their belongings. They’ll rather keep repairing for as long as possible than spend money on a new one because of a minor dent.
While some boots of the best brands might last up to a decade or even more, for most workers, the average work boot will last between 18 – 24 months of heavy, daily usage. Below are a few tips to tell when it is time to replace your work boots.
Discomfort
Working to earn daily bread is stressful enough. The last thing you’ll need is added stress around your feet and ankle line. If you are the type that has to stay on your feet for long hours of the day, then it will be advisable for you to always ensure that your work boots fit properly. Wearing tight-fitted work boots for long hours would cause feet sores which could lead to an unhappy shift and affect your productivity.
The moment you find out your work boots are getting too tight for comfort, that’s your cue to go replace them.
Worn Outsoles
It is important to always check the condition of your outsoles whenever you are cleaning your boots. Wearing work boots with worn outsoles can cause you to slip and fall in the workplace and this can be fatal, depending on the nature of your job. The grip underneath your boot soles works just like your car brakes and, for safety measures, they must be sharp.
Also, wearing boots with uneven soles for long hours each day could affect your ankle and that could start to tell on your health after a while. And, when it tells on your health – it would impact your productivity too. This is why you need to replace your work boots once the outsoles are no longer in good condition.
Weakened Waterproof Feature
No one – at least NO ONE that I know of – wants their feet all wet and sticky while going about their daily duties. You probably have enough to deal with during your shift, already, than to add that extra baggage of irritation and distraction. Your work boots should be able to protect your feet from water, work chemicals, oily mess, and all forms of liquid your workplace exposes you to.
If you find out that your feet are getting wet and messy, even with your boots on, then it’s time to change your work boots.
* Some work chemicals could cause you bodily harm if you don’t protect your skin from exposure to them
Impact Damage
Working in high-risk environments like construction sites, workshops, warehouses, quarries, etc, can expose you to different forms of impact hazards. You stand a very high risk of heavy objects falling and hitting your shoes or you run into them and this could cause damage to your boots.
Depending on the degree of damage, you might have to replace your work boots due to cases like these because leaving them that way would not only have you looking unprofessional, it would also expose your feet to potential harm as they might not be able to protect your feet in their current state.
General wear and Tear
All good things come to an end. Doesn’t matter the quality or price tag, every boot will experience wear and tear. It’s only a matter of time. Little scratches here and there, chips, tears, loose thread lines, etc – are all examples of ways that even the best of work boots could start manifesting signs of degeneration.
When any of these signs start becoming evident, then you should know it’s time to replace your work boots.
Final Thoughts
This article is not to judge or pick on anyone’s conscience. If you have to wear that boot for much longer because of whatever circumstance, it’s okay. Because, just as we’ve earlier stated, there is no fixed timing or duration for changing work boots.
This article only seeks to educate you on the signs to watch out for so you can know when it’s time to replace your work boots, and also to let you know the dangers you might be exposing yourself to by choosing to stick to wearing worn work boots.