What Type of Work Shoes Should You Wear in a Warehouse?

No matter what your warehouse is used for, you’re sure to be working and standing on your feet around heavy objects and vehicles for long hours.

This line of work calls for hard-wearing comfortable fitting safety shoes that keep you safe from injury and your employer compliant with safety regulations.

The Work Warehouse has been supplying men’s and women’s work boots Australia-wide since 1989, and we know a thing or two about keeping workers in our industry safe.

Whether you need to know about comfort, stability, protection, or durability in your next pair of safety work boots, this blog should answer all of your questions.

If we’ve missed anything important, get in touch to learn more about what type of shoes to wear in a warehouse. It’s in our name, after all!

Protection

We’re beginning here with the safety features of the shoe, because this is undoubtedly the most important part of a shoe for warehouse wear.

Your employer should be able to recommend the type of shoe that you’ll need and the work that it will need to withstand.

For example, if you’ll be lifting heavy items you’ll need a shoe with steel or composite toes. The alternative is a catastrophic injury that could put you out of work for an indeterminate length of time.

Warehouse shoes should also be slip resistant, so check the soling pattern tread on the bottom for deep grooves made from tough nitrile or PU material that won’t wear away too quickly,and offers good slip resistance. Just like a car tyre, once this tread has worn to a certain point, it’s time to replace them for your own safety’s sake.

Finally, on safety, protection from electrical hazards may be important at your workplace, so check that the chosen shoe has this feature.

Stability

After hours on your feet, you’ll be thankful that you chose shoes that could hold their shape and cradle your feet in a pain-free manner. This comes from shoes which have a solid cushioned innersole, midsoles with some softness to absorb impact, fit and padding.

Without these elements, your warehouse shoe will be no better than your loafers at home and will overwork all of the muscles around your foot and ankle, increasing the chance of an injury occurring.

Durability

Popular brands are just that for good reason – they last long and support the wearer. We highly suggest avoiding cheaper, lesser-known brands as these shoes are sure to fall apart long before you quit your job.

This will only lead to higher clothing costs as you’re forced to replace your boots with a more reliable pair.

At The Work Warehouse, we feature reliable brands like Redback and Mongrel both being Australian made products, along with other quality brands such as Puma, Steel Blue and Blundstone.  All are household names that have been trusted in warehouses for decades.

General Advice

Get two pairs

Not only will your shoes become sweaty and smelly with little chance to dry between shifts, but your feet will thank you for switching things up each day. This will prevent the same spots from coming under stress in the same pair of shoes.

Find two pairs that you like and alternate between them. The added bonus here is that you can compare which brand suits you best and opt for them next time.

Invest in insoles

If you have a history of problems with your feet, warehouse work may only accentuate them. So it is wise to see a podiatrist who can suggest a treatment. This will likely include some insoles for your work boots that will ease any pain you might experience. We also offer a Wide Load fitting boot for people with hard to fit wide feet, Bunions etc that maybe aggravated by footwear being too tight and narrow.

You may be amazed at how correcting your feet can have a positive impact on the rest of your body.

Get in Touch

The Work Warehouse has been providing high-quality workwear for over 30 years and we are proud of the brands in our range.

To learn more about footwear in the warehouse, get in touch with our friendly team and find the shoe that’s right for you.