When working around an electrical hazard at construction sites or similar areas, your safety is extremely important. Whether that’s due to a high current running through a live wire or weather conditions increasing your shock risk, taking the right step towards protection is highly recommended. But how exactly can you improve your safety and do electricians need to wear rubber boots?
As rubber is perhaps the best material at preventing at lowering your risk around an electrical hazard, rubber boots and gloves are one of the most popular clothing options in an electricians’ work environment. If you have ever wondered how they work and why every electrician needs a good pair of boots, read on!
We have also broken down the main factors you should take into consideration when choosing the best rubber boots for you as well as answered the most frequently asked questions. All of this and more can be found in our article below.
Why Electricians Need Rubber Boots
When working in conditions where there are high power levels or high voltage electricity, ensuring you work to the correct safety standard is extremely important. As electrical gadgets and objects can be extremely deadly if the right levels of caution aren’t implemented, it is important to lower your chance of an accidental shock. But how exactly can you do this?
One of the first and perhaps biggest protection measures you can implement is wearing rubber-based protective clothing such as work boots with a rubber sole or rubber gloves. As rubber is an insulant, and thus won’t conduct electricity, it is one of the best materials an anyone who works with electricity can add to their repertoire to ensure safety.
If an electrician wears rubber boots they will drastically lower their risk of receiving an injury from shocks due to electric current created by static electricity. Although they aren’t 100% effective as there is still a chance of receiving a shock regardless of footwear, they can massively improve your job safety. On top of all this, some of the best rubber boots offer incredible comfort features, so workers don’t need to worry about an uncomfortable working environment.
Considerations Choosing Rubber Boots
Due to how important a good pair of boots can be in terms of working protection, you should carefully consider each aspect before making a purchase. Regardless of whether you are doing work on a live wire or repairing a power outlet, the right protection is important. Below you will find a breakdown of the most important factors you should consider when it comes to finding a great set of rubber boots.
Level of Protection
Perhaps the most important consideration when it comes to determining which boots are the most suitable for your workplace is how much protection they can offer. As rubber is typically considered the best material to use in work boots, most boots you come across will usually offer the same level of protection.
Due to the high current passing through wires and other electrical outlets, a good set of boots can help ground you and prevent electricity from shocking you during work. By ensuring your chosen set of boots has a high protection rating, you will be able to work knowing you have implemented the right path to your protection.
Comfort
As you will be wearing your boots on your feet quite regularly, you will want them to have a high level of comfort. A bad set of shoes can damage your feet and become a pain to wear, therefore finding the right set for your feet is vital. Most premium boots will not only provide feet and toe protection but will be lined with a comfortable insole to prevent long-time use injury.
Usually, you will have to pay more for a comfortable boot as premium products will provide the most comforting features. Keep your eyes peeled for additions such as a foam insole or similar addition within your boot to get an idea of how comfortable it will be. You can also check out user reviews if you aren’t in a position to try on a set of boots before purchase.
Durability
Due to the frequency, you will be wearing your new boots, they will need to last a while for you to get the most out of them. In addition to paying more for a more durable product, you should also treat your mints with mink oil or similar varnishes to protect them from damage. The more effort you put into looking after your boots, the longer they will last.
Budget
As with all purchases, you should try to set yourself a limited budget so you don’t spend more than you were originally going to. To do this, figure out exactly what you expect from your new set of boots and how much you are willing to spend on each factor.
Ideally though, as you will be working with live wires that pose a risk, you should be willing to pay slightly more for a boot that can offer the highest level of protection and comfort. Determine what you expect from each boot and how often you plan on wearing them to best determine how much you should spend on a premium product.
FAQs
What should you wear to prevent electric shock?
One of the best ways to protect yourself from accidental electric shocks is to wear suitable protective gear. Gear crafted from rubber or similar non-conductive insulators, such as other types of plastic, are extremely good options in terms of protective gear.
Ideally, rubber gloves or a boot with rubber soles that have been designed to provide shock protection are the best ways to protect your body from electrical shocks. Consider purchasing a pair of rubber safety boots or wear rubber gloves when you next work with electricity.
Why can’t electricity pass through rubber?
As rubber is non-conductive, electricity can’t pass through it thus preventing you from receiving damage from an electrical shock. This is because rubber doesn’t have free electrons, known as conductive electrons, therefore electricity simply can’t pass through it as there are no conductive electrons. Materials that have few or zero conductive electrons are known as insulators.
As there isn’t a clear path to the ground, an electric current won’t be able to pass through your foot and thus electricity cannot flow through your body. This prevents you from receiving a deadly shock. Make sure to wear insulating gear when working with wires or other potential electrical hazards.
Do electricians wear rubber boots?
Although not all electricians will wear rubber safety shoes, it is fully recommended and therefore the majority do. Ensuring you wear protection from high voltage static electricity is one of the most important measures of protection you can implement when working in an electrical work environment.
There is a multitude of different factors to take into consideration, but protecting yourself from the electric current that passes through objects such as a power line is paramount. Rubber gloves and a boot for each foot are one of the best forms of protection, alongside rubber handled tools.
Does wearing rubber shoes prevent electric shock?
Safety footwear that features a rubber sole is one of the best ways you can lower your chances of receiving an electric shock when you work with an electric current. Although they won’t prevent an electrical hazard 100% of the time, they are extremely effective at reducing the chances of injury due to hazards. Try to ensure you work boots feature rubber soles, or a rubber outsole to lower any risk of damage to your body.
Alongside protective equipment such as rubber work boots and gloves, your usual safety measures should still be taken. Also, follow the regulations set out at your construction site or other job sites you work at as they are there for a reason.
What should you wear to prevent electric shock?
The best thing to wear when working with electricity is anything that has been crafted using rubber or a similar material. Items such as rubber boots or gloves can reduce an electrical hazard from a high current by preventing electricity from passing through. Unlike birds, a human is highly susceptible to high electrical currents and thus protecting each body part is important.
Boots and a decent pair of rubber gloves are perhaps the best clothing options for protection you can wear when working with something that features high levels of electricity. As long as your entire body is protected from your foot to your hand you will be able to work a lot safer. So consider investing in a decent set of rubber shoes today.
