Safety Kit for women

[drpeterwardle]

Caroline Wardle, archaeological secetary, here.

In response to Lucy

I first had a pair of "Caterpillar", the most expensive, safety boots which were so uncomfortable i had to take them off atthe end of the morning and go back to my trainers.

We took them back to the shop (Makro, a cash and carry chain, we went to the branch in Reading) and got another cheaper pair of black safety boots. They didn't say they were womens as such but they went down to small sizes. These are [u][u]really comfortable</u></u>, although to look at you wouldn't see the difference. Not really sure of the brand name of them but inside they say
OPTIMUM
SAFETY
FOOTWEAR
LEATHER UPPER

and on the bottom of the sole they say

OIL ACID RESISTANT
DOUBLE-
DUTY

On the tongue it says

BS EN 345-1 1993 CE
7-41 GRP-1
SHLL S1
ITS 0362
III 2003

The Optimum bit looks like the brand name, but we couldn't find it on the net.

Happy boot hunting

regards caroline

Peter says that the best places for steel toe cap wellies are horse riding shops - with brands such as Safety Hunters. These can be bought mail order from the Wellie Shop

[lucy78green]

Thanks, the ones I got were pretty cheap as they were the last in the shop, but even though they are technically my size they are too wide. I also got money off as the sun had bleached one in the window, I thought 5 mins on site and they's both be the same shade of brown anyway. I don't understand why a man's size 6 is not the same as a woman's size 6 - men! The reason I had to buy my own is that I was between jobs and the previous employer had a new director who insisted everyone gave back their safety boots when they left - like anyone else is going to wear used boots, in the same size too. I know technically it is company property but surely in terms of health and safety...
I have seen catalogues of safety gear, but it all seems to be aimed at men, I know there is probably more demand for it but there must be a sizable minority of women in several professions that need safety gear. On another note, I saw some road workers with viz t-shirts in Newcastle which I thought were a good idea for summer as those vests get a bit nasty in the heat, espcially when there is a communal pool and you end up wearing someone elses sweat...

Lucy

[drpeterwardle]

Makro also do High Vis polo shirts for ?15. They are ployester though.

Usually there are only the small sizes left.

Peter

[Scotskate]

Arco are surprisingly good - they have a women's workwear section and shoe sizes go down to 3! Not bad. Try http://www.arco.co.uk - you can view their catalogue on-line, although it is a bit hard to search, or request their 'big red book'.