OVER the years, women have been making up a greater proportion of the workforce, and this includes sectors that have typically been male-dominated such as mining, manufacturing and construction. However, there are still limited offerings in specialised female safety footwear within these sectors.
That’s according to Predahni Naidoo, Brand Manager of Pinetown-based Sisi Safety Wear, who said this had prompted them to launch the Basi Metaguard boot, the first locally produced metaguard safety boot for women. The metaguard protector is primarily designed to protect the bridge of the foot from falling rocks and other hazards prominent in the mining industries
“There is a serious lack of technical safety offerings for women, with many companies still issuing their female staff safety wear designed for males,” said Naidoo. “With the growing number of women entering the mining sector specifically, it was important to develop a solution for women against these types of hazards that can also occur in other industries.”
The Basi Metaguard dual density boot offers an SRC slip resistance rating, anti-static properties and steel toe cap that is SANS/ISO 20345 certified.
Naidoo said the company was invested in providing solutions for women entering more hazardous workplaces with durable and reliable offerings.
“Women deserve both safety and comfort in the workplace. With locally manufactured, women-specific safety wear ranges readily available, there is little excuse for organisations to not cater to the needs of their female workforce.”
