A new design from one of the country’s best-known farm work wear suppliers makes it easier for rural New Zealanders to stay safe and sound on their feet in gumboots this season. 

Red Band Safety gumboots are hand-built from UV stabilised natural rubber just like normal Red Bands, with extra features to help prevent foot injury, damage and falls. Along with the Quatro Safety Non-Insulated, which was launched last month, the new Red Bands complete Skellerup’s safety gumboot range. 

National manager Perry Davis says they help give farmers peace of mind as new rural workplace health and safety requirements become the norm.

“Health and safety is all about hazard management and mitigation to prevent workplace injury, and one of the simplest steps to take is to wear the right footwear for the job.

It Is a routine, everyday choice that can make a huge difference, not just in terms of direct foot injuries as a result of crushing or penetration, but also slips and falls.

Red Band Safety has been designed to combine legendary Red Band quality and durability with a high level of foot protection and stability, making it simple for busy farmers and their teams to get on with their day knowing they have minimised the risk of injuries on the job”, he says.

Features include:

• A knee high length, with an external leg trim line so they can be easily converted to calf length, the new boots feature a fibreglass shank in the base of the sole, to guard against penetration.  
• The steel toe cap protects against the foot from crushing, and the nitrile rubber outsole is resistant to oil, acid, heat and electrical hazard. 
• The all-terrain outsole is also mud-releasing and anti-slip, and has been tested on wet ceramic tile flooring. The boot has also been designed with an energy-absorbing heel for comfort. 
• Like all Red Bands, they are made of UV resistant natural rubber, with a hard-wearing internal cotton canvas bonded lining, and a 5mm rubber sponge insole.

Perry Davis says even before health and safety became important as part of rural workplace management and philosophy, leather safety work boots were common for many farmers, and today they outsell non-safety work boots by a large margin. 

“Protective work wear is a key component of any farm Health and Safety plan, and gumboots are worn on most, if not all, farms in this country, particularly as we head into the wetter, colder months of the year. 

“Three out of every four leather work boots sold are safety, and the way we see it, gumboots should be no different,” States Perry.

Visit your local PGG Wrightson store to purchase the new Red Band Safety gumboots today.

Supplied by Skellerup