What to Look for When Buying Lineman Safety Boots

As a lineman, you can't ignore the importance of wearing the right footwear. Overhead power lines can carry thousands of volts of electricity -- more than enough to cause a fatal shock. Fortunately, there are boots that are made of an electrically resistive material. 

Known as lineman safety boots, they are characterized by a dielectric construction, meaning electricity struggles to travel through them. Lineman safety boots offer greater protection against shock than traditional boots. Here are several things to look for when buying lineman safety boots.

Medium or Tall Height

Some lineman safety boots are taller than others. The height, of course, will determine how far they rise up your legs when worn. Rather than choosing lineman safety boots with a low height, such as 4 inches, choose a pair with a medium or tall height. The lineman safety boots will cover more of your legs if they have a medium or tall height.

Dielectric Construction

You should look for a dielectric construction when shopping for lineman safety boots. The term "dielectric" is used to describe materials with poor electrical conductivity. Electricity travels from one place to another place by flowing through objects. Some objects are made of highly conductive materials, whereas others are made of materials with poor electrical conductivity. Dielectric materials fall under the latter category.

EH Rating

Something else to look for when shopping for lineman safety boots is an electrical hazard (EH) rating. EH-rated footwear is designed to isolate the wearer's body from external sources of electricity. They will separate and isolate your feet from external sources of electricity when worn.

Waterproof

There are waterproof lineman safety boots available. When working outdoors, you may be exposed to rain. Rain and electricity, of course, don't mix. As long as you are wearing waterproof lineman safety boots, though, your feet will remain dry. They still feature a dielectric construction, but waterproof lineman safety boots are designed to wick water away. In comparison, other types of boots and footwear may absorb water.

Laces

Make sure the lineman safety boots have laces. Lineman safety boots are available in lace-up and slip-on styles. Lace-up styles have laces on the front, whereas slip-on styles do not. And without laces, slip-on styles are more likely to slide off your feet. You may be working on a power line, only for one of your boots to fall off. To prevent this from happening, choose lineman safety boots in a traditional lace-up style.