Page 67 - Occupational Health & Safety, June 2018

drill site, oil rig, midstream, and pipeline and transportation.
Neoprene
Neoprene boots came into heavy use at the beginning of the last century. They are waterproof boots with good chemical resistance. The boots are made by layering sheets of rubber around a mold and then they are dipped in a liquid latex neoprene formula to create a seamless coating. Vulca- nization further seals and strengthens this watertight material. Additional layers can be applied to critical stress points.
Waterproof: Neoprene is 100 percent waterproof because it made of rubber, but the layer of rubbers can possibly crack over time, which can affect its wa- terproof qualities.
Temperature: Neoprene boots are not thermo regulating. They require thick socks in the cold, and they trap heat in the summer, causing sweaty feet.
Weight: The chemical protection that the layered rubber provides does add weight. Some boots are a little lighter than others, but the classic brown and crème boots can be on the heavier side of boots.
Comfort: Neoprene boots have been worn for almost 100 years, and the com- fort of the boot has not evolved much from the beginning. The rubber boot of- fers shock-absorbing qualities to provide walking comfort. Outside of the moderate temperatures, your feet can be either cold or hot and require additional insulation in the winter.
Slip: Most neoprene boots have the bat- tle-tested classic rubber chevron outsole, which provides good slip resistance on tile and concrete surfaces. Unlike the PU boots, most neoprene boots do not pass SRC rat- ings and fail on steel, which is trouble for working on oil rigs. The band around the neoprene boots can trap in mud, making the boot heavier and creating a slip hazard when going from mud to a flat surface.
OGM recommended end user environ- ments: downstream refinery, midstream transportation.
PVC
PVC boots are made up of PVC com- pounds along with other additives to give
them various protective qualities. PVC boots can be manufactured with additives that can provide extremely strong chemi- cal resistance. PVC boots can be a very cost-effective way to protect during turn- arounds and contractors on a job site for short-term use.
Waterproof: 100 percent waterproof be- cause PVC is naturally waterproof.
Temperature: PVC boots offer no ther- mo insulation or regulation. These boots are the temperature of the environment they are in.
Weight: PVC boots have various weights depending on the end user needs, but they are commonly on the heavier side. Some new general-use PVC boots are lightweight but offer only waterproof pro- tection along with ASTM certified steel safety components.
Comfort: PVC boots offer minimum comfort and are best worn during short periods. Many brands have made advance- ments in PVC comfort.
Slip: PVC boots provide various levels of slip resistance on a variety of surfaces.
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+ Personal Noise Dosimeters
+ Sound Level Meters
+ Heat Stress Monitors
+ Indoor Air Quality/
Particulate Monitors
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