The quote in the title is a strong appeal from the President of the Italian Republic who urged his country’s government, but indirectly every institution and each of us, to seriously consider the need to make a commitment and, in the future, hopefully a cultural fact the focus on safety in the world of work. There are still too many deaths and injuries that plague those working in risky sectors and beyond.
Yet much has been done over the past decade to ensure that the adoption of personal protective equipment by companies and workers grows. This is evidenced by some numbers concerning the world of work & safety footwear.
THE GROWTH OF WORK SHOES
The figures speak for themselves: at a time when the GDP of almost every country is struggling to reach i1 percentage point of growth, the safety footwear sector is almost brazenly putting other, much more positive numbers on the table. A trend that has persisted since 2017.
Let’s go into detail: the value of the global safety footwear market is estimated at $11.6 billion in 2023 and is set to improve at a constant growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% over the next ten years to reach general sales of $23.6 billion by 2033.
From 2017 to 2022, the global industrial safety footwear market recorded a relatively higher CAGR of 12.1 percent. The reasons for the less bright pace predicted for the next few years are related to the decline in industrial activities experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Business closures and production shutdowns have affected demand for industrial safety footwear particularly in the years 2020 and 2021.
Future Market Insights experts expect the market to partially recover between 2023 and 2028. Thanks to increased innovative product development by major players and the implementation of stricter regulations in emerging markets, the industry is expected to grow significantly.
WHAT THE SECURITY MARKET DEMANDS
Among the most in-demand requirements is protection toward electric shock risk, which is becoming increasingly important with the rise in popularity of hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Construction and agricultural industry operations are also likely to increase demand for safety footwear.
Chemical-resistant work shoes, antistatic ones with a steel toe cap, and slip-resistant are the most in demand due to government work safety regulations.
New trends include the increasing weight of ergonomically designed safety shoes that help reduce stress and provide greater support for the feet. This ergonomic approach to the design and production of safety shoes is expected to increase the customer base and customer loyalty, contributing to the growth of the industrial safety footwear market.
WHERE THE GREATEST CHANGES ARE EXPECTED
Among the most promising markets for the future, in addition to the United States, which will maintain its leadership in the world, is the positive trend of the Chinese market with a CAGR of 6.8 percent and a value of $1.7 billion by 2033. The entire Asia-Pacific region is expected to see substantial expansion. And this is good news, not only, of course, for those who make the shoes, but for society at large, which is seeing a culture for safety grow even in places that were less regulated until a few years ago.
The increased adoption of initiatives to defend health and safety in the workplace can only bode well for the initial call for safety to become a full and concrete part of workplace culture.
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Our story cannot last. When it’s time to change your work shoes.
Work shoes also have an expiration date, but how long they last depends a lot on the context of use, the quality of the materials and the care given to them. In any case, it is important to change them at the very first signs of failure.
