Wilkuro

Wilkuro (also known as a safety toe overshoe, steel toe cover or slip on safety shoe) is a type of durable protective footwear that fits over the boot or shoe that offers protection of the foot from falling objects and also offers slip resistance on many types of wet and oily surfaces.
Invented in 1985 in Canada by George Kuropas and Jack Wilson, the Wilkuro has become a standard in many Fortune 500 companies for effective visitor protection from slips and falls and falling objects as a hygienic alternative to steel toe boots.
Although traditionally made of steel, the reinforcement can also be made of a composite material. Steel toe overshoes are an important form of personal protective equipment in many industrial settings and are commonly used to protect visitors or other temporary or casual workers. The overshoe is also useful for people who require custom footwear for medical reasons and cannot wear traditional steel toe shoes. The overshoe galosh of the Wilkuro is now made of flexible PVC, although initially made of natural rubber. The company changed the overshoe in 2006 citing improved chemical resistance of the new material enabling its use in more industrial settings.
Occupational safety and health legislation or insurance requirements may require the use of toe protection and slip resistant protective gear or mats in some environments, and may mandate certification of such boots and the display of such certification directly on the boots. In Canada, until 2011, when Wilkuro became the first safety overshoe of its kind to be CSA Certified, there had been no way to certify safety overshoe products. Previously, the test required an upper vamp, which the product lacks, needed to be cut away in order to pass, led to an influx of safety overshoe products onto the market.
Certified safety overshoes, such as the Wilkuro, will have Canadian Standards Association markings and are acceptable by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Such products will also be able to demonstrate favorable impact and slip resistance test results as tested by independent laboratories. The Wilkuro meets CSA Standard-Z195-09 for Protective Footwear, Grade 1 Toe Protection. A Grade 1 protective toe withstands impacts up to 125 Joules, which is comparable to a 22.7 kg (50 lb) weight dropped from 0.6 m. The Grade 1 toe protection is suitable for industrial work environments not requiring puncture protection.

According to independent test results, Wilkuro surpassed the requirements for Toe Impact (Class I/75): 75-ft-lbf with impact velocity of 117.9±2.4 in. /sec. (2995±61 mm/s) with 0.50 in. (12.7 mm) clearance and for Compression (Class C/75): 2500 lb (11,121 N) required with 0.50 in. (12.7 mm) clearance. For slip resistance, Wilkuro safety over shoes have shown to have a coefficient of friction (COF) of .76 on wet surfaces and 1.05 on dry surfaces exceeding OSHA’s minimum anti slip recommendation for a COF of 0.5.
Wilkuro safety overshoes come in many styles, all designed to cover everyday footwear, such as sneakers and dress shoes. Original Wilkuro brand safety toes have color-coded toe caps for ease of identification for visitors in plant facilities. Others in all black are more formal and are appropriate for executives who must visit sites where protective footwear is required.
Wilkuro is a registered trademark for safety footwear in particular, safety overshoes, with a date of first "use" in November, 1992 and belongs to Wilkuro Safety Toes Incorporated of Concord, Ontario, Canada.
The Wilkuro safety overshoe is available globally through a network of distributors.

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