23rd January 2011, 06:12 PM
Oh, am I cheating wearing my work trousers over my boots to keep the mud out? Of course this can't be done with ankle-length lace-ups that most people wear....
One joy of riggers is the added shin protection they afford in the event of unfortunate ricochets when mattock/pickaxeing - being generally held slightly away from the offending body part they usually absorb the impact without the direct bruising impact which usually occurs with snugger footware, plus of course most site lace-ups are only ankle-boots anyway.
On the ankle-support issue, a sprained ankle is far less serious in medical/financial/misery terms than a broken lower leg, which is the next bit to go if the ankle is 'supported'. Plus of course if people actually bothered to look where they were treading....
Have been told by a manager off the record and without possibility of confirmation that the [unnamed major quarry company to avoid grief from BAJR] ban was brought in after someone wearing trainers where he shouldn't have been poured boiling water on his foot and to cover his a**e claimed he'd been wearing riggers and the water had gone down the front, hence the initial ban, but more recently their H&S guys have reverted to the 'ankle support' c**p
One joy of riggers is the added shin protection they afford in the event of unfortunate ricochets when mattock/pickaxeing - being generally held slightly away from the offending body part they usually absorb the impact without the direct bruising impact which usually occurs with snugger footware, plus of course most site lace-ups are only ankle-boots anyway.
On the ankle-support issue, a sprained ankle is far less serious in medical/financial/misery terms than a broken lower leg, which is the next bit to go if the ankle is 'supported'. Plus of course if people actually bothered to look where they were treading....
Have been told by a manager off the record and without possibility of confirmation that the [unnamed major quarry company to avoid grief from BAJR] ban was brought in after someone wearing trainers where he shouldn't have been poured boiling water on his foot and to cover his a**e claimed he'd been wearing riggers and the water had gone down the front, hence the initial ban, but more recently their H&S guys have reverted to the 'ankle support' c**p