Steel-toed sneakers are for those people who occasionally visit construction sites but don't want to go tromping around in heavy boots all day. They're probably also useful for people on construction sites who do lighter work and don't feel they need boots.
Only steel toes are required by OSHA, not boots. I haven't seen anybody actually wearing steel-toed sneakers, though.
If it's a quick visit where you don't have to get dirty, sometimes engineers just visit the site in their office clothes. Now men can mostly get away with wearing boots under their dress pants. They're just taller than their regular shoes. Women, on the other hand... especially women in skirts... well, it looks kind of strange.
If you check online, you can find what look like steel-toed dress shoes (I think they draw the line at high heels). Pretty unnecessary, in my book. Granted, I have felt kind of foolish wearing these klunky boots all day when I forget to bring my shoes on the day of a site visit when I'm mostly in the office.
(Other, discarded, title for this comment - "Steel Yourself")
Feet of Steel
Only steel toes are required by OSHA, not boots. I haven't seen anybody actually wearing steel-toed sneakers, though.
If it's a quick visit where you don't have to get dirty, sometimes engineers just visit the site in their office clothes. Now men can mostly get away with wearing boots under their dress pants. They're just taller than their regular shoes. Women, on the other hand... especially women in skirts... well, it looks kind of strange.
If you check online, you can find what look like steel-toed dress shoes (I think they draw the line at high heels). Pretty unnecessary, in my book. Granted, I have felt kind of foolish wearing these klunky boots all day when I forget to bring my shoes on the day of a site visit when I'm mostly in the office.
(Other, discarded, title for this comment - "Steel Yourself")