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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/osha-ppe-steel-toe-exception

Does an employer have to pay for regular steel-toe boots that workers can also wear off the job?

No, non-specialty steel-toe footwear is an exception.

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  1. Yes, always
  2. No, if workers may wear them off the job ✔
  3. Only for workers over 18

Why: Plain steel-toe boots and plain prescription safety glasses are exceptions to the pay rule, as long as the employer lets workers wear them away from the job site. Specialty footwear is still paid for.

Huh, didn't know that: If an employer provides metatarsal guards, it need not pay for boots with built-in metatarsal protection a worker asks for.

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My boots and I have been through a lot together. We're sole mates.
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References

Answer: No, if workers may wear them off the job. Plain steel-toe boots and plain prescription safety glasses are exceptions to the pay rule, as long as the employer lets workers wear them away from the job site. Specialty footwear is still paid for.

  1. 29 CFR 1910.132 PPE general requirements (eCFR) www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1910.132
    The employer is not required to pay for non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear (including steel-toe shoes or steel-toe boots)
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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Safety & First AidWho pays for the PPE that OSHA rules require you to wear on the job?Safety & First AidWhich hazard calls for protective footwear under OSHA's general industry rule?Safety & First AidWhich section of a safety data sheet tells you what protective gear to wear?

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