Steel-toe boots (or sometimes safety boots) are durable boots usually made of leather that have a steel reinforcement near the toe to protect the foot against falling objects. They also often have steel soles to prevent puncture from below.
Steel-toe boots are important in the construction and many industrial settings. Legislation or insurance requirements may require the use of such boots in some settings, and may mandate certification of such boots and the display of such certification directly on the boots. (For example in Canada, certified boots have a Canadian Standards Association green triangle on them.)
Steel-toe footwear now comes in many styles, not just as boots. Some are quite formal, for supervising engineers of both genders who must visit sites where protective footwear is mandatory.
