Impacto Protective Products Inc. specializes in design, manufacturing and distribution of personal ergonomic products to help prevent vibration, impact, cumulative trauma and repetitive strain injuries. Impacto offers a wide range of foot protectors, including the METGUARD.
Protection for Your Foot
The IMPACTO® MetGuard® Metatarsal Guard is an extremely durable, lightweight, safety footwear attachment that protects the metatarsal area.
It protects the workers’ upper foot by deflecting and dispersing the impact of falling loads.
It fits all shoes and boots and is secured with existing laces or straps. It’s practical, comfortable and meets worldwide safety footwear standards.
Unlike traditional metatarsal devices, the Metguard is made of extremely resilient, lightweight and non-conductive polycarbonate.
Leading the field in upper foot protection
The MetGuard design allows it to be fitted easily to all types of safety toe footwear. It is attached either with the existing laces of the footwear or with straps. It has been designed to compliment the safety toe footwear and to maintain the footwear’s own safety standards.
Tested to conform to Metatarsal Impact Resistance standards, the lip of the MetGuard sits on top of the safety toe cap at load point, providing protection for the metatarsal region.
Suitable for use in all workplaces and industries, the MetGuard is designed to protect the upper foot from metatarsal injuries, by deflecting the impact of falling and rolling loads and spreading or deflecting the impact load.
Tested to Metatarsal Impact Resistance Standards:
- ASTM F2413-11 / F2412-11 (formerly ANSI Z41) for protective footwear resistance, in 1.42 (min 1.00), velocity, in/sec 116.9 (standard 117.9).
- ISO 20344:2004 Clause 5.16, ISO 20345:2004 Clause 6.2.6
- AS/NZS 2210.7 Clause 4.5.2 – use on footwear AS/NZS 2210.3 approved
- Tested to EN 13634:2004 Clause 6.3, EN 14120:2007 Clause 6.5
- When used in Europe, the MetGuard must only be used with CE certified footwear according to EN 20345, EN 20346 & EN 20347 (relevant standards approved safety toe footwear)
Metatarsal injuries are the most common traumatic foot injuries causing debilitating pain and lost work time.
The Metatarus consists of the five long bones of the foot, which are numbered from the medial side. The larger of these bones, the OS metatarsale 1 is the most exposed and is more likely to be damaged from contact by a heavy load. This bone is the metatarsal attached to the “great toe” or big toe and the bone that is responsible for distribution of weight when walking. The remaining four bones, OS metatarsale 2–5 are attached in turn to the remaining four toes of the foot and assist with balance when walking. These bones are protected by the MetGuard to reduce or prevent injury.
Metatarsal Injuries are devastating, painful and debilitating personal injuries that require a long term rehabilitation process. They usually come with long lost time resulting in high costs to employers for workers downtime. Falling and rolling objects account for more than 73% of all injuries to the feet. Most injuries are caused by objects weighing less than 20kg falling less than 1metre. Studies show that 23% of foot injuries that occur to people wearing steel toe cap footwear is damage to the Metatarsal area.
Patented Technology
The MetGuard’s patented design makes it the most comfortable upper foot protection add on device that compliments and fits all types of safety toe footwear. The design cover the upper foot metatarsal region and allows for the load point to sit on and transfer through the toe cap. It allows for a free movement that doesn’t restrict any movement of the user when standing, walking, running, driving or kneeling.
Lightweight and Durable
The specially formulated MetGuard material makes it both lightweight at 50 grams and durable to withstand all climates and harsh conditions. It’s so lightweight that the user does not even know that they are wearing the metatarsal protector and practically unbreakable.
Used with Existing Footwear
It’s used with the user’s existing safety footwear. It can either be easily laced onto the footwear using the existing laces or attached using the MetGuard straps, part number METSTRAP.
Cost Effective
MetGuard is cost effective as it is used with the user’s current safety footwear. There is no need to purchase expensive built in metatarsal shoes when the MetGuard will fit all styles of safety footwear. When the footwear needs to be replaced, simply transfer the MetGuard to the new pair of safety footwear. The MetGuard is also transferable between users and a perfect way to accommodate visitors who require metatarsal protection when visiting a work place. It is a perfect economical solution for visitors, temporary workers, clerical, sales people or when there’s requirement for metatarsal protection.
Contact us for local distributors in your area!
U.K. free phone 0800 028 0243
Email: impacto@impacto.ca
