The "lowdown" on foot protection. Feet may be low down
on the body, but they shouldn't be low down on your list of personal
protective equipment (PPE) priorities. Healthy, injury-free feet are
essential for daily comfort and a worker's ability to do the job--no matter
what kind of work is involved. Damage to a bone, ligament, or muscle in the
foot can be very painful and make it difficult or impossible for injured
employees to stay on their feet and perform their jobs. Unfortunately, there
are a lot of foot hazards in most workplaces.
DANGER! Foot protection required. OSHA says you have to
provide proper foot protection when employees are exposed to foot hazards,
such as falling or rolling objects, electrical shocks and burns, and
splashes from chemicals or hot substances like molten metals. This means
your employees might need:
- Steel-toe work shoes to protect toes from falling objects and being
crushed by heavy materials or rolling equipment
- Work shoes with metatarsal guards to protect the foot from impact
from ankle to toe
- Butyl, vinyl, or nitrile footwear to protect against hazardous
chemicals
- Metal-reinforced soles to protect against punctures
- Non conducting rubber footwear to protect against electrical shocks
and burns
- Latex or rubber sole shoes or boots to protect against slips and
falls from wet or slippery surfaces
Note: OSHA's foot protection standard (29 CFR 1910.136)
refers you to ANSI Z41-1991 for specific safety footwear requirements.
Footwear fashion alert: On-the-job comfort and safety are always
in style. Even when special protective footwear isn't needed, work
shoes should be
Why It Matters...
American workers suffer hundreds of foot and toe injuries on the
job every day.
Some injuries are serious enough to keep an employee out of work
for days or even weeks. Workers might even suffer permanent
disability and be unable to continue in their regular jobs.
It's been estimated that, on average, each employee foot injury
costs $6,000 in medical expenses and lost productivity--and some
cost much more.
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appropriate for the kind of job the worker is doing. For example, in most
jobs, extremely high heels or open sandals are inappropriate and create
safety hazards. What most workers need, if they don't have to wear
specialized foot protection, is a sturdy shoe that fits comfortably, and can
resist wear and tear. The ideal work shoe gives good foot support and has
nonslip soles for good traction.
Shoe condition matters, too. Worn-out work shoes with
holes and cracks can't provide adequate protection. So you also need to take
one final step and make sure employees inspect work shoes regularly and
maintain them carefully. Your workers should always:
- Check footwear before use each day to make sure there are no rips or
holes.
- Check soles and heels from time to time to make sure they are not
worn down.
- Replace footwear that can't give good support and protection.
- Decontaminate work shoes that come in contact with hazardous
substances.
- Keep all components of footwear clean (particularly treads on
soles).
- Store footwear properly, away from excessive heat.