SAFETY SHOES – 8 WAYS THEY PROTECT YOU
SAFETY SHOES –
8 WAYS THEY PROTECT YOU
When you think about shoes for the workplace, heavy-duty
footwear such as steel toe boots may come to mind. These boots, which have
reinforced toes to protect the feet from hazards such as heavy objects, are
important personalprotective equipment (PPE) at many industrial and construction
worksites.
Many kinds of shoes exist that can make jobs safer, though, not
just steel toe boots. Other types of boots and shoes can provide traction, arch
support and other safety benefits. To find the right foot protection for
the jobs in your workplace, you’ll need to do a hazard assessment and determine
what kinds of risks—such as slipping and falling or sharp objects—pose a threat
to your employees’ feet. Then select shoes or boots that offer the right
protection.
Shoes may not seem as critical to workplace safety as protective
eyewear or gloves, but footwear provides many benefits. If anyone in your
workplace doubts the value of investing in footwear, offer him or her some of
the ways safety shoes can keep workers safe.
FUNCTIONS OF SAFETY SHOES
Foot injuries can be debilitating, resulting in time away from
work or difficulty performing a job. Wearing safety shoes or boots can help
prevent many foot injuries in the following ways.
1. PROTECT FROM FALLING &
FLYING OBJECTS
When workers carry heavy materials or work in dynamic
environments where many people, machines and vehicles are operating at once,
falling and flying objects are common hazards. Protective shoes like steel toe
boots can effectively prevent crushing injuries to the feet.
2. PROTECT FROM PUNCTURES
When workers could step on sharp objects or be struck by sharp
objects from above, shoes with heavy-duty soles and thick materials surrounding
the foot offer the best protection. At construction worksites, for example,
many sharp objects could be in someone’s path. A soft-soled shoe might not
provide enough protection.
3. PROTECT FROM CUTTING HAZARDS
Machinery that is sharp or contains moving parts can pose
cutting hazards. Workers in the logging industry, for example, face dangers
from chainsaws. If a chainsaw were to come in contact with someone’s foot, the
result could be catastrophic. Logging boots—which are required by OSHA under
standard 29
CFR 1910.266(d)(1)(v)—made with cut-resistant material will protect
those workers who use chainsaws. These boots are also waterproof or water
repellant and support the ankles.
4. PROTECT FROM ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
Electricity poses a variety of risks in the workplace. Workers
could face potential electric shocks or accumulate static electricity, which
can lead to electric sparks in certain environments.
To reduce the chances of an electrical accident, non-conductive
footwear made from leather, rubber or other materials that don’t conduct
electricity can be worn. In locations where the build-up of static on the body
poses a hazard, anti-static or conductive footwear can be used. These options reduce the amount of static that accumulates
on the body, preventing static electric sparks.
5. PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS &
FALLS
Slips, trips and falls can happen in any workplace andresult in many
accidents annually. Businesses can take steps such as implementing
housekeeping measures and installing anti-slip floor tape to reduce the risks of these mishaps.
Proper footwear can also provide additional protection against slips, trips and
falls.
Shoes with appropriate traction can help prevent falls on the
same level in slippery environments. They can also prevent falls from ladders,
which are all too common when people don’t wear shoes with proper treads.
Footwear that fits well and feels comfortable can also improve
balance, which will help prevent slips, trips and falls, too.
6. PREVENT FATIGUE
For workers who stand all day, especially on hard surfaces like
concrete, fatigue can be a real problem. Muscles in the feet as well as the
legs, back and other parts of the body grow tired, and the situation can be
worsened when employees don’t wear appropriate footwear. Shoes that provide
adequate cushioning and arch support can make people more comfortable, which
alleviates strain on muscles. This means employees will grow fatigued less
quickly. Employees who are less fatigued will be more alert, so they will
likely do their jobs more safely and more efficiently.
Preventing muscle strain will also help protect against musculoskeletaldisorders such as chronic lower back pain, too.
7. PREVENT BURNS
Burns from fire can happen in the workplace, but so can burns
from chemicals and even from common workplace materials like cement.
Footwear made from durable materials can prevent burns from chemicals splashes,
molten metal splashes and other dangerous substances that could injure the skin
on the feet.
8. PROTECT FROM EXTREME WEATHER
We all know that cold weather can lead to injuries such as frost
bite and hypothermia, and those dangers shouldn’t be overlooked in the
workplace. People who work outside in the winter are at risk, as well as
employees who work in wet or refrigerated environments.
Furthermore, the cold can exacerbate some less known workplace
injuries. For example, Raynaud’s Syndrome is a disease where the fingers can
turn white from poor blood flow. This condition, related to vibration from
power tool use, is made worse when employees are exposed to cold temperatures.
In some cases, this disorder can impactthe feet, too, so keeping the feet warm and comfortable in
conjunction with other measures for keeping the body warm is important.
Not all footwear is waterproof or insulated to provide
protection against the cold, rain and snow, so be sure to select shoe options
that are made from appropriate materials.
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