Step Up to First-Class Foot Protection

The National Safety Council reported that in a recent year workplaces across the country experienced a total of 170,000 foot injuries, 130,000 of them involving days away from work.

Because foot injuries are common and often at least temporarily disabling, OSHA’s foot protection standard for general industry (29 CFR 1910.136) states: “Each affected employee shall wear protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries…”

They type of protective footwear required depends, of course, on the foot hazards workers might encounter on the job.

Basic foot protection is a sturdy safety shoe or boot made of leather, rubber, or a synthetic material. Safety shoes have an impact-resistant toe—usually steel. The American National Standard for safety-toe footwear referred to in the OSHA standard deals with the strength of the toe box. The top classification, 75, will withstand 75 pounds per square inch falling on the foot.

As further protection in jobs where heavy objects could land on or roll over the feet, employees may need footguards made of aluminum alloy, fiberglass, or galvanized steel to wear over work shoes.

In addition, work shoes or boots should:

• Provide a good, comfortable fit
• Offer good support
• Be in good condition
• Have secure fasteners
• Have nonskid soles

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Select the Right Protective Footwear

To properly protect employees from foot hazards, footwear must be carefully selected. The following table provides a basic selection guide.

Hazard		Protection
Falling or rolling objects, bumps		Reinforced impact-resistant toes or metatarsal footguards
Punctures		Metal insoles or reinforced soles
Corrosive chemicals		Impermeable rubber or neoprene boots to wear over or instead of work shoes
Electrical shocks or burns		Metal-free footwear with nonconducting soles
Wet floors		Rubber boots or work shoes with special nonslip soles
Hot floors		Heat-resistant soles
Cold		Insulated footwear
Hot metal splashes or welding sparks		Easy-to-remove gaiters or over-the-ankle spats

Even when special protective footwear isn’t required, employees should be encouraged to wear sturdy shoes in good condition with nonslip soles.

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Inspection and Maintenance

To protect employees well, footwear should also be inspected before use. Worn out or damaged footwear with holes, tears, or rundown soles can’t adequately protect feet from hazards.

If you provide work shoes for employees, make sure that they are replaced as necessary. If employees provide their own work shoes, encourage them to keep shoes in good condition and replace them when they are damaged or worn out.

Work shoes should also be kept clean. For example, soles should be kept clean to provide the best traction. And any protective footwear that comes in contact with hazardous substances should be properly decontaminated before being worn again.

By the way, March is National Foot Health Awareness Month. Since big part of foot health on the job is foot safety, take effective steps this month and all year to protect your workers’ feet on the job.

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