Put Your Best Foot Forward When It Comes to Foot Protection

According to the National Safety Council, more than 180,000 foot-related injuries occurred in a recent year. That equates to roughly 400 foot-related injury claims per day. The estimated average cost of these injuries was $6,000 each.

Many of those foot and toe injuries are serious enough to require the workers to take time off from work. And that means not only medical costs, but also the costs of lost production.

The major foot hazards are:

• Falling objects
• Rolling objects
• Objects that pierce the sole
• Exposure to electrical hazards

Other foot hazards include:

• Slippery walking surfaces
• Wet or muddy conditions
• Hazardous chemicals and
• Cold weather conditions

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Protection for Special Situations

All employees in industrial settings should wear appropriate shoes to work—shoes that both protect their feet, provide comfort for a day of work, and prevent slips and falls.

But since certain hazards may require special foot protection, you need to make sure employees at risk for those foot hazards are trained to understand the hazards and match the protective footwear to these special risks. For example:

• Chemical exposures. If workers are exposed to liquid chemicals, acids, or caustic liquids that they may have to walk through or that could splash onto their feet, they should wear chemical-resistant boots. The boot selected should be made of material that will resist the chemical they are exposed to. Boots can be made of rubber, PVC, neoprene, or vinyl. Employees should realize that there is no boot material that provides protection from all chemicals.
• Puncture hazards. Puncture-resistant shoes help prevent sharp objects such as nails, glass, and metal chips from penetrating feet, reducing possible puncture wounds. Puncture-resistant soles are made of hard and dense materials. Some work boots have steel shanks in the soles that prevent sharp objects from penetrating to the foot.
• Wet, muddy, and cold conditions. If employees work in wet or muddy conditions they should have foot protection to keep their feet dry and in good condition. Basic rain boots made of PVC or rubber will work for these conditions. When working in freezing outdoor conditions or refrigerated environments, however, employees will need to wear footwear with special insulated liners.

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Inspection and Storage

Besides selecting the right foot protection for job hazards, employees must also learn to inspect and store protective footwear properly.

Train workers in proper procedures for inspecting protective footwear, including:

• Inspect before each use for signs of damage or wear that could inhibit the protection the work shoe is supposed to provide.
• Check toe and metatarsal protection, as well as other steel shanks, to make sure they are in good condition.
• Check chemical-resistant and waterproof footwear for holes, tears, or cracks.
• Check soles, especially slip-resistant or puncture-resistant soles, daily for excessive wear.
• Discard and replace damaged or defective footwear.

Also train employees to store foot protection properly to preserve and protect it. For example, they should follow storage rules such as these:

• Clean footwear before storing. Do not leave footwear overnight while still contaminated with oils, chemicals, or other work debris.
• Store work boots in a location that protects them from dirt and undue exposure to liquid chemicals or chemical vapors.
• Store footwear so that it maintains its natural shape to prevent unnecessary damage. Do not just toss work shoes into the bottom of a locker.

Tomorrow, what to look for when you purchase foot protection for your employees.