Tag Archives: foot protection

Protect Your Legs and Work Efficiently Wearing the Best Safety Boots

Protect Your Legs and Work Efficiently Wearing the Best Safety Boots

If you or your workers are carrying out their job which requires a high physical safety, they should wear the right kind of gears to protect themselves from any bodily harm. Like the helmet that is worn in areas to save the head or the harness around the waist to save oneself if accidentally slipped or the high visibility jackets to get identified at the muskiest places, safety boots are another essential workwear that needs to be worn by the workers to save their feet.  Do you know almost 25% of the disability that occurs in the workplace is due to feet injury? Wearing safety boots can reduce your chance of feet injury and save you from fatal accidents. However, the right kind of boots is to be chosen and used.
 

Mistakes That Needs to Be Avoided

Many people make mistakes while choosing and purchasing the safety boots and ultimately, they serve no purpose.  One should avoid the most common mistakes and buy the best boots.
⦁ Using the Safety Boots for Other Purposes That Are Not Intended to Use: This is one of the significant issues, and people select the wrong pair of shoes for some particular work.  The environment where the safety boots are to be used should be given priority, and the quality of the shoes should be bought accordingly. A safety boot that is required in a steel plant does not mean that it will be required by a firefighter or a road construction worker.
⦁ Confusing the Safety Standards: Every risky job has defined safety standards that are to be maintained and followed by a worker. So, may need steel plates below and some may need rubber or some fire and heat resistant material. The safety boots are to be bought as per the safety guidelines mentioned against each type of industry.  However, all shoes should be waterproof or at least water resistant.
⦁ Never to Choose the Boots Looking at The Price Tags: As everyone is looking for value for money, it is a common tendency to save and buy the shoes only looking at the cheap price tag and compromising with the quality and forgetting the purpose. A sturdy, long-lasting and work specific boot should be bought without looking for the cheaper ones that compromise with the safety standards.
⦁ Going for The Style Overshadowing the Purpose: Many people select and buy these boots giving priority to the style rather than the intent that it needs to serve. It should be avoided, and the priority should always be the safety of the feet. There are safety boots that people wear when they work in mines and in heavy industries and furnaces. Depending on the type of floor surface that they walk on, users need to choose these safety boots.
⦁ Choosing Incorrect Size: The shoes should be of the correct size. A tight shoe can cause the boots to wear out in quick time, and a loose boot makes the movement on the dangerous zone more dangerous. One should buy the correct size of safety boots to feel comfortable in them.
 
When it comes to the safety of your life while in the workplace, proper precautions are to be taken. Safety boots are not worn to carry a style statement but to protect the feet from the feet injuries in the place of work.  One should not compromise with the quality and avoid the most common mistakes discussed above. Prevention is always better than cure. You can now choose the leather or suede safety boots to add glamour to your dressing style and also to keep your feet warm and comfortable during winters.

PAMPER YOUR FEET: THEY TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE!

Too many times we take our feet for granted.  How many times have you asked your doctor to check your feet?  It’s a good idea, even though you probably haven’t done so.  Just think about it: how many miles we put on them, both at work, and those early morning or late afternoon walks.  It pays to take good care of them, especially if you are diabetic. The foot has as many moving parts as a complicated machine, and it works just as hard.  An average day of walking delivers hundreds of tons of pressure to your feet.

Foot injuries that occur at work may be punctures, crushing, sprains, slips, trips, and falls.  Lack of attention to foot safety plays an important part to many disabling injuries to either the feet or other body parts.  Other work-related foot problems can be caused by standing for long periods of time on hard floors, and poorly fitted footwear.  High heels, pointed toes, no arch support are all contributors to foot problems.  Designers of footwear have come up with some very stylish shoes that are more suitable for those women who wish to look great and be comfortable, as well.

Some ideas for choosing good footwear for work are:

  • Understand that most footwear will not stretch
  • Measure both feet when buying shoes
  • Buy shoes that fit the bigger foot
  • Try to shop in the evening, when your feet are largest
  • Choose shock-absorbing insoles if you walk, or stand on very hard floors

Companies should identify relevant hazards that cause foot problems or injuries and eliminate them.  Padding or matting on floors can serve as a cushion, as long as they are anti-slip and securely anchored.  Signs should be posted wherever there are slippery floors.

April is Foot Health Awareness Month.  We hope this will serve as your reminder to take good care of this important part of your body.

Sources:
Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety
NIA

PPE: Foot And Leg Protection

Workers who should wear protective footwear are those who are exposed to hot substances, corrosive or poisonous materials, molten metal, splashes, falling or rolling objects such as barrels, tools, penetrating materials, (nails, spikes), hot, wet slippery surfaces, or electric hazards.  Non-conductive footwear should be worn in electric hazard situations; conductive footwear is required for those who work where there are static electric conditions.

Types of protection for legs and feet are:

  • Leggings – Protection for lower legs and feet against heat hazards; safety snaps allow leggings to be quickly removed.
  • Metatarsal Guards – May be strapped to outside of shoes to protect instep area from compression and impact.  Usually made of aluminum, steel fiber or plastic.
  • Toe Guards – Fit over toes of regular shoes, also made of aluminum, steel or plastic.
  • Safety Shoes – Have heat resistant soles and impact resistant toes.  Some have metal insoles for protection from puncture wounds.
  • Foot and Shin Guards – May be used in addition to toe guards when more protection is needed.

Special Purpose Shoes are Electrically Conductive Shoes, which as previously stated, protect against buildup of static electricity in the body, which could produce a spark.  This type of shoe is required for those who work in occupations such as explosives manufacturers or grain elevators.   Non-Conductive Electric Hazard safety-toe shoes prevent wearers’ feet from completing electric circuit to the ground, while working in jobs that may present electric hazards.  Foundry Shoes are made of snug- fitting leather, leather-substitute, and have leather or rubber soles, rubber heels.  All foundry shoes must have built in safety toes.

Source: OSHA