Page 51 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2017

tion to your footwear. Do you need more protection? Inadequate or poor-quality footwear worn by employees can cause disasters. Things such as poor footwear construction or untied laces can lead to injuries. As you look around, notice whether there are slip, trip, and fall hazards. If you use anti-fatigue insoles in your shoes as a cost-effective alternative to matting, you can reduce the risk of slips, trips, and falls while simultaneously providing your and your employees’ feet with the cushioned support they need as you and they walk or stand for long periods during the day.
Ensuring everyone in your workplace has appropriate footwear can be the first step toward safety. However, it’s important to look beyond footwear protection and ensure all employees are trained on each machine and device. Workplace education can prevent se- rious injury and enhance safety awareness.
Safety for All
Much as there are numerous types of jobs requiring different types of equipment, there are multiple types of footwear protection to prevent injury. For example, steel-toe boots are perfect for con- struction workers because they prevent heavy materials or objects from crushing the feet or toes. Visitors and temporary workers at construction sites or factories also can utilize steel-toe overshoes to prevent injury.
While you can use steel-toe boots or steel-toe overshoes to stop heavy equipment or sharp tools from falling onto your feet, injury can still come from below your feet. Puncture resistant foot-
wear can protect you from being stabbed by a sharp object on the ground. Alternatively, puncture resistant insoles also can protect your feet from shards of glass, nails, and other dangerous objects.
Safety footwear is available for so many different types of work- ers. For example, if you work in the logging industry, you are fre- quently using chainsaws. Thankfully, logging boots are available that are cut resistant and repel water.
If you’re someone who works with electricity, then you have a unique set of tremendous risks for potential electrical shock in the workplace. To prevent workplace injury, the solution for electrical workers is non-conductive footwear made of leather, rubber, or other materials that do not conduct electricity. On the other hand, insoles with ESD threads allow for the dissipation of static buildup to electronic equipment and at the same time help to reduce foot pain and fatigue.
Finding the Perfect Fit
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 65 percent of fall- related injuries occur on same-level walking surfaces.
Ensuring employees have proper footwear can tremendously decrease the number of fall incidents. Finding the perfect fit starts with finding the right footwear. It’s critical that your shoes fit prop- erly because well fitted shoes enhance the safety of footwear. To find shoes with a good fit, remember that they should not pinch your feet or toes. Your shoes should be made of high-quality, strong, and
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