Page 110 - Occupational Health & Safety, September 2017

FOOT PROTECTION
Safety features have to exist in proper balance with comfort. If safety footwear does not fit properly or is uncomfortable, employees may not wear them consistently or find excuses to avoid wearing them.
down to the integration of several anti-slip features, all of which may affect purchase price. Shortcuts, sloppy manufacturing techniques, or low-quality materials could compromise any of these features as well as create durability issues.
2. Safety vs. comfort. Safety features have to exist in proper balance with comfort. If safety footwear does not fit properly or is uncomfortable, employees may not wear them consistently or find excuses to avoid wearing them.
3. Safety vs. overdesign. It is possible for safety footwear to be too slip resistant for the job. If the shoe or boot sticks to the work surface, employees run the risk of in- juries similar to those experienced by ath- letes who hurt their knees when their cleats stick in the turf.
It is ideal to work with a safety footwear provider who understands these tradeoffs and can help advise your organization on the right product for the work environ- ment. Here are some general guidelines to consider when selecting the right slip resistance features:
Outsole
Soft rubber compounds offer the greatest slip resistance for environments contaminated with oil and grease.
Tread
Look for outsoles that channel oil and grease away so the outsole can reach the work surface more fully, as well as outsoles with split and solid lugs specifically designed to shed debris. Treads should allow a maximum amount of material to grip the floor. Softer soles and more tightly spaced treads are better suited to fluid contaminants in indoor environments. More widely spaced treads are generally better for handling solid contaminants in outdoor areas. It is vital to avoid clogging the tread. A wider or deeper tread pattern may be necessary if footwear needs to be cleaned often. Over time, watch for worn or flattened soles.
Insoles
Insoles do not play a direct role in slip resistance, but they should offer additional cushioning and impact padding for employees who are on their feet for extended periods or work on hard surfaces.
Uppers
Uppers can be made from various leath- ers, suede, mesh, and combinations of these. Like the insole, the upper does not directly determine slip resistance, but plays a key
The takeaway? While it’s possible to measure the coefficient of friction of a shoe, slipping involves other variables to consider when choosing proper safety footwear for the job. For example, one shoe may provide adequate slip resistance on dry concrete but become slippery on wet steel. Another might offer substantial slip resistance initially, but if the sole is not durable and wears down quickly, the slip
resistance may also diminish.
Evaluating Slip Resistance
How can employers make a solid assess- ment of slip resistance? Start by under- standing the tradeoffs.
1. Safety vs. cost. It’s unlikely the least expensive safety footwear will meet the slip resistance requirements of the job. The slip resistance of any footwear comes
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