Page 25 - OHS, April 2021

Employees must be motivated to want to find the right shoe for them.
Not Enough
Reimbursement or Stipend Money
The perfect shoe for each of your employees is out there, but they do need to purchase it first. Organizations and companies all have different methods of purchasing safety footwear. Sometimes it is reimbursement for safety shoes already bought, other times employees are given a stipend to purchase the shoes with.
Employers and safety directors need to be thoughtful when it comes to financing the right shoe. If the hazards to workers’ feet are abundant, then you need to be sure employees are given enough money to cover the added expenses of premium features that will help to reduce the risk of injury.
The benefit of allowing employees to spend more when it comes to safety footwear is the likelihood that the shoe will last much longer and will offer the worker greater comfort and protection.
Stay aware of the state of your workers’ shoes. Perhaps they do need to purchase safety shoes more frequently than previously thought. Depending on the type of work, shoes may degrade over time. Even if the worker is taking care of their work shoes or boots, there are still chemicals or materials that can wear down the shoe over time.
It All Boils Down to Safety Culture
Employees must be motivated to want to find the right shoe for them. They must feel like they understand the hazards present in their workplace, what features will help to protect their feet and how to find the correct size that offers comfort and durability.
Make sure that employees feel like they are part of the process. If the feedback, suggestions and opions of the workers who will be wearing the safety shoes is taken into consideration, the likelihood of buy-in will be much higher. Even after the safety shoe program has been put into place, allow employees to provide information to their directors about the state of their work shoe over time. This will help to understand how often shoes should be bought and when to begin looking at potential changes in your safety footwear program.
In the end, it boils down to ensuring workers put their safety first on the worksite. When employees feel heard and understood when it comes to their comfort and needs, compliance issues will be a thing of the past.
Sydny Shepard is the editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.bls.gov/iif/soii-data.htm#dafw
2. https://www.workngear.com/boots-buying-guides
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