Page 66 - OHS, October 2021

PPE: FOOT PROTECTION
variety of materials. The most current technologies include the following:
Composite toe shoes. Composite toe shoes are made from strong non-metal materials like Kevlar, carbon fiber, plastic or fiberglass. The benefits of these shoes are:
■ Lighter weight makes the boots more comfortable to wear for longer periods
■ Metal free
■ Prevents sparking
■ Offers thermal insulation
The only real con to this shoe type is
that they tend to run a little bulkier.
Steel toe shoes. Steel toe shoes include an internal toe box made of heavy-duty
steel. The benefits of these are:
■ The strongest toe protection
available
■ Toe is thinner than composite,
creating a less bulky shoe
■ Less expensive to manufacture Cons of steel toe shoes include:
■ Heavy (while it is just a few grams
more, steel is heavier than either composite or alloy)
■ Can dent
■ Colder in winter
■ Conducts electricity (so not ideal
for workers in the electrical field) ■ Sets off metal detectors
Alloy toe shoes. Alloy toe shoes are made from aluminum or titanium. Benefits of these alloy toe shoes are:
■ More toe-room
Cons include:
■ More expensive than steel toe
■ Not as strong as a steel toe
■ Conducts electricity (so not ideal
for workers in the electrical field) ■ Sets off metal detectors
Things to Consider
When Buying Safety Shoes
Try on both shoes. Sixty percent of the population have different sized feet, according to Brannock Device, so it is important to buy the size that fits the bigger foot.
Also, when trying on shoes, don’t expect the material to stretch. Buy the size that fits today and is most comfortable the first time you try it on. Consider insoles that offer shock absorption qualities to keep your feet feeling good on long days.
A Word About
Metatarsal Guards
Metatarsal guards are an extra feature that offer additional protection to the top of the foot. Because they cover from the end of the steel toe box to the ankle, they are a great option when there is risk of falling objects from above. Some metatarsal guards are external to the safety shoe, and some are integrated internally.
Putting Safety
Shoes to the Test
Last year Travis Spagnolo, a Safex Health and Safety Consultant in Ohio, conducted
an experiment with a steel manufacturing client. He wanted to demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of different safety shoes. The steel workers fabricated some extra scrap steel into a guillotine- type contraption to make a controlled drop of heavy steel. They stuffed pairs of regular, steel toe and metatarsal protected boots, with hot dogs inside them and went to town with the experiment. Here is what they learned when they dropped the metal on the boots:
■ Hot dogs severed completely with the shoes with no protection. Ouch!
■ Steel toe also severed all hot dogs. The force of the 80 pounds of falling steel concentrated directly onto the steel toe damaged the protective toe, compressed it down and severed the hot dogs.
■ The boots with the metatarsal guard were the most effective. It took a few tries and the right angle to finally cut through all the hot dogs completely. Although a metatarsal guard may not prevent all foot injuries, the right type of foot protection can lessen the severity of injury when heavy or rolling material crashes down onto the top of the foot.
This real-life demonstration proved to that audience, and hopefully you, that safety shoes are an essential piece of PPE for the workforce. Something as simple as footwear can ensure a healthy future of mobility and prosperity.
Emily Milford, CSP, is a Safety and Industrial Hygiene Consultant at Safex.
62
Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2021
www.ohsonline.com
■ ■
Thinner than steel toe
30 to 50 percent lighter than steel toe
Mark Williams Pics/Shutterstock.com