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PPE: FOOT PROTECTION Power to the People Taking safety footwear beyond compliance BY JANELLE KINNAIRD The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires you to provide employees with personal protective equipment (PPE) when used to comply with OSHA standards. Compliance is critical to avoid warn- ings, fines and sanctions. But compliance only goes so far. PPE is, like the name says, personal. If the product does not fit each individual, its protection is compromised. Here are some steps to ensure employees are outfitted with foot protection they like, feel comfortable in, and, above all, wear. Let Them Own It Start by empowering employees to feel like they have a say in their own well-being. When you hire quality workers, they not only meet or exceed the skill level needed for the job but also know how to think and manage their environment independently. They have greater awareness to their surroundings and should be responsible for preventing any hazards that could occur and should be trained and encouraged to use that power. Employees want this power. With the training and knowledge of their job and environment, the freedom to decide, act and react on what is best for their own safety and their co-workers’ safety, regardless of cost consequences, results in a safer work environ- ment they want to return to every day. When the Shoe Fits Accurate fit ensures safety and prevents other unnecessary issues. Science and research have proven that workers wearing ill-fitting work shoes for five or more hours suffer significant harm to their entire bodies. Over the years, the industrial workforce has seen a rise in diagnosed foot issues such as plantar fasciitis and tendini- tis, as well as knee and back pain — all of which various studies say could be attributed to improperly fitting footwear that mis- aligns the body, making it more susceptible to wear and tear inju- ries. The wrong fit could also constrict blood flow, causing fatigue that leads to distraction errors and injuries. Helping employees choose the most accurate-fitting pair of work boots helps prevent these injuries and gives workers greater control over their physical health. This lets them perform better at work, gives them greater energy for after-work activities, and ensures they return the next day focused and ready to go. Tech Is Better Than Trying It On The most advanced way to fit work footwear, a 3D foot scan, can tell workers a lot about their feet and body: degree of pronation, misalignment, weight distribution, pressure points, exact length, width, instep and arch height, girth of midfoot, and more. The best scanners provide 12 to 16 points of data. Utilizing this personal foot data, technology can recommend a brand and style for each individual employee that’s practically guaranteed to fit better than an in-store try-on. Let’s face it: just because it feels good after a five-minute wear test in a store or on the back of a shoe truck does not mean it fits right. Empower the PPE Complementing safety footwear with other items that enhance fit and performance is another advanced step towards greater con- trol of physical health for employees. All feet are built differently and when we add in physical wear, tear and breakdown from excessive standing, we see a need for personal adjustment to re- establish natural body position and alignment. When the body is out of alignment, it works unnecessarily harder, fatigues faster and is prone to injury and ailments. Custom orthotics built to relieve pressure, reposition foot tis- sue, tendons, and muscles, and properly position the arch to align feet, knees, hips and back will prevent issues, correct current ail- ments, and relieve debilitating pain. When all is aligned, not ex- cessively stretched, and free of pain, the body expels less energy and is, therefore, less tired. Similarly, premium insoles can help reduce muscle fatigue with custom cushions, body-weight pres- sure and shock absorption, and heel support for stability. Incorporating compression garments such as socks can en- hance performance, relieve pain, prevent injury and aid in recov- ery. Compression is shown to increase blood circulation, which can prevent blood clots, minimize swelling and reduce pain and fatigue. It also brings oxygen to muscles, which increases energy levels and aids in recovery from exertion by preventing soreness. Compression also keeps muscles warm, which boosts flexibility and range of motion, decreasing the risk of injury. Controlled Freedom Have a process in place that manages the visibility of what work- ers wear to control compliance, reduce risk and ease the burden of ensuring correct protection. A managed PPE program that helps you to create a specific catalog of products based on the safety features required will ensure that employees are wearing the proper equipment for their jobs to protect them from acci- dental injury. It also optimizes participation and compliance and extends protection to prevent long-term pain and ailments. Subsidizing specialized foot wellness products, in addition to their safety footwear, as part of either a safety program or an employee wellness program helps employees optimize their PPE while also providing a company a benefit incentive that encour- ages healthy, more productive employees. It’s a win-win. Janelle Kinnaird is the Director of Marketing for Lehigh CustomFit Managed Safety Footwear and Wellness Programs, which has pro- vided solutions to protect companies and their workers for more than 100 years. 14 Occupational Health & Safety | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 www.ohsonline.com