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Put Your Best Footwear Forward Stepping up safety for specific environmental, application and exposure risks. BY NICK LARKINS PPE: FOOT PROTECTION F or centuries, workers have sought out the right tool for the job, car- rying a tool bag full of different wrenches, screwdrivers, and ply- ers, yet some still wear the same pair of work boots for every type of environment, application, and exposure. It’s time to em- power America’s workforce to get the job done safely by stepping up to offer the right boots for the job to be done every time. Through my company’s partnership with the Elite Trades Championship Series, we have engaged with the best auto-tech, electrical, HVAC and plumbing tradespeo- ple in the country. We have seen firsthand the varied conditions that America’s trades- people face throughout their day. A quick survey of tradespeople with varied working conditions revealed that they carry an average of three pairs of work boots for the various tasks they per- Roman/stock.adobe.com form regularly. Just like each bolt has its corresponding wrench, and each job has its corresponding tools, using fit-for-pur- pose protective footwear ensures proper foot protection for the job at hand. Do your workers have access to the full as- sortment of protective footwear options needed for the work they perform? Matching Footwear to the Task at Hand When the type of work performed or the job site conditions vary, typical leather work boots alone may not be enough to handle the task at hand. Having the right tool for the job is key to maximizing ef- ficiency and effectiveness on the job: For the HVAC workers pouring concrete slabs for compressors; for the plumbing pro- fessionals working on emergency leaks; or for electrical workers installing a new electrical panel in less-than-ideal weather conditions that leather work boots are not equipped to handle. Not to worry, PPE manufacturers have fit-for-purpose solu- tions to keep you safe, comfortable and dry until the job is done. What is foot protection? Foot protec- tion can generally be defined as any piece of personal protective equipment protect- ing one’s foot from injury while at work or during movement. Protective footwear is designed to mitigate risks from rolling objects, falling objects, kicking, crushing hazards, objects piercing the sole, as well as exposures to electrical, chemical or flash fire hazards. Proper protective footwear is the most important factor in reducing the poten- tial for foot-related accidents and injury that may result from environmental, ap- plication, or exposure risks and acts as the critical control point for these hazards when they cannot be effectively reduced or eliminated with equipment or processes. Remember, in many organizations, 100 per- cent of the workforce will be on their feet at some point during their working day, mak- ing foot protection a high exposure risk for most, if not all, of your workers. Exposure to Hazards The need for protective footwear is often mis- judged in terms of exposure levels and risks to workers. Similarly, the impact that proper footwear can have in mitigating those risks is often underestimated. Common exposures that are often overlooked include water or wet flooring, cleaning agents and floor waxes with or without other debris present. In wet environments, 100 percent waterproof pro- tective footwear is the best mitigation. The identification of exposure haz- ards and the application of protective footwear that has the necessary features to mitigate against those hazards should be included in your safety plan and PPE requirements for affected workers. Train- ing, maintenance, and storage should all be considered key elements of making protective footwear part of the team’s daily work. Information and instruction should www.ohsonline.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | Occupational Health & Safety 25