Is This the Kind of Foot Protection You Want YOUR Workers to Use?

What’s wrong with this picture?


Flip flops and picks aren’t a great combination. One wrong swing of his tool and this worker is looking at serious medical damage to his feet.

The Moral: The OSHA Foot Protection standard (Sec. 1910.136(a)), you must ensure workers to use appropriate protective footwear that complies with:

  • ASTM F-2412-2005, “Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection,” and ASTM F-2413-2005, “Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective Footwear”
  • ANSI Z41-1999, “American National Standard for Personal Protection — Protective Footwear”
  • ANSI Z41-1991, “American National Standard for Personal Protection — Protective Footwear

Notice that flip flops didn’t make the list.

What’s at Stake: 3 Reasons to Pay Attention

1. There are a lot of things in the workplace that can hurt your feet:

  • Falling & flying objects
  • Sharp edge
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Extreme heat & cold
  • Electricity

2. Using protective footwear will prevent most foot injuries
3. Protective footwear doesn’t work unless you wear it—too bad the worker in the photo didn’t get the memo!

9 Kinds of Protective Footwear

Flip flops aren’t appropriate foot protection. But the following footwear may be—depending on the hazards to which you’re feet are exposed:

1. Metatarsal (Mt rated) Footwear

  • Designed to protect the toes

 

2. Conductive (Cd rated) Footwear

  • Designed to protect against static electricity
  • Dissipate static electricity from the ground

 

3. Electrical Hazard (EH rated) Footwear

  • Made of materials that don’t conduct electricity and that resist shock
  • Designed to protect against electrical contact

 

4. Static Dissipative (SD) Footwear

  • Reduce accumulation of static electricity
  • Conduct body charge to ground while maintaining a high level of resistance

 

5. Puncture Resistant (PR) Footwear

  • Prevent sharp objects from piercing the sole of the foot
  • Conduct body charge to ground while maintaining a high level of resistance

 

6. Heat Resistant (HR) Footwear

  • Protect feet against burns and high temperatures

 

7. Cold Resistant Footwear

  • Protect feet against freezing and cold temperatures

 

8. Chemical Resistant Footwear

  • Protect feet from hazardous chemicals

 

9. Slip Resistant Footwear

  • Prevent falls by providing grip on slick and slippery surfaces

 

8 Foot Protection Tips

Protective footwear doesn’t work unless you select the right kind and use it properly:

  1. Choose safety footwear designed to protect you from the hazards you face on the job
  2. Make sure footwear you choose has markings indicating it’s been approved
  3. Walk around in safety footwear and make sure it’s comfortable before buying/selecting it
  4. Make sure boots have enough toe room—toes should be about ½ inch (12.5 mm) from the front
  5. When fit testing, make allowances for socks and inner linings
  6. Inspect your protective footwear for damage each time you use it
  7. Replace the footwear if it’s damaged
  8. Use leggings, toe guards or other additional devices necessary to protect your feet and toes

Use this Photo to Train Your Workers about Foot Protection