Steel-toe boots, aka safety boots. These boots also has ESD protection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)There are regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that govern specifications for on the job safety equipment and apparel. Prior to submitting its findings and recommendations OSHA conducts an assessment of the work environment to assess the dangers that exist, and what reasonable precautions need to be taken to ensure workers’ safety. One of the more common articles of personal protective gear is the boots. Steel toed work boots made to specifications will protect the foot from impact or compression from anywhere between 50 lbs. to 2500 lbs. depending on the rating. The shoes are constructed of durable leather with not only steel to protect the toe area, but also a plate that protects other fragile bones in the foot if heavy objects should fall on, or roll over the foot. The boot is also constructed with an extra durable sole to protect from objects that might otherwise pierce the sole.
Prior to making this important investment in your protective foot wear, you should consider the following:
• Indoor or outdoor
• Insulated or not insulated
• Shoe style or boot, and how high up the calf
• What are the specifications required by OSHA for your workplace
When you have progressed to the point of making the purchase the following steps should be taken:
• Always try the boots on. A good fit will allow you a little foot expansion room for swelling, but should not flop around on your foot. The toes should have a wee bit of room.
• Get a supportive boot. If you spend eight or nine hours a day on your feet, a supportive boot can save you on ankle, knee and lower back pain.
• Get socks to go with your boots and make sure the seams of the socks are not likely to cause you pain.
The investment you make in your protective footwear may seem like a lot of money, but they protect your feet. No one wants you to get your toes severed by a falling steel beam, or crushed because a case of tomato soup fell off a pallet. These are two examples of the everyday kind of accidents your boots will save your feet from.
If you do suffer a foot or ankle injury, call Dr. Blaakman at (877) 941-FEET. His evaluation, diagnosis and expertise can help to expedite your recovery and get you back on the job. If you have a comment or story that relates to steel toed boots in the workplace, we would like you to share it with a comment below.
References:
http://www.constructiongear.com/about-steel-toe-work-boots.html
http://ohsonline.com/articles/2006/10/sometimes-a-shoe-is-just-a-shoe-not-in-the-workplace.aspx
