The right safety footwear is vital when it comes to working on high-hazard sites. Without the correct safety specification through the appropriate components and materials, the dangers of a safety-critical environment - which are already high - can leave workers vulnerable to serious and life-limiting injuries.
In this blog, we examine why non-compliant safety footwear is still an issue for many employers, and why it’s so important they work with employees to get it right.
How Does Compliance Become a Problem in Safety Footwear?
1. LACK OF COMFORT
When workers are given ill-fitting or uncomfortable footwear, it’s easy to think that the impact is simply irritating discomfort that has to be ‘put up with’ for the duration of a shift. But:
Did you know?
The average tradesperson walks 12,000 steps per day (nearly 6 miles), while warehouse pickers can take up to 22,000 steps per shift – that's over 10 miles.
If these individuals’ boots are causing discomfort for this long, it’s not surprising that many discard them and opt for an older, more comfortable pair – even if they’re not safety compliant.
2. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF WORKPLACE HAZARDS
It can be difficult for those in charge of Health and Safety and PPE procurement to provide the exact safety specification for large numbers of workers in multiple teams. To add to this, we know that PPE procurers are often under pressure to find safety footwear solutions that come within a set budget.
Furthermore, changes in the ENO ISO safety standards for footwear have also posed a challenge, as they feature several new classifications and testing information - and it’s up to those in charge of Health and Safety to understand the implications of these changes for their workforce. (Need guidance on the new standards? Download our whitepaper here)
So it’s understandable that those in procurement don’t always have the full picture of the hazards that workers on the ground face from day to day, and what safety footwear specification is required to prevent those hazards becoming injuries.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT SAFETY FOOTWEAR IS COMPLIANT?
Safety
Put simply, if an employee has been given boots with specialist protective features but decides not to wear them, they simply won’t be adequately protected in the event of an accident.
And an accident doesn’t just mean a sore foot. Wearing footwear with the wrong safety specification in an environment that features heavy machinery, slippery terrain or working in an explosive or flammable atmosphere can lead to life-changing or even fatal accidents.
CLAIMS AND LIABILITY
Wearing the safety boots that have been issued by the employer is important for everyone involved in the events following a workplace accident.
If an employee is wearing the right work boots and has stayed compliant, then they know whatever accident may have happened, they’ve done the right thing. So, things like establishing liability and insurance claims - which can become very complicated processes - stay much more straightforward for all parties.
HOW CAN EMPLOYERS ENSURE SAFETY FOOTWEAR COMPLIANCE?
Get the right protection
Many people assume that the more safety features a boot has, the safer it is. On the contrary.
In fact, when it comes to the specification of a work boot, less is sometimes more.
Over-speccing (or over-specification) is when a work boot has unnecessary or surplus features that won't give the wearer any added value or protection. Generally, the more components built into a safety boot, the more expensive it gets, because of the added materials and labour. So, supplying staff with a work boot with specialised safety features the wearer won’t need really doesn't make financial sense.
An over-specced boot can even hinder an employee at work. For example, someone who works outdoors might be issued with a boot with a fully waterproof membrane. But if they only work around infrequent or light rain, they may only require a boot with a leather upper to offer water-resistance. And without the waterproof membrane, their boot could be more breathable and lighter, enhancing their comfort and productivity.
If you’re in charge of PPE procurement or work in Health and Safety and want to avoid over speccing, read this blog and learn the essentials.
Another essential thing that workers’ footwear needs to be?
Comfortable.
All the safety features and protective components in the world won’t do the wearer any good if the boot they’re in causes pain and poor foot health. And the solutions are surprisingly simple.
Get the right size
In a recent assessment, V12 discovered 88% of a workforce were wearing the wrong-sized footwear. Many end up putting up with serious foot pain at work simply because they wear boots for hours at a time which are the wrong size for their feet.
Find out why – and what the solution is in this blog.
Get the right fit
A pair of work boots could be full to the brim with padding and cushioning, but if they’re built on a generic last (the foot form around which a boot is constructed), comfort is far from guaranteed.
A truly comfortable safety boot should be designed on a last that reflects both the wider European foot shape and the narrower Asian foot shape. V12 created its unique last by using 4,000 scans of European foot shapes, so our boots are wide enough to accommodate global foot shapes, ensuring universal comfort.
Safety footwear product trial
Many employers find that conducting a safety footwear product trial can help them achieve greater safety compliance. We’ve written a blog on how to run a successful one – read it here.
HOW CAN EMPLOYEES ENSURE SAFETY FOOTWEAR COMPLIANCE?
Stand up for your comfort
If you find your safety boots uncomfortable, distracting or not fit for purpose, it’s crucial for your safety, foot health, productivity and well-being to tell your employer. Once this is done, they can go through the proper channels to get you a boot you can enjoy rather than endure. Because the right boots with the right fit will always mean comfort. And this means that your safety never gets compromised.
If you’re looking for the right footwear for yourself or your team, the V12 Boot Finder can give you the right protection and comfort based on your safety requirements.
