Wearing protective safety boots at work helps prevent unnecessary accidents and ensure safe and healthy feet.
Disclaimer: The following information is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation
TAKE TIME TO TAKE CARE WITH THE RIGHT FOOTWEAR
- Your safety boots must be suitable for your work environment and job tasks (some workplaces such as food manufacturers will require you to wear the boots they provide)
Tip: Maintain treads on shoes to help reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls in wet areas
THE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING FOOT PROTECTION
Steel toe work boots help protect your feet against crush injuries from fallen objects (can withstand over 1000kg of compression) as well as:
- Burns from chemical spills
- Punctures to the bottom of your feet such as nails
PROTECTING YOUR FEET AT WORK
Firstly, your safety boots must meet Australian standards and fit you correctly (poorly fitted shoes can lead to common foot problems such as corns and calluses)
Also, choose safety boots that cover the ankle to provide additional support and help prevent rolled ankles (avoid sandshoe type steel caps as they offer no protection to the ankle)
Remember, your boots are looking after an important body part so make sure that you always maintain and look after them properly:
- Always store your safety boots in a safe and dry place
- Keep your laces tied tightly to avoid any trip hazards
- Replace your boots if there is any damage to them
- Replace your boots if they are worn out
Tip: Consider wearing supportive socks with your boots to help keep your feet comfortable
IMPORTANT: Failure to wear safety boots will result in you being sent home
SAFETY GOES 24/7
Labourpower values your health and wellbeing and has an ongoing commitment to safety in the workplace. We are proud to partner with Workactive to bring you safety and wellbeing programs throughout the year.
We look forward to bringing you more safety tips as part of our PPE series.
Look out for our regular Toolbox Tuesday and Wellness Wednesday posts on Facebook, LinkedIn and the Labourpower website.