The Importance of Safety Footwear in the Workplace

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is often taken for granted – especially when it’s selected or provided by your employer. But choosing the right footwear for your jobsite is in your hands. 

In heavy industries like construction, manufacturing, and mining, the importance of PPE, specifically safety footwear, cannot be undermined. Though young workers and newcomers might not pay much heed to it, ensuring they purchase the right footwear is paramount. You mustn't base your final decision simply on price, but rather on the shoe’s comfort and safety features. 

As a provider of occupational health and safety training courses in Ontario, we at Act First Safety know a thing or two about workplace safety and how to choose the most appropriate footwear for your jobsite – and that is what we are here to discuss with you today. After all, when every step counts, it is crucial to make the right choice. 

What will happen if you don’t wear proper safety boots?

The risk of foot injuries is relatively high – especially on industrial sites, construction zones, warehouses, lumber yards, and even in healthcare environments where accidents can occur while lifting objects, or working with heavy machinery. 

In fact, if your job involves working with equipment like lift trucks, swing stages, scissor lifts, and more, you should treat having the right footwear as a top priority. Oversight or ignorance in this matter could lead to permanent disability, loss of income, and expensive medical costs from injuries due to:

• Heavy falling or rolling objects
• Punctures from nails or sharp materials
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Electrical hazards
• Burns from chemicals, molten metal, or hot surfaces
• Extreme weather conditions (cold or heat)

So, without proper work boots, even a minor accident can turn into a disaster.

Which industry needs these work boots?

Most employers are conscientious about ensuring the use of correct PPE by their workers in the workplace. Adherence to proper PPE is not just a matter of compliance; it’s a safety issue. When employees wear the right footwear, they reduce or eliminate instances of reportable injuries, thus contributing to the maintenance of productivity and worker morale on-site.

That said, the final choice of work boots depends on the type of work that is being performed in combination with a couple of other factors, which have been listed below for your convenience:

• Construction and Demolition: Steel-toe, slip, and puncture-resistant boots are perfect here.
• Manufacturing: Choose EH-rated boots with metatarsal guards for optimal protection.
• Warehousing: Alloy toe-boots with good arch support are your best bet.
• Oil and Gas: The boots you select must be chemical-resistant and flame-resistant to ensure safety.
• Forestry and Logging: Boots made of cut and puncture-resistant materials with good ankle support will serve you well. 
• Healthcare and Food Services: Slip-resistant, waterproof, and comfortable shoes are all you need in these sectors.
• Electrical Work: Composite-toe and EH-rated boots are required to prevent any type of work-related accident.
• Mining: High cut boots with steel toes, insulated metatarsal guards, and cut-resistant metatarsal boots will help you work safely in the challenging conditions of a mine.

Though that’s a lot of information that requires a deeper dive into what each term means, your final decision should take into consideration the unique requirements of your workplace, its potential hazards, and the type of work you have to perform there.

Having a JHSC in the workplace can be beneficial in this regard, as they can create detailed footwear selection guidelines so you know you have made the right purchase. Employers have the benefit to enroll their employees in our JHSC training course so they can learn the do’s and don’ts of safety on a jobsite. 

Not all safety footwear is equal

Each workplace has unique requirements, and your choice of safety footwear should sync with yours. Essentially, what we are trying to say is that every work boot is different and each provides different levels of protection. So if you are confused about which one to go for, the following table outlines the main types of work boots based on the level of safety they offer:

Other considerations when selecting safety footwear

Selecting the best work boots for your situation is important for safety and comfort. Workplace hazards should be evaluated, and the chosen footwear should meet any guidelines, standards, and legislation pertaining to that workplace, like the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards. 

Sometimes guidance on footwear selection is provided as a part of certain safety courses, like forklift training, aerial lift training or even lock-out/tag-out training, where electrical hazards are of the utmost concern. 

Another important criteria in footwear selection should be comfort and fit. Test the footwear at the store at the end of the day when your feet are warmer and slightly stretched out to ensure you get the best size for your feet. Walk in the boots around the store to make sure they are comfortable, and take your time before making a decision. 

A lot of time is spent at work, and comfort is important. Distractions arising due to sore feet or irritation can add to the risk of injury on the job. Consider looking for reviews on brands, store selection and variety, and customer experiences regarding durability, quality, price and fit of the item you have in mind. 

As for quality, that is a personal consideration. It will likely also be dependent on the length of your job and its type. For some workers, the selection of high-quality footwear is a long-lasting investment that is important in the prevention of injuries and associated costs, which can make it a money-saving option.

To ensure complete protection, the work boots you choose must adhere to certain safety standards formulated by national authorities. In Canada, this is governed by CSA Z195, and other standards that are in use, including the ASTM F2413 in the United States and EN ISO 20345 in the European Union.

Beyond Style and Safety Labels

While selecting work boots, consider features that go beyond type, appearance, and safety labels. Toe protection (alloy, composite, or steel), slip- and oil-resistant soles, and even how waterproof or moisture-wicking the interior is are important considerations. 

You should also take your environment’s climate into account. Breathable shoes for warm climates are important, and for colder climates, insulation is paramount. Unique features you can consider include shock absorption to reduce fatigue and ankle-supported footwear to handle uneven surfaces and terrain. 

Finally, consider breaking in your new safety shoes in phases to minimize irritation.

Maintain safety footwear for longevity

Even the toughest work boots can't offer total protection if they are poorly maintained. Good care ensures protection and longevity. To maintain your work boots, you must:

• Clean them daily to remove dirt and grime
• Dry them naturally and avoid direct heat
• Inspect them regularly for wear, and replace the shoes if the soles are worn down, the toe caps are exposed, or the structure is compromised
• Store them in a cool, dry area
• In case of exposure to chemicals or biohazards, always use the employer's decontamination process

Conclusion

You must treat footwear as an integral part of your PPE. It’s critical to ensuring your overall safety as it is your first point of contact at work—literally. Safety footwear helps ground your body with the environment you are in, protecting your feet and ankles, and potentially your whole body. They help prevent risky exposures, absorb shocks and vibrations, and keep you protected. 

Choosing the right safety footwear depends on an understanding of your work environment, safety measures in place, and comfort needs. Investing in the right boots for the job is always a wise investment. When it comes to safety, the right work boots aren’t just footwear — they’re lifesavers.

Do you know what else can save your life at the workplace? Knowledge. Act First Safety provides a wide range of comprehensive safety training programs that are led by the best instructors in Ontario. Contact us today to enroll your team and take your first step towards making work safer for everyone.

FAQs

Do safety boots have a shelf life?

Not formally, but it is advised to replace your shoes with a new pair if it is extremely worn or has lost its protective abilities.

Are steel boots allowed during electrical work?

Only if your entire boot is EH-rated. Bear in mind that the use of steel alone does not guarantee protection against shock and other electrical hazards. Your boot must be compliant with CSA Z195 EH standards for it to be considered safe.

Does OHSA require employers to pay for safety footwear?

Although OHSA has made it mandatory for employees to pay for all PPE, shoes may or may not be covered depending on your employer’s policy, collective agreements, or employment contracts.