Safety Shoes

There is no denying the fact that safety shoes have a big role in providing safety to the worker's feet at the workplace. In fact, all over the world almost 25% of all kinds of disability claims directly relate to the foot injuries. If we see the data for the United States only, there are over one hundred thousand work related foot injuries across the country every year. The claims account for almost one billion dollars annually. This simple statistical data proves how important it is to provide proper safety shoes for the workers at any kind of workplace.

In order to avoid this crippling cost to the nation and trauma to the employees and workers, several countries have implemented some strict mandatory policies regarding foot safety at the workplace. One of the most important aspects of these policies is the mandatory wearing of safety shoes for the employees and workers. This is all the more important for the industries where there are higher chances of foot injuries.

Some of the most common foot injuries, sustained at the workplaces, may include:

1. Construction, longshore, fishing, logging and oil rig operations - broken bones crushed feet or complete amputation of toes or feet.
2. Working with wire, staples, nails and scrap metals - puncture of the sole of feet.
3. Working with rotary mowers, chain saws or some other similar machinery with inadequate protection - lacerations, cuts or severed toes.
4. Mining, chemical productions or heavy metal manufacturing - burning of feet due to the splash of molten metals or due to accident with flammable or explosive materials.
5. Electrical works - electric shocks due to the contact with static electricity or some electrical source.

Besides the above mentioned work injuries, there could also be the occurrence of fractures, sprains or broken bones at the places where there is a cluttered walkway, inadequate lighting or slippery floors. Even shop assistants, office workers, and teachers can't always avoid the foot injuries without the help of proper safety shoes.

Although it is our habit to relate most of the foot injuries to the dangerous work environments, there are some other common causes of foot injuries. For example, flat feet, aches, blisters, dropped arches or pains associated with a long duration of continued standing. Rather than the amputations, crushing, lacerations or puncture of the toes, it is mostly slips and trips that claim most of the foot injury victims across all industrial sectors.

Several nations have already adopted diverse range of safety shoes or safety footwear that promises to provide a higher level of protection to the workers' feet at their workplaces, irrespective of the nature of industry. Some examples of such shoes include:

1. Steel-toed boots for the protection of the top of feet.
2. Safety boots or shoes for impact protection - such shoes consist of dual density soles for impact absorption and polyurethane ankle collars for additional protection and support.
3. Safety trainers with puncture protection - such shoes consist of midsoles with flexible anti-perforation material.
4. Protective footwear with waterproof leather uppers, breathable inner linings and anti-static rubber soles.
that are both functional and comfortable.