The first step in managing risk is undertaking a risk assessment to identify the potential sources of accident and injury in the workplace. This will help identify which workers are exposed to specific risks and allow you to put an effective plan in place to protect your employees. In some instances, this plan may include providing safety footwear.
Risk Management
Identify safety footwear requirements to protect your employees from workplace injuries
Risk Assessment
This evaluation is essential for establishing what safety boots and shoes your employees need. Your risk assessment should look at the task, the user, the environment, and should also identify what you need to be compliant with the law.
The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) requires employers to ensure the environment is safe to work in, and the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations extend this to footwear, stipulating employers must comply to EU laws providing workers with the correct certified footwear.
This will give you a clear understanding of the hazards you need to protect against and allow you to select the most appropriate safety footwear for your working environment.
If slips, trips and falls are identified as a risk in your assessment, action points to mitigate the problem may include upgrading the flooring and providing employees with slip-resistant shoes.
What to Look For in Safety Footwear
To mitigate risk in your working environment, your safety boots and shoes must be equipped with purpose-built features. Looking at the individual components of a safety boot, we can see how each element works to protect the foot from different hazards.
Kick Plate
Positioned at the heel of the boot, the kick plate is designed to protect and prolong the life of the footwear, particularly when the wearer is taking off their boots. The kick plate helps to keep the product in good condition.
Lining Material
All boots have lining material which covers up the stitch lines, to prevent rubbing and increase comfort. Ideally, the lining material should be breathable, helping to keep feet dry and maintaining an optimum temperature of 28 to 32 degrees. GORE-TEX® boots and shoes are engineered to keep feet dry and protect them by being durably waterproof, breathable and providing optimised climate comfort.
Penetration Resistant Midsoles
Manufactured from a stainless steel or composite material, penetration-resistant midsoles are designed to help prevent sharp objects penetrating the sole unit. Inserts are secured between the insole and the outsole and cannot be removed by the wearer. Footwear marked S3 or S5 have penetration protection as standard. Other products can be marked with the letter P to indicate a penetration resistant midsole has been included (S1P).
Outsole
Outsoles are often made from polyurethane (PU), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and rubber (nitrile rubber) to offer the best protection for specific environmental factors. Different materials will give greater slip resistance depending on the flooring, and rubber soles offer a greater heat and chemical resistance than PU. Some outsoles have the additional support of a ladder grip.
Footbed
This can provide additional cushioning to reduce fatigue and provide comfort at the heel, or at the front of the foot depending on the footbed used.
Padding
The collar and tongue of the footwear are cushioned to help distribute the pressure from the lacing system around the ankle and ensure wearer comfort. Padding around the ankle also provides additional support.
Lacing
Traditional shoelaces are usually used in safety footwear, but an alternative option is the Boa® Fit System which allows you to dial in the perfect lace tension.
Upper Material
A range of materials are used as upper materials, including leather. The environment and application where the footwear is used will determine the best material for uppers.
Factors to consider when choosing a material include:
- Breathability
- Allergy risk
- Heat conductivity
- Water permeability
- Weight
Metatarsal Protection
Footwear may be specified to provide protection to the metatarsals - the long bones in the mid-section of the foot. Materials used include rigid plates or steel bearings. The innovative Arco Metguard Boot uses Poron XRD.
Toecap
A number of materials can be used in toecaps, including steel and composite. Composite toecaps are metal free and can be used in areas where metal detectors are used. Both steel and composite toecaps meet the safety standard BS EN ISO 20345.
Scuffcaps
The role of the scuffcap is to protect the outer material on the toecap from mechanical stress. It reduces wear and tear of the footwear and extends the service life of the shoe.
Insole
This can provide additional shock absorption at the heel or at the front of the foot depending on the insole used. A removable insole will also provide support for the arch of the foot. However, when used in an antistatic shoe, this will interfere with the functionality, so care must be taken when selecting an insole.
Midsole
The midsole is often made with a cushioning material to aid shock absorption and anti-fatigue and to provide extra comfort to the wearer.
Replace Footwear after an Incident
Some situations mean that your safety footwear should be replaced, even if the damage isn't obvious. Examples include, when the sole of antistatic footwear has become permanently soiled with paint or an incident has happened that may have damaged the protective toe cap inside.
After an incident, there's no guarantee that impact resistant footwear will protect to the same extent again. It's therefore vital that businesses have a robust system of reporting incidents, no matter how trivial they are. Part of that process should be removing the affected footwear from use and issuing a replacement pair.
More from Arco
Safety Standards
We explain the safety footwear standards specified by BS EN ISO 20345 and identify the requirements for safety footwear. This helps to ensure your employees have the best protection and make sure you are compliant.
Resources
View and download sources of guidance and information on safety footwear including videos and how-to-guides when selecting the right safety footwear for the job.
Recommended Products
Browse our innovative range of safety footwear today. Offering a wide selection of trusted brands, innovative materials and in-house designs, you’ll find the best safety boots and shoes for your working environment here at Arco.
