As an employer, it’s non-negotiable to overlook the provision of foot-based personal protective Equipment (PPE). Demonstrating that you care about your workers’ well-being, it can also reduce absences from team members affected by painful injuries.
Equally, as a worker, knowing how to look after your feet can protect your safety, as well as avoid lost days at work.
The construction industry presents various hazards to workers’ safety, including:
- Spillages
- Sharp tools
- Falling objects
- Rolling objects
- Cuts to the soles
- Electrostatic shocks.
Ignore PPE as an employer or manager and you could face poor public relations and legal action, as well as the distress of knowing workers were injured or killed. Thankfully, our tips and foot protection signs are here to help you meet Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.
Our Foot Protection Tips
Education on Foot-Related Dangers is Crucial
Promoting foot safety in the workplace matters just as much as knowing how to look after your feet at work. After all, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reminds us that ‘employers must ensure that workers have sufficient information, instruction and training on the use of PPE’.
One easy way to provide this instruction and information visually is our foot protection signs that comply with ISO EN 1710 alongside the Safety Signs and Signals Regulations 1996. Easy to interpret, everyone can understand that a hazard is present upon seeing a PPE-related sign in place. They can see that foot-covering PPE is required and dress accordingly.
Examples of our eye-catching (wall and floor) foot protection signs include:
We also offer customers a Welsh-English foot safety sign for Welsh or multilingual construction sites. Follow the law and put your best foot forward with Label Source’s foot protection signs.
Why Are Foot Protection Signs Important?
Statistics for the 2022-2023 year show that the most commonly occurring type of non-fatal injuries at work in Great Britain were “slips, trips and falls on the same level” (32%). Therefore, health and safety training and PPE inductions are also key for continued productivity and meeting project deadlines.
Remember Footwear PPE
The first HSE web page mentioned above highlights that the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992 ‘places a duty on every employer in Great Britain to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work’.
In April 2022, this responsibility was extended to include ‘limb (b) workers’ (contractors) under amendments to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992.
Familiar types of PPE include:
- Gloves
- Face masks
- Eyeglasses
- Weatherproof clothing
- Safety boots and steel-toe boots.
Safety professionals agree that safety boots and steel-capped work boots prove a worthwhile investment for companies, helping to prevent injuries onsite.
How Do Shoes Protect Your Feet?
This comes down to toe-cap boots’ unique, long-lasting construction that features a reinforced toe cap and sole plate underfoot. The second part protects against punctures from tools and materials.
It goes without saying that each pair should be the right size for the wearer, as failure to supply the correct fit could increase general discomfort and dangers when working.
Wear Work Boots With the Right Socks
In many ways, looking after your feet starts with what you (or your team) wear underneath appropriate safety footwear. You wouldn’t wallpaper or paint a wall without first prepping the surface. Wearing the right socks has the potential to protect feet against uneven painful rubbing or blisters.
What Are the Other Benefits of Work Socks?
Many retailers stock work socks specifically designed to withstand the wear from hardwearing steel toe-cap boots on construction workers’ feet. With thicker padded heels and toe areas, wearing these socks can increase the wearer’s comfort on long shifts.
The dense construction of these socks means they’re usually warmer when working outdoors than standard socks too. Natural fibres or blends, such as cotton, aim to wick away moisture so feet stay drier for longer.
Ensure Your Construction Team's Foot Safety
Foot safety in the workplace starts with having the right PPE for the job. But, our foot protection signs are also vital to prevent personal injury and to comply with key safety legislation. Order what you need through our online shop or contact us here in Cardiff. In addition, we offer bespoke solutions that can be delivered across the UK and Europe.
