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SAFETY SHOES ARE MORE THAN A STEEL
TOE
Safety article by Harold Hough Oct/Nov. 2009
Safety shoes have a long history. Before the steel toed shoe, workers
in Europe often wore wooden shoes, called sabots, to work because they
offered some protection against falling objects. In fact, it was a French
worker who gave us the word “sabotage’ when he threw his wooden
shoes into the machinery at a clothing factory because he opposed the
Industrial Revolution.
Ironically, the word, sabotage can still be synonymous with work shoes.
However, it isn’t the workers who are causing the problem by throwing
their shoes in the machinery. Rather, it is the management, who are sabotaging
the operation by ignoring safety shoes and their importance. Too often
management thinks that it is the responsibility of the workers to buy
safety shoes and as long as those shoes meet guidelines, they don’t
worry about it. However, such a shortsighted policy can cost as much money
and hinder operations as if someone actually did throw their shoes into
the machinery.
WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD SAFETY SHOE?
Safety engineers have discovered that there is more to a good safety
shoe than a steel toe. Studies of worker compensation claims have shown
that a large percentage of them are shoe related even though the workers
are wearing safety shoes. Many are steeled toed safety shoes, without
ankle support or protection in the shoes. The result is that workers often
slip into machinery and injure themselves further up the foot. Since some
safety shoes don’t provide good traction, they also cause falls that
injure other parts of the body. The uncomfortable fit of these poor safety
shoes also make miners more tired and prone to accidents.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect safety shoe. Shoe requirements depend
on the specific type of job the worker does (mining, timber, electricity)
and the potential hazards. The place that the workers spend most of their
time is also important. For instance, someone standing for eight hours
a day is more interested in comfort than someone who may crawl around
machinery for most of the shift. Consequently, buying a good shoe may
take conscientious workers hours and trips to several shoe stores before
they find one that meets their needs.
Although some mine managers may think of comfort as a luxury, it has
a major impact on safety. According to safety shoe experts, in less comfortable
shoes, the foot has to constantly make small changes in position in order
to stay balanced. Over a day, that is very tiring to a worker, even though
they don’t realize it. This fatigue can lead to accidents caused
by losing one’s balance or carelessness.
When people think of safety shoes, they think of steel toes. However,
a good safety shoes goes beyond that. Some shoes have metatarsal guards
that provide protection higher up on the foot – something that is
important for mechanics because it protects and spreads the impact from
falling objects. Other protection that workers can get is Kevlar lining
to dissipate blows and protect from punctures. Another important protection
is a flexible steel bottom plate in the shoe that protects workers who
step on sharp objects.
Traction is also important in safety shoes. Since many mine injuries occur
when a person slips, the sole must be able to grip most surfaces and maintain
an effective tread despite considerable wear.
But, the key to a good safety shoe program is management commitment.
Too many mines expect miners to buy shoes on their own time with their
own money. The result is cheap safety shoes bought at the first store
the miner goes to. The cost to the mine will be more injuries, more worker
compensation claims, and lower productivity. Some mines solve this problem
by buying a top-of-the-line safety shoes for all their workers. Although
the initial costs are higher, the mine’s costs are offset by savings
in workers compensation insurance and lost time. Although many mine managers
think they are being thrifty by forcing their workers to buy safety shoes
on their own time, they are in fact sabotaging their own operation by
allowing less than perfect shoes to protect the feet of their most valuable
asset, their workers. By picking up the cost of buying good safety shoes,
managers can make their mine both safer and more productive.
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