30 Mar Foot Protection

Foot Protection

Foot injuries can occur quickly and may result in significant pain, lost work time, or permanent injury. Construction workers may be exposed to falling or rolling objects, sharp materials, nails, crushing hazards, slippery surfaces, chemicals, concrete, and electrical hazards.

Proper footwear should be selected based on the hazards of the work being performed.

Guide for Discussion

Common Foot Hazards

Employees should recognize hazards that could injure their feet, including:

• Nails, screws, tie wire, and other sharp objects.
• Falling or rolling tools, equipment, and materials.
• Heavy objects that could crush or compress the foot.
• Uneven, muddy, wet, icy, or slippery walking surfaces.
• Hot materials or surfaces.
• Chemicals and other hazardous substances.
• Wet concrete and cement products.
• Electrical hazards.
• Improperly fitted or worn footwear that contributes to fatigue, blisters, or unstable footing.

Selecting Proper Work Boots

Where foot hazards are present, employees must wear footwear appropriate for the exposure. Depending on the work, appropriate footwear may include:

• Protective-toe footwear where falling or rolling objects or crushing hazards are present.
• Puncture-resistant soles or plates where nails, screws, scrap metal, or similar sharp objects may be encountered.
• Slip-resistant soles that provide good traction for the walking surface.
• Boots that provide appropriate ankle support.
• Chemical-resistant boots where corrosive or hazardous chemicals could contact the feet.
• Waterproof boots for work involving water, mud, or other wet conditions.
• Electrical-hazard-rated footwear when required by the electrical hazard assessment.

Protective footwear required because of workplace hazards must meet applicable OSHA requirements and appropriate consensus standards, such as ASTM F2412 and ASTM F2413.

Inspect Your Footwear

Inspect work boots regularly and before use when conditions warrant. Check for:

• Worn or damaged soles.
• Cuts, cracks, or holes.
• Exposed protective components.
• Damaged stitching or seams.
• Poor traction.
• Chemical or concrete contamination.
• Damage that could reduce protective performance.

Replace footwear when it is damaged or worn to the point that it no longer provides the required protection.

Wet and Muddy Conditions

Rubber or waterproof boots may be appropriate when working in:

• Mud.
• Standing water.
• Wet excavations.
• Concrete placement operations.
• Other conditions where ordinary work boots cannot adequately protect the feet.

Select footwear that provides both protection from the exposure and adequate traction.

Working With Wet Concrete

Wet concrete, mortar, grout, and similar cement products can cause serious chemical burns when they remain in contact with the skin.

When working with wet concrete:

• Wear waterproof boots high enough to prevent concrete from entering the footwear.
• Keep pants and protective clothing positioned to prevent concrete from entering boots.
• Do not allow wet concrete to remain against the skin.
• Immediately wash contaminated skin with clean water.
• Remove contaminated clothing and footwear promptly.
• Report burns or persistent skin irritation and obtain appropriate medical attention.

Do not assume that concrete is harmless simply because discomfort is not immediately apparent. Cement burns can develop after prolonged exposure.

Good Footwear Practices

• Wear footwear appropriate for the specific job and work environment.
• Keep boots properly laced or secured.
• Maintain soles free of excessive mud, oil, grease, and other materials that reduce traction.
• Never intentionally modify protective footwear in a way that reduces its protection.
• Do not continue using footwear that no longer fits properly or provides stable footing.
• Use additional protective footwear, such as rubber overboots, when conditions require it.

Additional Discussion Notes

Discuss with the crew:

• What foot hazards are present on today’s job?
• Is protective-toe or puncture-resistant footwear required?
• Are wet, muddy, or slippery conditions present?
• Will anyone be working with wet concrete or chemicals?
• Is everyone’s footwear appropriate for the work being performed?

Remember

Your feet provide the foundation for nearly everything you do on the job. Wear footwear appropriate for the hazards, inspect it regularly, maintain good traction, and replace damaged or worn-out boots before they contribute to an injury.