Foot Tips

If you are at risk for foot injury at your workplace, you should wear the appropriate protective footwear.

For years workers have complained about foot, knee and back pain. Many of these complaints have arisen due to the increasing excertion we apply to our feet.

Occupations that necessitate the need to stand for long hours, walk a lot or involve lifting and carrying etc, all entail such exertion which can be detrimental to our overall health.

Feet are often subjected to a lot of stress and strain. Standing for too long, wearing shoes which do not fit properly, and walking on hard roads, all take their toll. As you grow older, you may find your feet starting to protest at ill treatment earlier in life. The wrong shoes can cause or aggravate foot ailments. The right shoes can often prevent, but cannot correct, problems.

Your feet are supposed to last you a lifetime – think of your feet when buying new footwear.

Fitting:

• Walk about in your new footwear to ensure it is comfortable.
• Boots should have ample toe room (toes should be about 12.5mm from the front.)
• Make allowances for extra socks when buying footwear.
• Footwear should fit snugly around the heel and ankle when laced.
• Lace up footwear fully to provide the correct support.

Care:

• In use, your footwear should be regularly cleaned using a damp cloth to remove dirt or contaminants on the upper and sole.
• When dry, use a protective coating to treat the leather and make your footwear water resistant, paying particular attention to the stitching areas.
• Should your footwear be subjected to wet conditions they should always be allowed to dry naturally in an open, cool, dry and well ventilated area.
• Never force dry your footwear by direct or radiant heat.
• Footwear made using premium grade leather with a high oil content can sometimes develop a natural white surface haze known as “blooming”, this blooming, which is more noticeable on darker leathers, can easily be wiped off with a damp cloth and is no way a detriment to the product.

Storage and use of safety footwear:

Safety footwear should be kept in good condition, checked regularly and discarded if worn or deteriorated. Laces should be checked and replaced if necessary. Materials lodged into the tread of the sole should be removed. The stitching should be checked for loose, worn or cut seams

Remember.....

• Wear footwear which is the right size, comfortable and suitable for the job
• Keep the soles clean and free from oil, grease or other contaminants which can reduce the grip and cause the wearer's foot to slip.
• keep the eyes and laces in good order
• Wear footwear that is waterproof when working in wet places