A Step In The Right Direction

A Step In the Right Direction

By: Knights Corporate Workwear

Footwear is possibly one of the most difficult things to purchase as part of a company uniform. One size certainly does not fit all, and what is comfortable to one employee, may be agony to another.

Where do you start?

Before looking at any styles or colours, you need to establish what risks your footwear needs to protect against.

Any company with 5 or more employees should have written risks assessments available to consult. In them you will find any hazards the assessor has uncovered, and the recommended PPE required, including footwear.

Safety footwear is not limited to steel toe caps - there are numerous other safety features to protect your feet in all conditions:

• Slip resistant –where floor surfaces get contaminated by food, oil, sawdust etc, or for smooth surfaces which become slippery with rain.
• Metal free – ideal for airport staff. Also makes boot lighter and has better thermal properties.
• Fully waterproof – for outdoor work, or when spillages are common.
• Metatarsal – extra protection over the top of the foot for working with sharp heavy material such as sheet metal or glass.
• Wide fitting – for a more comfortable fit
• Cold Store – designed to keep feet warm in temperatures down to -5°C
• Freezer – designed to keep feet warm in temperatures down to -75°C
• Heat Resistant – designed to keep feet cool in foundries or other hot environments
• Anti-static – prevents electrostatic build-up
• ESD – helps to control electrostatic discharge in sensitive environments
• Comfort footbed – helps to reduce fatigue

It will not be uncommon that different departments of the business will require different footwear; hazards faced by production staff are different from the hazards in the warehouse.

The footwear you choose needs to reflect the risks your employees face on a day to day basis.

Pleasing everyone

You may find that shoeing your staff is a procurement nightmare; feet can vary from size 2 to size 15 or even bigger; men’s shoes may not suit a women’s foot; wide feet, flat feet and medical conditions such as diabetes or arthritis create extra problems for the wearer and that’s before you take into account individual taste and style!

A most important factor is comfort. You can’t expect productivity from someone who is in pain. Many of your employees will be on their feet all day, easily walking several miles and shoes that are only mildly tight at the beginning of a shift will be torture by the end of the day. The safety footwear you supply shouldn’t create more problems than they protect against!

By law, an employer is obliged to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where identified by a risk assessment, at no cost, to their employees. Employers are also responsible to make sure that the said PPE is worn. Providing cheap, uncomfortable or ill-fitting shoes make policing this much harder as employees will avoid wearing them as much as possible.

So how do you please everyone? One of the best solutions is to work with a footwear distributor and put together a selection which people can choose from (you may need separate ranges if your employees face different hazards). That way, your purchasing process remains straightforward, you get buy in from your employees, and they can choose a shoe which adequately protects them AND suits their feet.

For employees with medical conditions, it is extremely important to provide the right footwear; the wrong shoes can permanently damage feet. In this situation, it is best to be flexible and allow them to help in selecting a shoe, which may have to be from a specialist orthopaedic supplier.

A footwear distributor can offer you a wide range of make, model, sizes and features at competitive prices.

Knights Corporate Workwear supplies footwear, PPE, uniforms and workwear throughout the UK. We also offer bespoke footwear posters, to help you control costs, ensure footwear worn are to the correct specifications, and to improve wearer acceptance. Contact us if you would like a us to create bespoke footwear poster for you, or want help to improve your corporate image.

Have you got all the information you require?

Do you have other PPE requirements and need guidance?

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