Foot Safety Topics

Protecting your feet from accidents and injury is something people often overlook each day. If you wear proper footwear and use simple safety precautions, your feet will be healthy throughout your life.

Foot Protection at Work

• The right shoes are important for the job and can protect you from injury.

  When working in a place where there is the potential for injury, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that employers will direct and make sure that their employees wear the proper kind of shoes for adequate protection. Protective footwear can prevent an individual from getting something driven through a sole and from getting injured from something rolling or falling onto a foot. Other dangers can include slipping, electrical hazards or exposure to hot materials that could splash on feet.

Proper Footwear Protection

• Wearing the right footwear for the right situation can prevent accidents and injury. Electrical hazards on the job can be stopped with shoes that don't conduct electricity, and those working in construction wear steel-toed boots for the type of work they do. If you are in an environment that is very humid, shoes that breathe well and stay dry are essential to prevent fungus and other related issues. OSHA standards suggest that this footwear must be maintained, and if it is worn out, it must be replaced.

Foot Safety and Sports

• Athletes can develop problems with their feet from too much moisture, not enough support in their shoes, and wearing the proper clothing and shoes to protect their feet. Socks are one aspect that should be paid attention to, especially during competition. Cotton socks, for example hold sweat and can lose their shape during running and wrinkle, causing skin irritation. Those that allow moisture to move and the foot to breathe, like synthetic fiber socks, reduce this kind of problem.

Feet and Exercise

• Wearing the right shoe for the type of exercise that you are doing is crucial.

  Wearing shoes that don't have enough support or are not made for the kind of exercise you are doing can cause problems down the road for your feet. Running shoes that don't have good protection for your ankles and little support for your foot can lead to sprains, shin splints and related issues. Skateboarding shoes are made to cushion the foot from impacts during tricks, but their design is not intended for use when running. Improper fit in a shoe can cause blisters and other foot issues.

Prevention/Solution

• Issues with foot safety in the workplace, everyday life and the gym should be considered important for your personal health. You can prevent injuries and accidents by wearing the right shoe for the job, choosing a good athletic shoe that has good support and fits properly, and replacing shoes that are worn out.