FEATURE WORKPLACE SAFETY THESE BOOTS ARE
MADE FOR WORKING HOW SMARTER WORK BOOT CHOICES SUPPORT WEARER HEALTH AS WELL AS SAFETY
In this article, Simon Ash, UK sales manager at HAIX, shares how selecting the right safety footwear can reduce the risks of musculoskeletal disorders
I
magine a pain that worsens with every step – an unforgiving aching or stiffness
and the feeling that your muscles are always overworked. Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading contributor to disability worldwide. In the UK, the disorder affects one in four of the adult population. If your workforce lifts, carries, bends, crouches or sits for long periods in one position, they too may be at risk. The burden musculoskeletal conditions
put on worker health, organisational finances and the UK’s economy is devastating, yet it is preventable in many instances. Employers can take a proactive approach to prevent this kind of injury by ensuring their workforce wear supportive, high quality, comfortable footwear. Having access to the right footwear for
the job is the most critical factor in foot protection. Research has shown that at least 50 per cent of workers are exposed to the risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to spending prolonged hours standing at work. The correct footwear supports the entire body and reduces the risk of injury. Safety footwear should support the foot,
ankle and lower limbs. This is achievable by choosing footwear designed with superior cushioning technology and constructed from smarter materials. Modern materials used in the interior lining of boots can help prevent blisters and soft-tissue injury by reducing friction and pressure.Discomfort, whether from ill-fitting footwear or from friction injuries such as blisters, can lead to changes in natural body posture while standing or walking. When suffering such injuries, we may tend to ‘favour’ weight bearing on a non-injured foot (limping, for example), or standing in an unnatural position to avoid pain or discomfort. This can lead to strain or
28 SUMMER 2021 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE / INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE
injury in turn, or if left uncorrected longer term can potentially lead to more serious musculoskeletal disorders. It is important to invest in boots with a climatic control system that regulates temperatures within the boot because damp feet are more likely to experience friction injuries. If your footwear does not do the above, give it the boot. You can also check to see if your
boots meet international safety standards. The EN ISO 20345 standard, for example, includes features to protect against thermal and mechanical hazards. As well as meeting all the required product standards, key boot features should always include: slip resistance, a lightweight toecap, heel
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