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Safety Footwear Standard Has New Name and New Home
BY CHRIS SANFORD

Though the safety footwear standard has a new name, new home and new coverage, employers are still responsible for ensuring that their employees use protective footwear when working in areas
where there is a danger of foot injuries.

Adopted last year, the two new ASTM International standards, F 2412, “Test Methods for Foot Protection,” and F 2413, “Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective Footwear,”
have replaced the former ANSI Z41 standard, known as “Standard for Personal Protection Protective Footwear,” which has now been withdrawn.

Both of the new ASTM standards are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F13 on Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear, which primarily focuses on slip resistance. The new ASTM standards contain minimal changes from the withdrawn ANSI Z41 1999 standard, and will permit the
continued use of safety and performance standards previously provided in the ANSI document.

The new standards continue the long-standing effort to help protect against toe, metatarsal
and foot bottom injuries. The new ASTM protective footwear standards are enhanced with expanded
information on upper Class 50 and Class 75 toe protection performance requirements.

These test methods measure the resistance of footwear to a variety of hazards that can potentially result in injury. These test methods may be used to test for compliance to minimum performance
requirements in established safety standards.

The major performance characteristics that have changed from the old ANSI standard to the new ASTM standard are the removal of those for Type II Static Dissipative and Class 30 for impact and compression requirements.

Therefore, the majority of existing industry inventory of product and product-information that is labeled or advertised as in compliance with the ANSI Z41 1999 standard should be compliant with the new
ASTM standards. However, manufacturers are cautioned to review the new documents and the changes to ensure such compliance.

“The introduction of these new protective footwear standards will permit the continued use of safety and performance standards previously provided in the ANSI document, which has been an important
part of worker safety since 1967,” said Kevin M. Burke, American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) president & CEO. “These new standards will soon become the gold standard for protective
footwear in the United States.”

ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world and a preeminent source for technical documentation for industries worldwide. The new standards
“continue the long-standing effort to help protect against toe, metatarsal and foot bottom injuries,” said Burke.

These standards also include test methods and performance requirements for footwear worn by workers who perform duties in areas where electric shock resistance, conductive, static dissipative
and dielectric footwear, as well as footwear for use with chain saws, are required.

The new ASTM protective footwear standards are enhanced with expanded information on upper Class 50 and Class 75 toe protection performance requirements.

Hazard Assessment
The new standards do not eliminate the need for assessing the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) via a hazard assessment.

The assessment is an important element of a PPE program because it produces the information needed to select the appropriate PPE for any hazards present or likely to be present at particular workplaces.

For example, protective footwear must be worn when there is the hazard of:
• Falling or rolling objects;
• Punctures;
• Stubbing or banging;
• Chemical or corrosive contact;
• Electrical shock;
• Burns; and
• Slips and falls.

What’s Involved in Performing a Hazard Assessment?
Since this is a performance-oriented standard, employers must act in a reasonably prudent manner in determining when and how employees, who are exposed to foot injury hazards, are to be protected.

In one recent decision, a Federal Appellate Court held that one employer who required its employees to wear sturdy work shoes and made steel-toed footwear available to these employees at a discount, was acting reasonably. A policy requiring steel toed shoes was found not necessary despite the presence of some foot hazards.

OSHA believes that what is reasonably prudent with regard to foot protection may depend on:
• Frequency of the employees’ exposure to foot injury;
• Employer’s accident experience;
• Severity of any potential injury that could occur; and
• Customary practice in the industry.

Determining Type of Footwear
Select protective footwear based on the hazard assessment. For example:
• Steel-toed shoes to resist impact;
• Metatarsal guards to resist impact above the toes;
• Reinforced flexible metal soles or inner shoes to protect against punctures (assuming there’s no risk of electrical contact);
• Sandals and open-toed shoes are prohibited in laboratories (including art studios), and food service areas (for safety and hygienic reasons);
• For falling objects, use footwear with steel toes;
• Use metatarsal guards if there is the hazard to the metatarsal region above the toes;
• Wear chemical resistant footwear (e.g., rubber, neoprene) in areas with potential chemical or corrosive splashes. Check the MSDS to match footwear with individual chemicals; and
• Replace worn footwear.
Even if protective footwear is not deemed necessary, employees should still wear sturdy shoes with nonskid soles. Sandals, sneakers or dress shoes may not be appropriate for many physical activities. FSM