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Common Causes of Foot Problems When purchasing safety footwear, make sure it meets ANSI minimum compression and impact performance standards established in ANSI Z41-1991 (American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear). All ANSI-approved footwear has a protective toe and offers impact and compression protection. The type and amount of protection varies. Different footwear protects in different ways. Foot and leg protection choices include leggings, metatarsal guards, toe guards, combination foot and shine guards, and safety shoes. Special purpose shoes include electrically conductive shoes, electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes and foundry shoes. As with all PPE, safety footwear should be inspected prior to each use. Shoes and leggings should be checked for wear and tear at reasonable intervals. This includes looking for cracks or holes, separation of materials, broken buckles or laces. The soles of shoes should be checked for pieces of metal or other embedded items that could present electrical or tripping hazards. Follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning and maintenance of protective footwear. What are Some Causes of Foot Problems? Some foot problems are so common that they can occur in virtually any workplace and under any working conditions. They include severely aching feet, blisters, calluses, corns, hard flooring, rheumatism, arthritis, malformations of toes, fallen arches (flat feet), bunions and sprains They can be caused by the following: Long periods of standing, hard flooring, and poorly fitted footwear, including: -high heels ; -pointed shoes; -lack of arch support; -too loose or too tight footwear. Sweaty feet, fungal infections (athlete’s foot) hot and humid environment, strenuous work, footwear with synthetic (non-porous) uppers can cause problems. There are no comprehensive statistics on these kinds of problems with feet. Surveys suggest that two out of every three workers suffer from some form of a foot problem. How Does Position Contribute to the Foot Problem? Common foot problems occur both on and off the job. Still, there is no doubt that some work-related factors can lead to foot problems, especially jobs that require long periods of standing. Since the human foot is designed for mobility, maintaining an upright stance is extremely tiring. Standing for hours, day after day, not only tires the worker’s feet but can also cause permanent damage. Continuous standing can cause the joints of bones of the feet to become misaligned (e.g., cause flat feet) and can cause inflammation that can lead later to rheumatism and arthritis. How Does Flooring Contribute to Foot Problems? The type of flooring used in the work place has an important influence on com-fort, especially on tender feet. Hard, fort, especially on tender feet. Hard, unyielding floors like concrete are the least comfortable surfaces to work on. Working on a hard floor has the impact of a hammer, pounding the heel at every step. Slippery floors are hazardous for slips and falls that can result in sprained ankles or broken foot bones.
Footwear that fits poorly or is in of repair also contributes heavily to
foot discomfort. Pointed toes and high heels are particularly
inappropriate for working footwear. Prolonged standing, hard flooring and
inappropriate footwear are common working conditions. Are there jobs
that are safe for feet? Statistics show there are not, really. Among teachers and workers in clerical occupations that belong to "safe" jobs, foot injuries account for from 15 percent to more than 20 percent of all disabling injuries. Not knowing about the need for foot protection in workplaces like schools or offices can play a role in the onset of foot problems. What are some Specific Examples of Workplace Foot Injuries? Crushed or broken feet, amputations of toes or feet: Feet trapped between objects or caught in a crack, falls of heavy objects, moving vehicles (lift trucks, bulldozers, etc.), conveyor belts (feet drawn between belt and roller). Punctures of the sole of the foot: Loose nails, sharp metal or glass objects. Cuts or severed feet or toes, lacerations: Chain saws, rotary mowers, unguarded machinery. Burns: Molten metal splashes, chemical splashes, contact with fire, flammable or explosive atmospheres Electric shocks: Static electricity, contact with sources of electricity. Sprained or twisted ankles, fractured or broken bones because of slips, trips or falls: Slippery floors, littered walkways, incorrect footwear, poor lighting. Additional hazards for foot injury exist in outdoor jobs such as logging, hydro linework or fishing which involve freezing temperatures, or wetness in low temperature: frostbite and trench foot. How Can Foot Injuries Be Prevented? There is no workplace where a worker is immune to foot injury. However, the hazards differ according to the workplace and the types of tasks the worker does. The first step in developing a strategy to reduce foot problems is to identify the relevant hazards at the workplace. Such hazards should be assessed in each workplace, no matter how safe or how dangerous it may seem. FSM Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health.
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