Is your employees’ safety footwear still safe?

Employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees. This includes making sure that they are armed with the appropriate personal protective equipment. But it’s about more than just making sure they have the equipment. It must be in good working order to be effective. The same is true for safety footwear. When footwear shows signs of wear, it is no longer safe.

With that in mind, there are certain steps employers can take to ensure their employees’ footwear remains safe and effective.

Inspect safety footwear regularly. Employees should check their shoes or boots on a regular basis for damage, including cracks in soles, breaks in leather or exposed toe caps, steel shanks or metatarsal guards. If any of this wear and tear is visible, it’s time to replace footwear. In addition, if treads on slip-resistant shoes are smooth or not visible, it’s time for a replacement. For waterproof or chemical-resistant footwear, on the other hand, it’s time for a new shoe when the rubber or PVC parts start to separate.

Replace safety footwear after an accident. It’s advised that workers replace their impact-resistant shoes or boots any time a heavy object is dropped on it. Even though there may be no visible signs of damage, each incident could decrease the footwear’s effectiveness.

Don’t ignore the laces. It’s not just about the construction of the shoe. Laces can also be a hazard when they get worn or broken, and if they’re not properly laced up, which can result in reduced support, trips and falls, as well as accidents caused by the lace getting caught on a piece of equipment. Inspect the laces regularly to ensure they’re strong and intact. And be sure employees are properly lacing up their shoes or boots.

When it’s time to replace footwear, Mister Safety Shoes makes it easy to be safe. It offers three convenient ways customers can access its comprehensive selection of safety footwear, which includes many styles and sizes. The leading safety footwear provider has 16 retail store locations across Ontario and in Edmonton, Alberta, and convenient mobile trucks that bring a fully stocked showroom to the job site. Both the store locations and the mobile showroom are equipped with safety shoe experts to ensure you get the right footwear and fit. Customers can also shop 24 hours a day on the Mister Safety Shoes website.

To see the company’s full selection, find the closest Mister Safety Shoes retail location, or shop online here.

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