Importance of Safety in the Work Place
Being in safety for sometime now, I wanted to write about my experiences in the field. This article deals with the “Free Insurance” that steel toe footwear give the person wearing them. I have seen first hand ASTM safety shoes save employees feet from big problems. I personally feel that most businesses should make safety toe footwear, a standard. You have to wear shoes to work, you might as well make them the kind that protect. Insurance companies like to hear about this “preventive” plan being in place. It seems more and more you have vendors providing mobile shoe stores that will come out on site and sell footwear and work wear at a discount, to employees during their shifts. Not only does this allow the employees to save their personal time and gas, but it promotes safety throughout the company. Shoe allowances for steel toe shoes should be kept up with increasing shoe prices. The best way to have the entire workforce participate in the program is to also have a pay deduct plan in place to help pay for any amount of the shoe that is not covered. Comfort is the other issue you take care of when you put this type of program together. Happy feet make for a better more productive workplace. Good quality work boots, like Red Wing footwear, will out last the typical gym shoe that a worker will wear to work if given the chance. Boots like these are made to be worn 12 hours a day 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You cannot do this with cheap footwear and expect the same results. If you are in a position to implement a safety shoe program you should do so. You will see less slip related injuries as the program continues. It will be money well spent over time.
