July 2009 Safety Topic: Are You Wearing the Right Shoes for Your Job?
June 22nd, 2009 by
Do you know if you are wearing the correct shoes for your job? How can you tell if the shoes you are wearing will keep you safe? Slips and falls are going too happened and wearing the proper shoes can help prevent them from occurring more often. Minuteman Parking Company has many different job titles and each job has its own function in keeping our operations running smoothly. Having the right footwear for your job can help prevent workplace injuries. Your job functions will dictate the appropriate protection against foot injuries. Here are some things to consider.
An estimated 130,000 disabling foot injuries and 40,000 toe injuries occur on an annual basis according to the National Safety Council. General hazards you can encounter at work are: Heavy objects that may fall on your feet (luggage), heavy objects that may roll over them (cars) or toes that are stubbed on immovable objects (curbs or stairs). Wearing the wrong footwear can cause you to slip and fall resulting in multiple injuries. Are your shoes made out of the right material? Are your shoes slip resistant? We deal with wet surfaces and oil spills from vehicles. Can your shoes protect you from slipping and falling? Your shoes should also fit properly and be comfortable to wear and they should be in good condition. If your shoes start to get worn out it is time to replace them.
For those of you that work in an office you might think I can wear whatever shoes I want, but even in an office your footwear is important for safety. There are injuries reported by office workers involving doors slamming into feet and workers wearing sandals who were required to have a surgical procedure to remove their toe nails. This means that you should not wear opened toed shoes to work.
Managers must monitor what footwear their staff is wearing to work.
Remember, a valet is an occupational athlete and we need the right footwear to perform the job to our maximum potential. You would not wear golf shoes to play basketball!! Take a good look at your shoes and ask yourself if they are the right shoes for your job.
We do not want anyone to get injured while at work!