Your Feet at Work

Productive workers depend on their ability to use feet safely, with ease and comfort.

It is a misconception that sneakers are the best shoe for the job. Sneakers are designed for exercise, being on your feet for a couple hours. For long days on your feet, proper work shoes are recommended. They usually have a stiffer shank or sole, a slight heel and firm counter (wraps around the back of your heel for support). Usually they are made of leather or a water or oil proof material and have padding inside. Redwing and Wolverine make good work shoes and boots.

When your job requires you to stand on your feet for long periods, work in potentially hazardous areas or with potentially hazardous materials, you have some risk of foot injury. You can do a lot to prevent injuries by keeping your feet healthy and following safe work practices. Shoes suited for the job are first on the list.

Simple foot care techniques: Proper foot hygiene should be followed. Wash your feet before and after work. If your feet are sweaty, they may develop a rash or athletes foot. Left untreated it can get infected and serious. Simply washing your feet, applying foot powder and wearing absorbent socks can prevent big problems with your feet.

In any given year, there are about 120,000 job-related foot injuries, one-third of them toe injuries, according to the National Safety Council. On-the-job, you should develop safe work habits and attitudes. This includes wearing protective footwear when appropriate. Only one out of four victims of job-related foot injury wear any type of safety shoe or boot, according to the National Safety Council. The remaining three either are unaware of the benefits of protective footwear or complain about it.

Off-the-job, follow the simple foot care techniques that I mentioned above.