The Secret’s in the Boots

Posted on May 1, 2014

How safe are your boots?

I mean, they have to be safe right… They’re tested to a standard which requires that they are fit for purpose, meaning they offer the appropriate protection to our feet.

If the boots (those you’re wearing right now) are safe and adequate; how do two separate operatives, on two separate sites, both break a toe?

A discussion in the office went something like this:

Ed – An operative has broken his toe on site.

Scott – How?

Ed – He was pulling a pump truck across the site

Scott – Was he wearing steel toe cap boots?

Ed – Oh yeah

Scott – Did it squash the metal onto his toe?

Ed – No, the boot is apparently fine.

Scott – How has he done that then?

Ed – I have no bloody idea!

So, we decided to conduct an investigation and we found a surprising fact. To demonstrate this fact, we would like you to take part in a quick exercise.

For this, you will need: 1 safety boot, 1 foot, 1 piece of A4 paper and a pen/pencil.

1. Take off your shoe and place your foot on the paper.

2. Take your pen/pencil and draw the outline of your foot.

3. Raise your heel as if stepping off the paper, and where the crease by your toes is, make a mark by your big and little toe.

4. Remove your foot from the paper.

5. Join up the marks to form a line across the foot.

6. You should notice the line is curved.

7. Now feel the edge of the steel on the boot. You will notice the steel is straight.

8. Draw a dotted line to indicate the steel toe.

9. Place the boot next to the picture or put the steel toe cap boots back on your feet and physically feel how much of your toes are protected.

It is almost a certainty that the little toe will not be protected at all. This was the case for the injured person on site. They were pulling a pump truck and the truck got stuck. Turning their center foot towards the truck for leverage, as the track moved, it came into contact with the unprotected little toe.

Prevention

All routes should be planned as part of the assessment. Any pot holes should be filled in to ensure the smoothest possible surface. Instead of pulling, pushing the object away from yourself would be more suitable to the task.