When selecting footwear, workers should consider multiple factors to ensure their safety.

Success on the job site starts from the ground up. This generally begins with reliable safety footwear. For the past several decades, this footwear was often associated with bulky and heavy steel-toed, leather-shod, rubber-soled work boots. However, thanks to innovations from footwear brands, there are now a myriad of performance and comfort enhancements available in work boots that do not come at the expense of safety.   Steel Toe Protective Shoes

These advancements are particularly important with the rise in manufacturing, distribution and warehousing jobs, as well as changing and increasingly diverse workforces that have been entering the industry. While other industries have struggled in a post-pandemic environment, factory production in September 2022 was the highest in 14 years. With this changing landscape, the right personal protective equipment is essential—and safety footwear is no exception.  

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, employment rates in manufacturing began to skyrocket. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 46,000 employees joined this industry between February 2020 to September 2020 despite decreasing employment rates in a majority of other sectors. This was primarily due to the explosion in e-commerce sales during the pandemic, as nationwide shutdowns left many consumers seeking online shopping solutions. Since 2020, the rise in online shopping has persisted and has become an integral part of the consumer experience worldwide. This has created an equally increased need for skilled labor in the logistics and distribution industries.  

With this paradigm shift in the way consumers shop, the manufacturing industry will continue to rise as employment in hand laborers and material movers are projected to grow as much as seven percent between 2020 to 2030. Meeting this increased demand necessitates a generation of workers who are new to this industry as well as potentially longer shifts for those continuing to work in this sector. Consequently, the safety and comfort of those working in these labor-intensive industries must be considered. To avoid injuries and fatigue, outfit this workforce with PPE, including safety footwear that will enable success on the job.  

This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2023 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

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