The Importance of Correctly Fitting Safety Footwear

According to Safe Work Australia, around 21% of all work-related serious claims are for lower limb injuries and 22% are for falls, trips or slips. This shows the importance of safety footwear as an essential part of personal protective equipment (PPE). But it’s not enough to just have the correct footwear.

Workers also need to have the correct fit in both width and length. More than two-thirds of Australian workers compensate for a too-narrow shoe by going a size up in length, but this negates the protective elements of the footwear that are designed for specific parts of the foot. The Safe Work regulations of the harmonised act also specify that PPE including safety footwear must be the right size and fit.

uvex solutions is a leap in the right direction

To address this problem, our partner in safety footwear, uvex has used 3D scans of hundreds of Australian workers’ feet to develop their uvex multiple fit system, offering extra wide fit in sizes from EU 41/UK 7 – EU 48/UK 13. This means workers can get both the right length and width for their feet to keep them safe and comfortable on the job.

They also offer the uvex fit advisor app that can quickly and easily recommend your boot size from three calibrated images, as well as recommend a uvex tuneup 2.0 insole that provides tailored support specific to low, neutral, and high arched foot types.

“Everyone has a different foot structure, and the requirements of these foot types vary considerably,” says Dr Caleb Wegener, Director of Product Management, uvex.

The uvex tuneup 2.0 foot-type specific insoles allows workers to customise their fit with a comfort support insole specific for their foot type and maintain the certification of their safety footwear. Using advanced scientific algorithms, the uvex fit advisor app uses three calibrated images of the foot to recommend the correct footwear length, width and uvex tuneup 2.0 insole specific to their foot type based on scientific data.The uvex fit advisor app can be used instore, onsite or at home using either a calibration plate, A4 or A3 piece of paper. The uvex fit advisor app is available for free from the Apple App store and Google Play.

uvex has over 60 years of history in designing, developing, and manufacturing safety footwear and are a leader in Europe renowned for their scientific and innovative approach to protecting people. A comfortable worker is a productive worker, and when it comes to the comfort and safety of your team, uvex can help you put your best foot forward.

Safety footwear that is too big can lead to problems, such as:

• Increased risk of tripping due to less ground clearance.
• Reduced toe cap protection, leaving feet more exposed to injuries.
• Misalignment between the foot’s key flex points and the footwear, causing the worker to walk inefficiently and fatigue faster, thus lessening productivity.
• A heightened risk of blisters, which is especially problematic for people with diabetes or poor circulation, where a blister could lead to ulceration and even leg amputation.

Safety footwear that is too tight can lead to problems, such as:

• Nerve entrapments, causing pain, discomfort, and numbness.
• Damaged intermetatarsal nerves, which may result in Morton’s Neuromas.
• Increased risk of rubbing, blistering, and, ultimately, more severe complications.

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