This YouTube transcript (Anthony LaFazia, June 11, 2025) provides practical guidance on when workers should wear foot and leg protection, describes specific protective equipment (leggings, metatarsal guards, toe guards, combination guards, safety boots/shoes) and materials they may be made from (aluminum, steel, fiber, plastic), and gives inspection and maintenance recommendations (check for cracks, holes, separation of materials, broken buckles/laces, embedded debris).
Chapters
Workers at risk of possible foot or leg injuries from falling, rolling objects, crushing or penetrating materials should wear protective footwear. Examples of situations in which an employee should wear footage foot and or leg protection include when heavy objects such as barrels or tools might roll onto or fall on the employee's feet working with sharp objects such as nails or spikes that could pierce the soles or uppers of ordinary shoes working on or around hot, wet or slippery surfaces and working when electrical hazards are present. Foot and leg protection choices include the leggings. Leggings protect the lower legs and feet from heat hazards such as molten metal or welding sparks. Safety snaps allow leggings to be quickly removed. Metatarsal guards protect the instep area from impact and compression. Made of aluminum, steel, fiber or plastic, these guards may be strapped to the outside of shoes. Toe guards fit over the toes of regular shoes to to protect the toes from impact and compression hazards. They may be made of steel, aluminum or plastic. Combination foot and shin guards protect the lower legs and feet and may be used in combination with toe guards when greater protection is needed. Safety boots have impact resistant toes and heat resistant soles that protect the feet against hot work surfaces. Safety shoes may also be designed to be electrically conductive to prevent the buildup of static electricity and in areas with the potential for explosive atmospheres or they can be designed as highly non conductive to protect employees from workplace electrical hazards. Safety footwear should be inspected prior to each use. It must be checked for wear and tear at reasonable intervals, looking for cracks or holes, separation of materials, broken buckles or laces. The soles of the shoe should be checked for pieces of metal or other embedded items that could present electrical tripping or other hazard.
