Safety steps
April 1st 2004

With litigation from slip and trip injuries on the up, Jallatte looks at how ensuring staff are supplied with appropriate safety footwear can help avoid the problem Almost two thirds of businesses are facing increasing compensation claims as a result of slips, trips and falls according to the findings of a new survey. The survey of almost 400 UK companies, employing over 400,000 staff, undertaken on behalf of safety footwear specialists Jallatte, revealed that for almost half of those surveyed, slips and trips were the main safety problem they were having to deal with. And of those who were dealing with slip and trip injuries, over 61% said they had witnessed an increase in the levels of compensation claims. Perhaps more worrying for employers: of those seeing an increase in litigation, 55% said it was coming from employees rather than unions. Whilst slips and trips remain a major workplace injury issue, the growing trend for staff to actively seek compensation claims should be a major cause for concern for employers, said Paul Hamer of Jallatte. We are living in a era where we are being bombarded with adverts promoting the compensation culture, and from this survey it would seem these messages are sinking in, making people more inclined to make a claim, he added. According to Jallatte, more than ever, health and safety managers need to ensure they are guarding against the threat of slips, trips and falls by assessing workplace risks, engineering out potential slip and trip hazards and ensuring that staff are supplied with safety footwear designed specifically to protect against hazards specific to the job being undertaken. Major injuries Statistics provided by the Health and Safety Executive, reveal that slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work in the UK. Occurring in almost all workplaces, 95% of major slips result in broken bones and are also the initial causes for a range of other accident types such as falls from height. If organisations can show that they have properly assessed the workplace risks and worked with leading manufacturers to provide the right type of safety footwear in addition to providing training to increase awareness and understanding of the dangers of slips and trips, then they are going to reduce not only the levels of slip and trip injuries but also reduce the grounds for successful compensation claims, added Hamer. According to Jallatte, the issue of grip pattern and performance and sole unit technology is all too often overlooked in favour of concentrating on above the foot protection. The company claims that bringing the issue of sole unit and grip requirements further up the priority list would have a positive effect in reducing slips and trips, whilst improving levels of wearer comfort. Just like tyre producers who create different treads for use on different surfaces, so leading footwear manufacturers are creating new technologies to offer the same range of grip benefits to end users. At Jallatte, our research and development team have created a range of unique sole technologies that provide different grip properties appropriate to different working environments, added Hamer. Jallatte says that whilst many of the the physical safety requirements may be similar across a diverse range of industry sectors, the same cannot be said of sole technology. There are a number of issues that need to be considered when selecting the right sole for the workplace. These include: n Does the footwear have the right grip for the environment? critical if you are to supply the right solution for the wearer. n Is there a progressive shock absorber within the heel? if not, the combination of constant pounding the feet are exposed to and protective footwear that does not provide adequate shock absorption can lead to micro traumatic shock injuries, where the employee suffers musculoskeletal injury. n Does the sole unit offer heat and chemical resistance? if it doesnt and the employee walks through chemicals that are spilled on the floor, or into an environment where extreme temperatures radiate through the floor, the implications are obvious. n Is the wearer going to be constantly on their feet? if yes, then you will need to choose footwear that reduces foot fatigue and which is extremely lightweight and comfortable. 70 % lighter than steel As an example, Jallattes Lightane range has been designed for people constantly working on their feet. The composite toe cap is 50% lighter than traditional steel toe caps without compromising protection. Lightane also benefits from a pierce resistant ballistic fibre midsole known as FleXtane which is 70% lighter than steel and benefits from high levels of grip, anto-torsion and a progressive heel shock absorber in the heel. When selecting safety footwear, it is always worth using the knowledge and expertise of a leading manufacturer to ensure that you are providing footwear that will be able to provide the wearer with the right type of protection. For more information on how to select the right safety footwear contact Jallatte.

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