Page 37 - PPE GUIDELINE
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Guidelines on the Use of PPE Against Chemical Hazards
Selection
The selection of foot protection depends primarily on the hazard. However, comfort,
style and durability should also be considered. Generally, safety footwear should be
flexible, wet resistant and absorb perspiration. Where ankles need protection, boots
instead of shoes should be selected.
Select safety shoes and boots with impact protection for tasks involving the carrying
or handling of materials such as packages, objects, parts or heavy tools, which could
be dropped; and for other activities where objects might fall onto the feet. Safety
shoes or boots with compression protection would be required for work activities
involving skid trucks around bulk rolls and around heavy pipes, which could
potentially roll over an employee’s feet. Safety shoes with puncture protection would
be required where sharp objects such as nails, wire, tacks, screws, large stapes, scrap
metal etc., could be stepped on by employees causing a foot injury.
For working with hazardous chemicals, footwear provided should be both
impermeable and resistant to attack by chemicals. The footwear should be in one-
piece, i.e. no stitches allowed.
Use and Maintenance
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and markings for appropriate use and
level of protection.
Safety footwear should be maintained in good condition, checked regularly and
discarded if worn or deteriorated. Laces should be checked regularly and replaced if
necessary. Materials lodged into the tread should be removed. The stitching should be
checked for loose, worn or cut seams. Spraying the upper layers of new footwear with
a silicone spray or applying a protective wax will give extra protection against wet
conditions.
Department of Occupational Safety & Health, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia October 2005 37
