Choosing safe footwear for hotel staff

By Lou Coslovich

According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety, over 60,000 Canadians suffer fall-related injuries every year. Preventing workplace accidents is a top priority for hoteliers, not least of all due to the high costs of employee injuries. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) averages that the indirect costs to an employer for a single injury total $20,000 and the direct WSIB claim costs can be as much as $11,771. One of the easiest ways to prevent accidents is with personal protective equipment, such as safety footwear.

There are a variety of specific jobs in the lodging industry, and figuring out how to ensure safety for all employees can be a confusing task. Here’s a guide on what footwear features are important for each role.

Maintenance
Depending on the job, maintenance staff may face dangerous working conditions comparable to those of a construction site. For outdoor jobs, look for a structured boot with an outsole that has channels combined with numerous thick, flexible lugs. This type of sole will allow for maximum traction but be flexible enough that, when combined with the channels, it will release dirt and debris. The outsole needs to be built to grip a variety of surfaces, including dirt, concrete, wood and steel in both warm and cool temperatures. A sole that also has grips and channels on the toe and heel is best, as it ensures maximum traction under normal walking conditions. For work on ladders or scaffolds, look for a boot with a steeper heel angle and grip bars in the arch area for stabilization. A steel or composite safety toe is an essential feature for maintenance work, and a rubber sole is always important as it protects against electrical currents.

Housekeeping
Housekeeping staff need a shoe that combines three essential features: excellent grip performance on carpets and smooth surfaces when wet and dry, flexibility and exceptional support and comfort. An anti-slip athletic shoe is often the best choice. Look for a rubber sole design with channels and maximum surface area. This design will provide enhanced grip on different surface conditions and the channels will help move liquids away from the shoe quickly. When choosing a shoe that is lightweight and flexible, try bending the sole in your hand to gauge how pliable it is. Always remember to try shoes on as proper fit is important. Feet tend to swell during the course of the day, so it’s best to try shoes on in the afternoon. For superior comfort and support, look for a shoe that has additional cushioning layers under the footbeds. A supportive and comfortable shoe will help improve posture and protect against joint and muscle pain.

Restaurants
The surfaces in most restaurant kitchens are made of tile, smooth cement and stainless steel.  The presence of contaminants such as oil, grease, water and soap can transform these surfaces into slippery hazards. To avoid losing their footing in these conditions, cooks, dishwashers and runners should wear high performing anti-slip shoes. Look for a rubber sole that has a lot of surface area, this will provide superior surface grip. Also look for a sole with a tread pattern designed to channel contaminants away from the shoe. A wedge design is most effective. Look for an upper without many seams, this will make cleaning the shoe easier and will help keep any spilled liquids out. A breathable leather upper is also a good choice as it will conform to the shape of the wearer’s foot, improving overall comfort.

Front of the house
The front of house has a wide variety of hazards. They include loose, unsecured rugs, carpets and mats, inadequate space in walkways between tables, uneven flooring, impaired vision due to dimmed lighting and unseen beverage spills and leaks. The best shoes for front of house staff have rubber soles that grip both carpeted and smooth flooring well. A flexible sole is ideal for agility and comfort and is especially important for restaurant servers and porters who are constantly on their feet. A traditional Oxford shoe is often a good choice, and a steel toe is an important feature for porters as it protects from accidents with heavy objects such as luggage.

Lou Coslovich is a buyer, Industrial Footwear, for Mark’s Work Wearhouse. Mark’s Work Wearhouse is currently working alongside the Canadian Standards Association to develop future standards for anti-slip footwear. Already available at Mark’s stores across Canada is the new line of Tarantula Anti-Slip footwear, a line that has been researched for five years to ensure that each style in the collection has the right safety features for the industry it has been designed for.