Don't slip: enlist help from Arco footwear experts

Last year, slips and trips were the single most common cause of injuries in UK workplaces; responsible for 11,000 major injuries and 30,000 over 3-day injuries

In many working environments, the right footwear can have a dramatic effect on helping to prevent slips and trips.

As outlined by the HSE, choosing the most suitable slip-resistant footwear for a particular environment or application can be problematic, so when buying safety footwear, it is advisable to call in the experts.

As the UK's leading supplier of safety products and workwear, Arco has a team of product and business sector specialists who can give expert advice on the correct selection and use of safety footwear for all working environments.

Roy Bedford, an Arco footwear product specialist with over 40 years experience, explains, "When preventative measures such as keeping floors obstacle-free, clean and dry, and having a continuous floor surface have been put into place as far as is practically possible, the last line of defense is PPE (i.e safety footwear).

However, before buying, certain factors should be taken into consideration.

Different industries and applications require different features, depending on the hazard.

Arco offers over 100 safety footwear styles including brand names like Dr Martens, Timberland, Dunlop and CAT, as well as a high quality range of Arco own-brand footwear, most of which conform to the slip-resistant requirements of BS EN 1S0 20345.

Specific features include specialist treads, chemical resistance, ankle supports, reinforced toe protection etc.

In addition to these specialist features, comfort and correct sizing should be addressed.

One of the best ways to assess how products will perform, and whether they are comfortable and suit the application, is by conducting wearer trials.

For instance, footwear that performs well in wet conditions may not be suitable where there is food spillage.

At Arco we specialise in guiding customers through legislative guidelines and helping them find solutions to their safety needs".

For more information on user trials, or to browse the range of safety footwear available in the Arco catalogue, the Big Red Book, please visit the website, or call into one of the 34 Arco UK branches.

Arco has a free footwear wall-chart detailing its range of ladies and gents safety footwear.

For a copy, please contact your local branch.

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