Rank: Forum user 
|
Hi all, I work for a small domestic manufacturing company circa 65 people. Premises consists of office/factory. Walkways are often not clear. I am the H&S person. Factory staff are expected to wear safety shoes when in the factory, office staff are not. My argument at the moment is that there is no less risk to office staff entering the factory and all staff should wear safetyu shoes in the factory. But, it is falling on death ears. Anyone have any tips please?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
Why are office staff in the factory? Are you sure the risk is not less to office staff? What tasks are the undertaking.? What is the reason for providing safety boots? I.E what does it say in your RA. Sorry lots of questions before I am convinced office staff need safety boots.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
The staff walk through the factory to go to the toilet/leave their bikes/chat/to access smoking area etc.
They're walking through the factory/talking to staff members/looking for stock/using the toilet etc- lots of things can be kicked/dropped/fall on their feet- old factory lots of uneven flooring etc. There is no facility RA- only documented wording is in the handbook 'staff will wear PPE issued to them'. Sammy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
Sorry Sammy, but it sounds to me like you are starting at the wrong end of the Hierarchy of controls – PPE should be a last resort. Do a risk assessment and show all the hazards you have identified and look at ways of controlling them; only once you have done that can you hope to show that PPE is the correct control.
|
 2 users thanked HSSnail for this useful post.
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
I'm with Brian on this.
If the route from the office to the toilets is so dangerous that you need safety shoes to walk on it, then you need to improve the safety of the route!
|
1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
I wonder if there's a bit of avoiding the, 'One rule for us, one rule for them' in this ??
If factory floor operatives see office workers in the factory NOT having to wear safety shoes, you will get, 'Well, we have to wear safety shoes, why don't they'
I would actually put my neck on the block and say an office worker occasionally transitting through the factory in office type footwear, which these days ranges from high-heels, flip-flops, crocs, open-toed sandals, trainers etc etc, would/could be more susceptible to STF's in the factory environment
And if your RA shows they're not at risk, then how can you justify the factory floor operatives being at risk in the same environment
UNLESS you have a clearly defined, segregated walkway away from the machines and production
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
If the factory operative are moving great lumps of metal around or transferring items, manual handling or any activity where there is a significant foreseeable risk of them dropping something heavy on their foot then yes those people doing those tasks should be wearing safety shoes (although the ideal solution to this is to make sure there is no significant foreseeable risk of them dropping something heavy on their foot) That is where the risk assessment comes in otherwise you end up like those construction sites where despite there being no over head works the rule ‘No hardhat no job’ still applies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
Not all hazards necessitating safety footwear are heavy toe crunchers.
Puncture hazards, anti-static, thermal, chemical (or ankle protection as cited by those working the rails).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
Not all hazards necessitating safety footwear are heavy toe crunchers.
Puncture hazards, anti-static, thermal, chemical (or ankle protection as cited by those working the rails).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.