Safety footwear grips well for 3PL
To put its Benham ST boots to the test, Dr. Martens invited Andrew Dawson, yard manager at Advanced Supply Chain, to trial a pair.
Headquartered in Bradford, Advanced Supply Chain has numerous operating centres handling 50 million garments and 12 million household and food items each year. Employees often work long hours on their feet.
Dawson is responsible for delivery intake and traffic control at the Bradford head office and NDC. This workplace environment presents a number of occupational hazards that include working alongside large and heavy loads, extreme weather conditions, slip hazards including oil and other corrosive substances, falling objects from unsecured loads, impact with heavy moving vehicles and manual handling.
Statistics from the HSE record slips and trips to be the single most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces. Combined with falls, they are responsible for more than half of all major (56%) and almost a third of over-7 day (31%) injuries to employees.
When testing the Benham ST boots, Andrew was impressed by the protection they offered from this potential hazard. He says: “My job demands safety footwear to be worn at all times and steel toe caps are an essential requirement. The slip resistant sole of the Benham ST boots provides added protection from underfoot slip hazards, gripping well in treacherous conditions such as ice and wet weather, or where vehicle oil may be present in the yard.”
Boot design and comfort is also a key consideration for Andrew. Dr. Martens has focused on the construction of the inner boot to provide extra foot bed cushioning and superior shock absorption properties. A breathable lining has also been incorporated for higher levels of wearer comfort. This is important, particularly when walking long distances on concrete or tarmac floors during the working day, as the knees and lower back can be put under greater strain.
If safety footwear is comfortable, there is more chance that it will be worn by employees and that related injuries will fall. Ill fitting, uncomfortable footwear can cause pain and fatigue, contributing to a higher accident risk.
Andrew concludes: “The boots are smart looking and were instantly comfortable. They didn’t require any additional time to wear in and the fit was perfect. This allowed me to forget about my footwear and concentrate on the task at hand.”
