August 18 2008 - The TUC has produced 'Working feet and footwear',
a new guide for footwear at work. The authors found that several large city institutions and
upmarket retailers include slip-on shoes or high heels in their dress codes for female staff
dealing with the public. These types of footwear can be uncomfortable and lead to long-term foot problems -
especially when staff have to stand for prolonged periods.
According to TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber:
"When researching case
studies for the guide on footwear we were surprised how many times we found
that employers' dress codes did not permit the wearing of comfortable
sensible footwear by women.
"Heels may look glamorous on the catwalks and on Hollywood stars, but
they're not appropriate for day-to-day work wear. These dress codes -
apart from being blatantly sexist - can lead to long-term foot and back
problems as women are forced to stand or walk around in high heels or
ill-fitting footwear.
"Feet bear the brunt of the daily working life and instead of worrying
about what their staff look like, employers should focus on the effect
that the wrong shoes and prolonged standing can have. Employers should
look at encouraging their staff to come to work in comfortable shoes
and, where possible, provide the option of sitting."
Suitable footwear is required for certain situations. For example:
- Slip-resistant shoes are required in any working
environment where there is a risk of slipping.
- Safety footwear must be provided where there is a risk of shoes being crushed or hit by an object, or
even caught in machinery.
- Puncture resistant soles must be provided if there is
the possibility of standing on nails or other sharp objects.
The TUC considers that employees should be allowed to wear footwear
appropriate to their occupation, working environment, and feet. If safety
or special footwear is required they must supply it at no cost to the
worker. The guide can be found at: www.tuc.org.uk/extras/footwear.pdf.
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