OCTOBER 2019 HEALTH & SAFETY
chemicals (BS EN 13832-3:2018)
standard.
To help alleviate confusion
surrounding the updated
limited contact footwear
standard and to ensure
employers are compliant and
keeping workers safe, Arco
compiled four key areas that
business owners need to
consider when determining the
protection off ered by chemical
protective footwear and are
also suggesting that employers
consider specifying footwear
that meets the prolonged
contact with chemicals
footwear standard (BS EN
13832-3: 2018) to ensure the
safety of all employees’.
It warns that workers should
not be wearing footwear that
meets the new limited contact
standards if they are exposed to
chemical splashes on a regular
basis. “Ensure the footwear
has proven resistance to the
particular chemical(s) the
employee might be exposed
to (these are identifi ed on the
product marking and in the
instructions for use provided
with the product).
“Make sure that the
user follows the footwear
storage care and maintenance
instructions particularly those
relating to cleaning and/or
decontamination after exposure
to chemicals. If workers are
wearing footwear that meets
the limited contact
standard and
have been
exposed to
a chemical
splash, the
footwear may no longer
continue to off er an acceptable
level of protection.”
Neil Hewitt, Arco’s director
of QSHE UK & Asia, advises:
“The new limited contact
footwear standard has been
met with a lot of resistance
within the industry due to its
ambiguity, so it is important
employers understand what
the limited contact footwear
standard entails to ensure
they are correctly protecting
their staff .
“One of the main areas
employers need to take into
consideration when procuring
footwear for use in an
environment where chemicals
are used, is that the new limited
contact footwear standard
only covers footwear that is
used for very limited exposure
to chemicals, even when that
limited exposure could be to
hazardous chemicals such as
highly corrosive or carcinogenic
material resulting in severe
consequences. Therefore,
employers need to conduct a
comprehensive risk assessment
to determine whether their
employees require a higher level
of protection.”
The new safety
footwear
standards have
been met with
some concern
200k
people are su ering
from lower limb
disorders caused or
made worse by
has limitations, as it has not
been the subject of rigorous
inter-laboratory trials.
Allowing coated permeable upper
materials, such as coated leather to pass the
standard despite the fact that these materials
could be very thin and not signifi cantly resistant
to permeation and not continuous after scuffi ng,
fl exing and/or normal wear and tear.
Not adequately addressing the high level of
risk associated with chemicals that are either
immediately harmful by skin contact or may
lead to long term aff ects through single,
prolonged and/or repeated contact – even if the
contact is limited.
Not considering irreversible contamination
by permeation
Being unclear about repeat use of products
that have been exposed to chemicals
work
source: TUC
Stepping up
UK safety expert Arco agrees with the BSI’s
concern, and is warning employers that the
current requirements for limited contact
with chemicals footwear standard would only
be useful for a limited number of low risk
applications, so any employees working in an
environment where there is an appreciable risk
of exposure to hazardous chemicals, should fi rst
consider products that meet the more stringent
requirements for prolonged contact with
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