Round Table Original Question:

I am curious if any of the member counties require (and provide?) steel-toe OSHA compliant boots for certain high risk employees?

Sarah C. Taylor

Risk Manager

St. Johns County Board of CountyCommissioners

Round Table Answers:

Santa RosaCounty requires safety/steel-toe shoes for the majority of its departments. Workers are provided an allowance towards safety shoes. $75.00 yearly or they can wait up to 2 years to purchase their shoes and receive up to $150.00; $150.00 being the maximum allowance. The employee pays any overage.

Thanks,

Melissa Lloyd, Risk Manager

Santa RosaCountyRisk Management

LibertyCounty provides $100.00 per year to employees of our Road Department so they can purchase steel toe boots.

Lisa Shuler

LibertyCounty

HR Director

Sanitation employees in the landfill are required to wear steel toes. The employees are reimbursed up to $150 annually for the purchase of their shoes. They all get their shoes from a local shoe store in Palatka that we have some type of agreement with.There have been a few exceptions to purchase elsewhere- special size or special type shoe for medical condition.

Thanks- Barbara Shepherd

PutnamCounty

Risk Manager

No, as a matter of fact steel toe boots can be dangerous. Steel bends and can crush toes if something too heavy drops onto the toe area. It is protective up to a certain point, then more dangerous than not having it at all.
In our uniform policy for EMS, a staff person can purchase boots with those dollars if they choose. If they do use County dollars for boots they must be ankle supportive and waterproof. We discourage steel toe boots.
We purchase fire uniform boots - they are also not steel toe for the same reason + plus steel conducts heat.
If your colleagues want toe protection, there is a composite toe material that is a little better than a steel toe - but still not a perfect solution.
Hope this helps
Thanks,
Scott McDermid
Dept. of Public Safety
Wakulla County, Florida

We give boots for our F/R guys and they are allowed to purchase their own boots. The County provides an allowance of $75.00 per year to purchase their boots. Not all are OSHA Compliant. Our safety committee has looked at having our Rd. & Bridge crew having to wear the steel toed boots, with the County providing a similar allowance for them, but that has not been put into place as yet.

I would very much like to see what other counties are doing with this issue.

Lennetta Loman-Greene

JacksonCounty

HR Director

Good morning Marcella,

You will find attached, Bay County’s Risk Management Policies & Procedures, Chapter 28, Personal Protective Equipment. This chapter (section) addresses the County’s Safety Shoe/Boot Program. If we can be of further assistance, please let us know.

Susan S. Cobb

Safety & Training Administrator

Bay CountyBoard of Commissioners