Why are disposable shoe covers important?

When people talk about PPEs, the first ones that cross our minds are head protection PPE like hard hats, respiratory protection PPE like face masks, and hand protection PPE like safety hand gloves. Seldom does anyone recall foot protection PPE, and someone rarely points to disposable shoe covers. They are highly underestimated PPE, which is why we are here to list down four important reasons that highlight the necessity of disposable shoe covers.

What are Disposable Shoe Covers?

Disposable shoe covers are mostly made of polyethylene or polypropylene. The fabric is mostly non-woven and often is designed with a high ankle. When the place’s hygiene has to be maintained & contamination has to be avoided, then disposable shoe covers are highly recommended. They protect shoes & feet from liquid splashes, chemicals, dust particles, solid waste, and pathogens. Shoe covers can also provide additional protection such as slip resistance, cut resistance, temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and electrical resistance. 

Which industries frequently use disposable shoe covers?

Healthcare industries

Disposable shoe covers ensure that the healthcare facilities are hygienic & clean. The most used ones are splashproof shoe covers, which are designed to resist splashes of liquids & bodily fluids. They protect feet & shoes from splashes, thus ensuring that the contamination is localized & not spread to other areas. They also ensure that the pathogens from sick people & animals are not carried by the shoes to other areas. 

Labs & Forensics

To ensure that there is no contamination in the experiments & evidence, both lab technicians & forensic experts don disposable shoe covers. They help in keeping the area uncontaminated, so there is no hazard or tampering.

Agriculture & Animal Husbandry

Farms often are a source of pathogens & contamination. So, it is advised to wear disposable shoe covers so that one may discard them after working on the farms. It helps in keeping the other areas free from dirt, debris, and pathogens.

Manufacturing industries

Many industries have stringent rules & regulations, so employees are advised to don disposable shoe covers to ensure that there is no cross-contamination. Along with shoe covers, many industries like food & pharmaceuticals also insist on the use of hair nets & body coveralls.

Curious ones can check out our article on body protection PPE.

Hotels & Luxury places

Many luxury places like hotels, party halls, function halls, and resorts insist on the use of disposable shoe covers for maintaining hygiene & cleanliness.

What are the best features of Disposable Shoe Covers?

1. Shoe covers are available according to different shoe sizes.
2. These shoe covers are for one-time use and must be disposed of after a single use.
3. Shoe covers can provide extra grip to avoid any falls or slips.
4. These shoe covers can be designed to adhere & resist loads, cuts, and scratches.
5. If required, shoe covers can be manufactured with anti-static properties. It comes in handy in manufacturing industries.
6. Disposable shoe covers are highly breathable & comfortable.
7. Shoe covers allow to keep the places hygienic & prevent cross-contamination.
8. Shoe covers keep shoes hygienic & tidy.

What should you look for in Disposable Shoe Covers? 

1. Look for disposable shoe covers with added benefits. For example, if you often walk on slippery surfaces, choose shoe covers with slip resistance.
2. Shoe covers should be durable, breathable, and comfortable. Always buy from reputed brands & resellers.
3. Always ensure that the shoe covers provide adequate protection against the hazards of your working conditions.
4. Shoe covers should be easy to wear and remove.

4 Reasons why disposable shoe covers are important?

Ensures a sterile & hygienic environment

In many industries, there is a necessity of maintaining a sterile environment to ensure that there’s no cross-contamination. In such cases, safety shoes that provide safety to the feet may hamper the hygiene of the surroundings & cause contamination. So, sterile shoe covers are a must in such cases. Donning shoe covers helps restrict cross-contamination.

Once used, these shoe covers are disposed of. Donning them again & again will fail the purpose and may cause contamination. Shoe covers are a barrier between contaminants & shoes/feet. So, shoe covers can also be donned by workers who work in dust, dirt, debris, mud, and other unhygienic places. In such cases, cross-contamination to other locations is prevented as well as ensures the safety of the workers.

Protects feet & shoes from chemicals & bodily fluids

In healthcare industries, there’s always a chance of splashes of bodily fluids. Whereas in chemical & manufacturing industries there’s a risk of chemical splashes. There are shoe covers that are available with splashproof & chemical-resistant properties. It also keeps shoes clean from contamination as the splashes will be born by shoe covers. It also ensures that the shoes are safe ensuring their durability. It also helps in keeping the place hygienic & free from contamination.

Restricts the Pathogen spread

It is especially true in healthcare industries and research labs. To ensure that these pathogens don’t lurk in your safety shoes and spread further. These pathogens will instead have adhered to shoe covers, but as they are discarded after a single use, it ensures that the pathogens are not allowed to be spread.

Provides grip & slip resistance

Many industries often face the issue of slippery surfaces. Apart from ensuring hygiene & prevention of contamination, these shoe covers can additionally provide superior grip. This slip resistance ensures that the people working can continue their work without any fear of slipping or tripping.

Curious ones can check out our article on foot protection PPE. 

FAQ: What are shoe cover dispensers?

There are shoe cover dispensers that help in the provision of donning & doffing shoe covers. Shoe cover dispensers are highly recommended for industries with a workforce greater than 25 as the employees would regularly use them. Proper donning & doffing of shoe covers is time-consuming & if done wrongly, they may not provide adequate protection. These shoe cover dispensers are highly recommended as they make the process simple & easy. 

A person just has to place themselves before the shoe cover dispenser such that the foot is over the designated place of the dispenser. The shoe cover is donned & doffed accordingly by the dispenser. Without any hassle or trouble, shoe covers are donned or doffed. The setup can be placed before entering the facility such that it ensures the workers don’t have any reason to skip wearing them.

Conclusion

Disposable shoe covers are a necessity when one needs to maintain hygiene & cross-contamination. The article focuses on the benefits & features of shoe covers. It also covers the industries where shoe covers are generally used. The main highlight for reasons donning disposable shoe covers is covered in the article.