Who is responsible for ensuring employees wear protective footwear in hazardous areas?

The responsibility for ensuring that employees wear protective footwear in hazardous areas primarily falls on the employer. Employers are required to provide a safe working environment and are therefore responsible for implementing safety policies, including proper personal protective equipment (PPE) usage. This includes the provision of protective footwear when the hazards present in the work environment require them. The employer must make sure that employees are aware of these requirements and must often provide training to ensure compliance with safety standards.

While employees have a role in adhering to safety regulations, such as wearing the provided protective gear, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all safety measures are followed lies with the employer. This includes understanding the specific hazards of their workplace and ensuring that the necessary precautions are taken. In many scenarios, supervisors and team leaders also play significant roles in enforcing these safety measures on a day-to-day basis, but it is the employer who bears the overall responsibility to maintain safety compliance.