California Foot Protection: What you need to know

California has adopted foot protection rules in general industry workplaces that mirror federal rules, and added its own provisions concerning hazards, defective or inappropriate footwear, and footwear specifications that are stricter than federal rules (8 CCR 3385).

The CA Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) administers and enforces workplace safety and health rules in California.

California lists additional hazards that require foot protection including hot, corrosive, or poisonous substances, crushing or penetrating actions, and work in abnormally wet locations.

Footwear which is defective or inappropriate to the extent that its ordinary use creates the possibility of foot injuries must not be worn.

California also requires that protective footwear for employees purchased after January 26, 2007, meet the requirements and specifications in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F 2412-05, Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection and ASTM F 2413-05, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Foot Protection. Footwear purchased before January 26, 2007 must meet the requirements of either the ASTM standards or American National Standard for Personal Protection – Protective Footwear ANSI Z41-1999.