June 2009 Myth of the Month
Britain's Health and Safety Executive set the record straight last month on the question of wearing flip-flops to work.
Britain's Health and Safety Executive set the record straight last month on the question of wearing flip-flops to work. They provide little grip and thus aren't the right choice for working in a setting where the floors can't be kept dry or clean, but British safety and health laws do not ban them, the agency said. HSE has been working for several years to dispel safety myths of various sorts, principally beliefs that suggest the agency is more involved in consumer safety issues than is actually the case.
The June 2009 Myth of the Month document explains it this way:
"During the summer, many of us think about wearing sandals or flip-flops to work to help us stay cool. Despite recent reports to the contrary, health and safety law doesn’t ban them.
"However, slips, trips, and falls do account for about 30 percent of all workplace accidents, and what you wear on your feet can make a difference. So, if you work somewhere where the floor can't be kept dry or clean, then wearing shoes that fit well and have a good grip would be a better choice than flip-flops."