Safety boots’ impact on comfort, mobility, performance, musculoskeletal disorders, slips, and falls in Canadian construction

Construction is a hazardous industry, with slips, falls, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among the most common occupational hazards. Safety boots are vital for reducing these risks and enhancing workers' comfort, mobility, and overall performance. Therefore, this study examines associations between winter safety boot features and construction workers' comfort, performance and mobility, slips, falls, and MSDs due to slips and falls. Cross-sectional survey data from 110 Canadian construction workers were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Boots' arch support, shaft flexibility, and inside warmth were the most consistently associated features across outcomes. Poor arch support was associated with lower comfort (OR = 0.09) and performance and mobility (OR = 0.089), and higher odds of falls (OR = 4.843) and MSDs due to slips and falls (OR = 3.255). Limited ankle inversion was linked to higher risks of slips, falls, and MSDs; the corresponding ORs for workers with "no limitation" were 0.126, 0.286, and 0.161, respectively, while boots with cold interiors were associated with higher odds of slips (OR = 5.657) and lower comfort (OR = 0.213). These findings suggest the potential importance of prioritizing adequate arch support, balanced shaft flexibility, and inside warmth in safety boot design, which may help enhance comfort and performance and mobility while reducing slips, falls, and MSD-related risks.