Chemical Resistant Overboots Essential Spill Protection for Industrial Safety

Your spill response plan should include stocking appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep your employees safe from chemical hazards. That includes gloves, chemical aprons, and eye protection — and in many cases, it’s also important to provide foot protection.

This doesn’t come directly from the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), per se. OSHA simply requires that employers “select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment.”

But for spill response teams, chemical resistant foot protection certainly qualifies as essential PPE. Overshoes — or “gumshoes,” to use old-school terminology — protect workers (and their footwear) against significant hazards while also providing traction on wet floors. 

Here’s why latex overboots are a practical solution for PPE outfitting.

Latex Overboots: Affordable PPE for Chemical Spill Cleanup

At Solus Group, we carry PPE kits that functionally address real chemical and organic hazards. That includes equipment for battery acid spills, mercury spills, body fluid cleanup, and other scenarios that occur regularly in industrial and laboratory settings. 

Latex overboots are especially useful for spill response, for several reasons:

• Versatility: Latex offers good resistance to many common chemicals encountered in spills, including water-based solutions, detergents, and dilute acids and alkalis.
• Convenience: Slip-on overshoes are quick and easy to don and doff, crucial for emergency spill cleanup.
• Affordability: Compared to full chemical boots, latex overboots are budget friendly, especially for situations where full immersion is unlikely.
• Disposable: Single-use overboots eliminate the risk of cross-contamination and the need for complex decontamination procedures.

Essentially, latex overboots offer a practical first line of defense from common chemicals. Latex is not appropriate when prolonged exposure is possible — if workers are spending more than a few minutes with organic solvents or wearing overboots for hours at a time, specialized chemical boots might be a better option. 

When working with specific hazardous chemicals, consult Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to determine whether materials like nitrile, butyl rubber, or neoprene are more appropriate.

Related: Using SDS Sheets to Evaluate PPE

Complete Spill Preparedness with PPE Kits

Your team needs a sufficient supply of PPE, and all-in-one kits can help to streamline outfitting. Each kit provides all necessary supplies, and when kept in a consistent, highly visible location, they’re useful for speeding up spill response times.

Products to Consider: PPE Deluxe Kit 

The PPE Deluxe Kit provides essential head-to-toe protection for handling hazardous materials and spills. It includes a disposable face shield, safety glasses, nitrile gloves, chemical coverall, disposable apron, and latex overboots.

Products to Consider: PPE Standard Kit

This kit offers reliable protection for basic spill response. It includes a disposable face shield, safety glasses, nitrile gloves, disposable apron, and latex overboots, but no disposable apron. The PPE Standard Kit is a cost-effective solution for ensuring worker safety in situations where full-body coverage isn't required.

Related: The Battery Acid Spill Kit: 4 Essential Components

PPE Training: A Key Part of OSHA Compliance

Remember, PPE is only effective if workers actually wear it properly. OSHA mandates comprehensive training for employees who are required to use PPE. Your training policy should include the following info: 

1. Identification of potential chemical hazards;
2. When and what PPE is needed to address those hazards;
3. The limitations of PPE; and
4. How to properly don, doff, and dispose of PPE.

Document your training — remember, if your training isn’t documented, you don’t have an effective strategy (and practically, you can’t prove that you actually provided training in the first place).

For additional guidance, read: Creating a PPE Training Program: OSHA PPE Training Requirements

Build a PPE Plan for Better Spill Response

At Solus Group, we're committed to simplifying your industrial safety needs. From latex overboots for spill response to full PPE kits and spill containment solutions, we offer a wide range of products designed to protect your workforce and improve compliance.

If you’re ready to build a workplace PPE strategy, we’re here to help. Contact Solus Group at 314-696-0200 to speak with an expert.