What type of injuries do protective footwear specifically safeguard against?

Protective footwear is designed to safeguard against crush injuries and slips, making it essential for ensuring safety in various work environments. Crush injuries can occur when heavy objects are accidentally dropped or rolled over a worker's foot. Properly designed protective footwear, such as steel-toed boots, offers resistance to severe impacts and helps prevent injuries that could result from such incidents.

Additionally, protective footwear often features slip-resistant soles that provide better traction on wet, oily, or uneven surfaces. This design helps reduce the likelihood of slips and falls, which are common causes of workplace injuries. The combination of impact protection and slip resistance is crucial for maintaining the safety and well-being of workers in environments where hazards are present.

The other options relate to different types of risks that protective footwear does not specifically address. For example, burns and lacerations are more commonly mitigated by other types of personal protective equipment. Noise-induced hearing loss is related to auditory protection, whereas respiratory issues require respiratory protection measures rather than footwear. Therefore, the focus on crush injuries and slips aligns perfectly with the primary purpose of protective footwear.