In the world of food processing, facilities work hard to transform raw ingredients into the tasty products we all love. But, the constant worry of contamination lingers in industrial settings. While wearing shoe covers can help reduce risks, it's important to note that they do. The drawbacks of using shoe covers may outweigh the benefits for certain facilities.
The benefits of disposable shoe covers
Shoe covers have several benefits that make them a popular option in many production facilities. They provide a barrier between the outside environment and the clean production zones, preventing the spread of pathogens and contaminants.
Disposable shoe covers protect the facility
Entering a facility from the outside world presents a risk of spreading pathogens on footwear. Wearing a shoe cover creates a plastic shield that serves to protect the facility
Single use shoe covers are easy to use
employees and visitors of the production facilities can easily slip on a pair of shoe covers and be ready to enter the production floor. Shoe covers are beneficial because they can be used with all shoe types
Plastic shoe covers keep the facility cleaner
Employees wearing shoe covers are not able to track debris or dirty substances from the outside of the facility into the production zones, keeping the facility's floors free of contaminates
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The downside of disposable shoe covers
Disposable shoe covers have several drawbacks that can pose significant risks to production facilities. They are costly, do not remove pathogens, wasteful and can even increase the risk of employee injury.
Single-use shoe covers are highly expensive
Most shoe covers are designed to be worn one time, and as soon as an employee or visitor steps outside of a clean production zone they will need to replace that shoe covering. This can lead to each employee using upwards of 5 pairs of shoe covers per day. Get a personalized cost savings quote here.
Disposable shoe covers do not remove pathogens
Shoe covers, by design, do not remove pathogens they merely cover them up. This means that there is always a latent risk of a shoe cover tearing or being improperly applied, and then an unsuspecting staff member is spreading harmful pathogens around the production facility
Plastic shoe covers are often slippery
Slippery footwear can increase the risk of staff member injuries in a food production facility. Especially in environments where there is debris on the floor, the combination of debris or liquid and a lack of grip from the sole of the shoe can increase risks of falls and trips dramatically
Shoe covers produce a lot of plastic waste
Facility with shoe covers have staff members constantly applying and reapplying plastic shoe covers, resulting in a large amount of unnecessary waste in facilities 
The Ugly Truth of Shoe Covers
Ultimately, shoe covers may seem like the best option for preventing pathogen spread from employees footwear around food production facilities, but unfortunately for the vast majority of facilities they are not. The cost of the shoe covers themselves is extremely high and shoe covers are not sufficient protection against the risk of cross contamination.
Meritech's premier footwear option for facilities that are looking to switch away from shoe covers is the CleanTech® EVO Automated Handwashing Station with the Sole Clean Enhancement. This Automated Hygiene station removes 99.9% of pathogens from hands and the soles of footwear in just 12 seconds. This a cost efficient option that removes pathogens instead of just covering them up. Save an average of $40,000 per year by switching from disposable shoe covers to the CleanTech® EVO Automated Handwashing Station with the Sole Clean Enhancement
