Be wary of Crocs

An interesting take on Crocs from the pages of our Briefings on Infection Control newsletter:

Crocs—the popular and colorful rubber shoes—serve as convenient, comfortable clog-type footwear in healthcare settings. However, while they might make the workday go easier, Crocs also pose an infection control risk with their multiple ventilation holes and open backs, says Terry Jo Gile, MT (ASCP), MA Ed.

"That's not allowed in a clinical lab," she adds, noting that some hospitals had for a time allowed OR nurses to wear them. 

Shoes must adequately cover the foot, must not be made of canvas, and must not be of an open or sandal design, according to National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards Guideline GP17-A2.

"OSHA says no, too, because you can get sprays and splashes in the holes and in the backs," Gile says.

Her stance stems from the general provisions of the bloodborne pathogens standards, which doesn't specifically note Crocs. However, an informal opinion from OSHA in 2006 indicated that Crocs would be inappropriate in hospital settings where one might reasonably expect drops of blood or other potentially infectious materials to land on an employee's feet.

Moreover, Gile says, in lab environments, there's not only the risk of infectious body fluids exposure to the feet, but a risk of chemical splashes and sharp injuries as well. Yet few labs have written dress-code policies to prohibit Crocs.
  
What's your view on Crocs? Do they have a place in the healthcare setting?