Laboratory footwear should be closed-toed and fully cover the feet to protect against chemical spills and other contamination hazards. Avoid shoes like sandals, flip-flops, canvas or other permeable material, or fabric tops. Dedicated footwear for lab work may be recommended, depending on the risk assessment.
Disposable shoe covers may be used to provide added protection at times, such as in high-containment laboratory spaces [e.g., Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) work], patient isolation rooms, or other areas, to help prevent the removal of any contamination from outside the higher-risk setting.
