Oliverland Consulting
People • Fit • Performance
Where Footwear Fit Meets Performance
BETTER CHOICES.
BETTER FIT.
BETTER PERFORMANCE.
“It is even more important to recognise that the most perfect boot, fulfilling all the most stringent conditions of design and construction, is useless if given to the wrong man.”
— Stokes (1960), cited by Dyck
Occupational Footwear Fit Management
Is Footwear Fit an Overlooked Factor in Your Organisation?
Up to 93% improperly fitted
A Canadian Forces footwear-fitting assessment by Dyck found a remarkably high proportion of improperly fitted footwear when both length and width were considered. Up to approximately 93% depending on the fitting criterion/assessment reported—despite the footwear being formally issued within an organisational system.
In Dyck's case, the important point is not merely that several widths were theoretically procured. The distribution of those widths did not correspond adequately to the users' actual needs. If two of the five widths were so narrow that they were effectively unused, the nominal availability of “five widths” gives a misleading impression of fit provision.
The remaining widths then did not adequately cover the population, leading some wearers to compensate for insufficient width by choosing a larger size/length. That, in turn, contributed to the high rate of poorly fitted boots identified in the assessment.
More size options do not necessarily produce better fit if the size and width distribution does not reflect the population being equipped. Poorly matched procurement may also result in underused footwear inventory, adding unnecessary financial burden to the organisation.
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Frontline Observations from Occupational Footwear Provision
Illustrative comments drawn from professional exchanges and DBA research. Wording has been lightly edited for clarity and anonymity.
“We buy what is available.”
“We collect everyone’s shoe size and send the quantities to purchasing. We get what is available — we don’t really have another choice.”
— Technical Department Manager
Discussion on occupational footwear procurement
Professional exchange, 2026
“I had to wear the issued boots — or take the risk.”
“We had been told that if we wore different footwear and an accident occurred, we might not be covered. I therefore had to wear the issued boots, even though they did not fit me, or accept that risk.”
— Professional respondent
DBA research, 2025
An important and often underestimated issue.
“Your expertise in professional footwear fit and its impact on health, safety and performance addresses an important and often underestimated issue.”
— Police Officer
Professional exchange, 2026
Note: The central quotation reflects the respondent’s understanding and experience. It does not constitute a legal interpretation of the applicable coverage conditions.
Corporate Footwear Fit Program (CFFP)
Better Choices. Better Fit. Better Performance.
Four Areas of The Corporate Footwear Fit Program
CFFP connects footwear policy with fitting practice and wearer feedback, helping organisations move from footwear provision towards continuous footwear-fit management.
Understanding wearer needs
01 — Fit Education
Build footwear-fit awareness among employees and relevant teams so that fit needs and common fitting issues can be better recognised and communicated.
Finding more appropriate choices
02 — Procurement
Review footwear needs, current provision and available market options to help identify appropriate footwear choices within technical requirements, compliance, operational constraints and budget.
Connecting choice to the wearer
03 — Fitting Process
Support fitting practices so that available footwear options can be selected and adjusted more appropriately to the needs of individual wearers.
Learning from footwear in use
04 — Feedback
Use wearer experience and fit-related observations to identify recurring issues, evaluate footwear acceptance and inform future procurement and footwear decisions.
Start with a 30-minute Discovery Talk
Looking for better occupational footwear choices for your organisation?
The 30-Minute Discovery Talk provides an opportunity to discuss your current footwear provision, the choices available to your employees, and the fit-related challenges you are observing.
We can explore where greater or more appropriate footwear choice may be possible within your operational requirements, procurement constraints and budget, and identify areas that may merit further attention.