Crocs vs. Escalators: Chefs and Cooks, Take Note!

Posted on 19 April 2008 under Chefs, Food In The News

Just the other day Chef Tad of the Frog Leg Inn was showing me his new black Crocs. This brand of footwear has become rather popular among chefs and cooks because of their long-term comfort, with there even being a Batali Signature Edition in the classic orange color Chef Mario is so famous for wearing. Chef Tad was telling me how surprised he was at how comfortable they were to wear in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, Crocs aren’t without their problems, particularly among children who wear them. In fact, they can be downright dangerous.

From an article on CBC.ca:

Japan has asked the maker of Crocs to look into changing the design of its footwear after complaints that children wearing the colourful plastic clogs have had their feet injured on escalators … There are reports from Singapore to Virginia of instances in which children have had toe nails, and even toes, torn off while wearing Crocs-style shoes on escalators … In Singapore, a two-year-old girl wearing rubber clogs - it’s unclear what brand - had her big toe completely ripped off in an escalator accident last year … “[Japan’s Trade] ministry found that there were a number of factors that led to a specific incident in Japan last summer,” said Crocs spokeswoman Tia Mattson. “Those included escalator maintenance, footwear and user riding behaviour, which they determined was the primary cause of the accident. We continue to be supportive of escalator safety initiatives and we will consider any recommendations the ministry has for footwear manufacturers.”

While it’s obvious this is the fault of no particular company or industry (with all parties thankfully attempting to find a viable solution), wearers of Crocs and other brands of clogs, and parents of younger wearers, need to be aware of these issues … and even more aware of their kids’ safety while wearing them.

Read Comments

  1. 20 April 2008 @ 5:21 am Posted by Char James-Tanny

    I’ve worn Crocs for several years now, both on and off escalators ;-), and the only time I got caught was when I wasn’t paying attention and had pushed forward onto my toes as I was getting off the down escalator.

    Of course, I’ve done the same with sneakers, too.

    The problem isn’t as much the shoes (or the escalator) as it is not paying attention when it’s time to get off.

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