Pittsburgh hospital bans Crocs

PITTSBURGH, July 31 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh's Mercy Hospital has banned workers from wearing Crocs, popular clog-like resin shoes, in patient-care areas.

Sharon Krystofiak, the hospital's infection control manager, said the holes that decorate the shoes pose safety hazards for the wearers, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Tuesday.

"If there's a chance you could drop something like a syringe in one of them, we want to avoid that," Krystofiak said. "Some of those holes are relatively large, almost like a dime."

However, some workers at Mercy, which is the first area hospital to ban the footwear, criticized the move.

"I think it's ridiculous," said Kara Depasquale, a Mercy ICU nurse. "I mean, I can get a needle stuck in my arm or my leg."

Representatives from other local hospitals said there are currently no plans to emulate Mercy's ban.