The Shoe Industry is normally a very clean production, normally very safe, letting the machinery take care of most of the hard work. Yet, in some places like India, where some brands of leather shoes are produced, the conditions are much worse. For example, in India, the dust from the fibers of the leather would rise into the air, and damage the lungs of the workers.
Source: Raj, Kalma. "An Occupational Health Study of the Footwear Manufacturing Workers of Kolkata, India." (2011): n. pag. Print.