Posted By TBC In some 'good' companies where the employee is expected to work in conditions that cause them to become dirty or contaminated with product or substances, it is common practice that if you get dirty in company time you should be allowed to clean up in company time. This also reduces the risk of taking the contamination home. Don't think you will find anything written, but it is following best practices and a duty of care. Those same companies also provide two lockers, one for clean clothes and one for dirty/working clothes. Hope it helps.

Posted By Jim Gill "Is this just an old idea now taken for granted, a legal requirement or only applicable if specified in working contracts?" If you have been advised from workmates etc that this is the norm within the company and you have used this time to washup/change and your employer hasn't brought it to your attn that's it's NOT company policy; regardless of what it says in your contract, it is deemed acceptable and part of the contract of employment (although unwritten) This applies to various things including Christmas bonus/ present/ or any other items excluded from your contract... if they do it once or twice it then becomes unwritten policy and therefore an entitlement. (as far as I am led to believe) Jim

Posted By AlB This is not a legal requirement by any means. It is practice used by some businesses, as in ours, but this is being phased out as it is being abused - employees are now leavign 15 or even 20 minutes early. We employ over 200 people. Ten minutes over teh course of a day for 200 people is over 33 hours of lost production time. Over a year this equates to nearly 8,500 hours of lost production time. Work it out for your own business, but whereas it is a good jesture, it can be very costly for the business.