Posted By Alang
Thank you in advance if anyone can help

We have secured a contract to service air conditioning units within a mosque. We have been told that we are not able to wear safety boots and only flip-flops would be acceptable.
Coul anyone please advise what regulations/alternatives etc exist and if anyone has any experience of working within a mosque.

There may well be other issues which I am not yet aware of.

Posted By Shane J
How much is the contract worth?

Cause if it's not worth more than a personal injuries claim then I'd advise your company to seek work elsewhere.


Your employer can't force you to work in unsafe conditions.

Safety footwear is something i feel very strong about. I spent three days with a shard of metal in my toe. It's not pleasant.

Posted By Garry Mcglaid
Ive always been interested in the outcome of any litigation that may come of head injuries sustained either on site or by a police officer wearing a turban as opposed to safety head wear.

Maybe im too cynical.

Posted By Stupendous Man
Quite simple - the client (mosque) cannot go tell the contractor not to wear PPE that has been deemed necessary.

Wear the safety boots.

Posted By Anwar Afzal
If your allowed to wear slippers/flip flops etc then you are allowed to wear Safety Boots.

Usually as a mark of respect shoes are taken off in the prayer area by worshippers.

However if you are undertaking work at the mosque then so long as you have clean dust sheets to cover the prayer mats & work does not disrupt prayer times then you should be ok.

Take into consideration that between 14th Sept & 16th October it is the month of Ramadhan and there is likely to be more presence in the mosque.

Good Luck

Posted By Seamus O Sullivan
Hi,
I dont have experience of working in a mosque but have experience of a famous singer insisting in a maintence persom(man) removing shoes and wearing some sort of slippers. Idea was to protect some marble floor. This was not acceptable and eventually this lady had to allow the man in with his shoes on( a few weeks later)

Servicing air conditioning units will require use of tools etc, and my view is that no one should endanger themselves by not wearing safety boots/shoes.
where are the condensers outside on the wall or on a rooftop? Why are the safety shoes not allowed, is it something to do with the floor or the religion, if because of the floor could the floor be protected with some material? and the safety shoes could then be used. I presume the work will take place in the UK.
seamus

Posted By Jay Joshi
It may be useful if you discussed this with someone in authority at the place of worship, i.e. the mosque, about the situation and how best to have safe working AND to the best of your ability, trying to take into consideration the sensitivities involved.

I am no expert in matter relating to mosques, but it appears that any footwear from "outside" that has been soiled by whatever we walk on public roads is conssidered "unclean"
You my get around the problem by getting new unsoiled safety shoes that are only worn in the mosques "clean areas" (charge the client for it!).

I am assuming that you may hav been told about the flip flops as worshippers remove their shoes and use the so called "clean" fip flops that are provided by the mosques or go bare-foot after the customary cleansing ritual.

Posted By Seamus O Sullivan
Thank you Peter for clarifying the point about the removal of the shoes, I was not aware of the exact reason for the removal of the shoes.

As stated I said I do not have experience in working in a Mosque.

I did study Sharia law as part of my law degree,and do now appreciate the reasons for the removal of the shoes.

But is it safe to work without safety shoes ? Considering the planned work I do not think so.

Best speak to the Imam (leader in the mosque)and explain the situation.

Seamus