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Lewis45677  
#1 Posted : 02 February 2010 20:39:17(UTC)
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Lewis45677

we have an office supervisor who walks around the office in stocking feet. What are the problems?
Alex Petrie  
#2 Posted : 02 February 2010 21:56:39(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Alex Petrie

Is that a serious question?
Lewis45677  
#3 Posted : 02 February 2010 22:00:14(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Lewis45677

Lewis45677 wrote:
we have an office supervisor who walks around the office in stocking feet. What are the problems?

Kate  
#4 Posted : 03 February 2010 08:20:09(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

My guess - the problem is that you don't like it.
DeeJay  
#5 Posted : 03 February 2010 08:25:00(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
DeeJay

Smelly feet?
Alan Haynes  
#6 Posted : 03 February 2010 09:42:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Alan Haynes


The quick answer is - is there any reason why he/she shouldn't do so?

Unless there are specific hazards against bare feet, there is really no reason to stop him/her
Sandan  
#7 Posted : 03 February 2010 12:20:31(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Sandan

You may need to ask the question as to why the person walks around in stockinged (sp?) feet. You may find there is a perfectly logical explanation (or not, as the case may be). I for one would like to wander without shoes at work but I am sensitive to other people's thoughts on the subject so don't. I often wander around my home in bare feet because I like to wiggle my toes with no constraints around them!! I buy comfortable shoes for work so that my feet feel ok.

Apart from the obvious problems of staples lying around and slipping on non-carpeted surfaces, there shouldn't be a problem.
kev3152  
#8 Posted : 03 February 2010 13:06:19(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
kev3152

Personally I wouldn't inflict my feet on my worst enemies, perish the thought I might traumatise my friends and colleagues - but to play Devil's Advocate .... 3 floors away from workstation, fire alarm sounds, nearest fire escape is external expamet staircase, snow and ice on ground. Whoops, is my face red (probably not, but blue feet much more likely). Suggest you stock up on Bazooka That Verruca and watch out for static discharge.
Squash  
#9 Posted : 03 February 2010 13:25:48(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Squash

My biggest questions would be...
What would the individuals response be to a fire alarm?
What affect does a manager doing this have on Safety Culture?
As mentioned above - anything around the floor that could cause unprotected feet harm?

If your answers to these are acceptable - then ok.
Invictus  
#10 Posted : 03 February 2010 14:49:01(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Invictus

Lewis45677 wrote:
we have an office supervisor who walks around the office in stocking feet. What are the problems?


Inform the supervisor that she should be wearing shoes as it does not happen to be an extension of their house.
If this culture becomes the norm everyone will be walking around without shoes. Put it in writing, and then at least if anything happens you can show evidence that you had at least attempted to resolve the issue.
User is suspended until 03/02/2041 16:43:28(UTC) IanBlenkharn  
#11 Posted : 03 February 2010 15:59:45(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
IanBlenkharn

farrell

What is your concern about this other than perhaps wanting to appoint yourself as the arbiter of matters sartorial?

Will you prohibit blue trousers with brown shoes? OK, that's possibly quite fair but do you want to issue a written warning about flowery neckties, denim or hoodies, perhaps to ban long skirts, or even short ones? And don't get the girls, or the boys, started on stilettos!

It sounds like you're stuck in the bad old days!
ckitson  
#12 Posted : 03 February 2010 17:16:05(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
ckitson

Lewis45677 wrote:
we have an office supervisor who walks around the office in stocking feet. What are the problems?


what colour are the socks / stockings ?
Invictus  
#13 Posted : 04 February 2010 07:57:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Invictus

Sorry,

didn't realise that only one point of view was aloud. you can attack my point of view all you want but try looking at the bigger picture and stop hiding behind the fact that people often see our role as annoying and meddling. If we continue to continually worry about what people think we will end up at the beginning.
Remember if someone gets hurt it will be due to the lack of safety and procedures. We will always get slagged off, as people will always argue that it was better in the good old days, before safety.

I was more interested in the culture, it's possible that if you allow people to walk around without shoes then it would be equally allowed for other employees to wear trainers instead of safety shoes. If you take into account what is expected from safety i.e. a person burns themselves on a urn with boiling water, they where making a cup of hot tea or coffee. The first question a solicitor will ask is did it have a sign warning of hot water. The answer no, does not go down well. It makes no difference that you need boiling water to make the drink. If you then drop this on your foot and don't have shoes on then you will in all possibilty lose the case because the culture was not to wear shoes.

If a person hurts their feet because they have not got shoes on, the first thing they will say is the safety officer or manager saw me and said nothing. I am not saying shoes or lack of them should be allowed, I don't care one way or the other, what I was saying was for the person just to cover themselves.

If you read any of my postings you will see that I do not agree with a lot of things that in my view are holding health and safety back. i.e. R/A's for making cups of tea, carrying trays with tea on, opening and closing doors.


sean  
#14 Posted : 04 February 2010 08:48:29(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Guest

Apologies in advance, just couldnt resist.

First of all i hope this thread wasnt posted to pull eveyones leg, i have put my heart & soul into H&S and do not like to be nosey, i try not to give a knee jerk reaction to any difficult situations that may arise, whereas there does seem to be a few of you out there who dont mind treading on others toes, personnally i do not point the finger, i wouldnt expect you to sit around twiddling your thumbs but to give this thread the elbow would be a bit limp wristed, use your head, bite your tongue, dont be cheeky, dont give it the elbow, and use your upper body weight to give them a shoulder barge if you feel that strongly.

And dont forget, to be forearmed is to be prepared!!!
Hally  
#15 Posted : 04 February 2010 08:52:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hally

Ensure the person is away from desk with no shoes on, then set fire alarm off for a drill and see what they do. Do they go out as they are OR more than likely they will walk all the way back to where the shoes are and put them on (whilst burning to death...)

We have the occasional person who doesn't sign in, we plan our fire drills around them to see if they pipe up "i'm here" to which we respond not according to the sign in board / clock machine etc etc
Alan Haynes  
#16 Posted : 04 February 2010 09:32:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Alan Haynes

Hally wrote:
We have the occasional person who doesn't sign in, we plan our fire drills around them to see if they pipe up "i'm here" to which we respond not according to the sign in board / clock machine etc etc


Does this approach do any good? [apart from show one of the failings of the 'sign in/out system]
Kate  
#17 Posted : 04 February 2010 16:19:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

So, if we must at all times be dressed for comfort in an evacuation, does that mean we all need to keep our winter coats on all day?
Dazzling Puddock  
#18 Posted : 04 February 2010 17:26:48(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Dazzling Puddock

I see the whole fire alarm scenario as nothing but a red herring!

What about those using the lavatory? Are we going to have to move W/Cs outside the building in case someone is seated whilst the fire alarm goes off?

I do not have enough information to give an opinion as to whether the wearing of stockinged only feet in this particular office environment would be suitable or not!
firesafety101  
#19 Posted : 04 February 2010 18:15:48(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Dazzling Puddock wrote:
I see the whole fire alarm scenario as nothing but a red herring!

What about those using the lavatory? Are we going to have to move W/Cs outside the building in case someone is seated whilst the fire alarm goes off?

Now there is a good point!

Does that person put shoes on to go to the loo? If not what happens if the floor is wet - you know what I mean?

If he/she does wear shoes for the loo ask why not wear them all the time.
Hally  
#20 Posted : 05 February 2010 11:59:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hally

Alan Haynes wrote:
Hally wrote:
We have the occasional person who doesn't sign in, we plan our fire drills around them to see if they pipe up "i'm here" to which we respond not according to the sign in board / clock machine etc etc


Does this approach do any good? [apart from show one of the failings of the 'sign in/out system]


Most of our sites are going fully clocking in card which is at the main exit where the in/out system is also based. Yes we still have people who forget to sign in and out, but if they do it with the new system it'll end up costing them as if they don't clock in they won't get paid etc etc (hopefully people will then remember to clock and sign in/out), mind it still will bring various problems for us as certain staff (myself included) are excluded from clocking in as we spend time away from the site we're based at.

Will see how it works over the coming months...
Hally  
#21 Posted : 05 February 2010 12:04:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hally

Kate wrote:
So, if we must at all times be dressed for comfort in an evacuation, does that mean we all need to keep our winter coats on all day?


I've no problem with staff having shoes off where they sit. I've had to do the same in the last couple of days due to having a swollen big toe (always got my safety boots on) but with the type of work we do, i'd be silly to walk around the office building in bare feet as such as we have mud / dust in office brough in by yard / factory staff at all sites espeically in the current weather.

I'm more intrigued if there was an emergency and they were 50 yards away and had to go outside in bare feet, what they would do. I'd say 99% of the time they'd rush back to get shoes etc before going out so there feet wouldn't get hurt or dirty...
jwk  
#22 Posted : 05 February 2010 12:09:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jwk

I don't know, this whole thing sounds like a dress-code issue to me, and it should be approached as such. I have to agree that being bare-foot may under certain circumstances marginally increase an individuals chance of injury, but really, 'H&S says you have to wear shoes'? I don't buy it.

OK, if this was outdoor (or even indoor) work with heavy liftting, or hot work, or lots of water or whatever, yes, make them wear shoes. But in an office if you want people to wear shoes come up with a dress code, consult on it, publish it and make people stick to it. This is HR, not H&S,

John
jwk  
#23 Posted : 05 February 2010 12:11:31(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jwk

Work backwards: you try and make them wear shoes for H&S purposes. They refuse. You sack them. They go for wrongful dismissal. Now persuade a tribunal that in not wearing shoes they were in breach of H&S law,

John
ianm69  
#24 Posted : 05 February 2010 13:06:27(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
ianm69

Its a HR issue to address re acceptable dress code. The supervisor doing it will encourage others to follow likewise.

HSE should only be concerned if; they get stamped on accidentally (honest), the get feet cut, or evacuation. Because if it happens, they will say 'everyone seen me and said nothing so I took it that it was accepted'. Besides, the ongoing costs of air freshners adds to the company's bottom line....................

Mind you, they may just wish to show off their manicured nails....
Alan Haynes  
#25 Posted : 05 February 2010 14:48:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Alan Haynes

jwk wrote:
Work backwards: you try and make them wear shoes for H&S purposes. They refuse. You sack them. They go for wrongful dismissal. Now persuade a tribunal that in not wearing shoes they were in breach of H&S law,

John


You fail - they get the payout
jwk  
#26 Posted : 05 February 2010 14:53:58(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jwk

Alan,

Spot on,

John
IsafeUsafe  
#27 Posted : 05 February 2010 15:16:39(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
IsafeUsafe

Would you catch the man on the clapham omnibus wearing shoes - i think you would...

Is it custom and practice....?

This is HR more than HS and I think it is reasonable to ask someone to wear shoes whilst walking around... under a desk i don't have a problem.
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