Most other places the employees would have already pointed-out the problem....

As this is an apprentice they would normally be subject to regular review which should be internal as well as conducted with the training provider.

The softly approach is probably little more than a passing comment likely not to have registered with the individual.

If the aroma is so powerful to drive others from working with the apprentice personally I would invoke a discussion regarding the assignment of supervision - formally sit down with the apprentice and make them aware that close supervision has an issue supporting their continued employment, provide opportunity to discuss if domestic circumstances have altered resulting in this change from the individual who passed the apprenticeship interview (bereavement, break down of the family unit, medical condition, moving to a home overrun with cats, home washing machine broken down etc) and based upon this open discourse conclude a plan of action.

You could refer them to the company dress code if you have one - whilst these generally do not directly address personal odour many do state the unacceptability of overpowering stench in the form of colognes and perfumes.

If you are not providing adequate supervision the apprentice and their colleagues are at risk of serious injury.

Guys... You need to be aware that there are health conditions that can cause extremely unpleasant odour issues... It is NOT necessarily a personal hygiene issue! I used to work with a guy who showered three times a day and still had issues. If this is the case here you need to be very careful, since it could be considered a disability.... If this is the case, then there is a very good chance the sufferer already knows it. I forget the final solution, but a bit of understanding from everyone concerned goes a hell of a long way!

#4 'moving to a home overrun with cats', Love it not sure were it came from but it must be from experience.

Just talk to him, explain the situtaion but try not to embarass him. This could also be seen as bullying by his colleagues who refuse to work with him. See if he has a relationship with a colleague who could perhaps support the discussion.

I came across a problem like this in my days in operations management. One operative definitely had problems, and it was causing friction with his colleagues. I had to sit him down and have a frank discussion about it, as it is all too easy to talk around it so as not to cause offense, but that doesn't actually achieve anything. His personal hygiene wasn't really the basic issue, it was the clothes he wore that didn't seem to get cleaned often enough. I did include in the discussion the possibility that there might be a medical issue involved for his clothes to get that smelly, and what he could do about this. As long as you are objective about it, it shouldn't be a problem. I didn't really have the option of HR, as they were based many miles away and it was really down to me to sort out most issues, today it would probably be different.

Once you have got the subject out in the open, you can then start to discuss targets for improvement, which will come in useful if things don't improve and you have to move to disciplinary action.

People also become used to smells and he may not be that aware, ie smokers do not always realise their cloths smell of smoke, or similarly dog /cat owners can not always smell their animals on themselves, but others can.

I note this person is an apprentice and has to wear overalls. Traditionaly apprentices get all the horrid jobs, which may contaminate their clothing, or make them sweat more than others if it is very physical.

For all we know they are buying some knock off deoderant from the local market that turns out smells like cat pee, but they think they are doing good.

Before talking to others and embarising the person more than needed, I would be straight with the person.

I would also make your own assessment if they actually do smell badly. I guess they do as other managers have been involved, but I would want to confirm.

I have actually encountered somebody with a medical condition causing body odour. He got on a bus which immediately filled (and I mean filled) with an overpowering stench of rotten fish (or as near as damn it). This was some years ago and that particular condition may have succumbed to medical advances, but I'll tell you know I would have found it very difficult to have worked with him,

John

Thanks Phil for understating the power of distraction as a causation factor in accidents.

Member of the public with broken bones after being struck by a tram driver who was distracted
http://www.manchestereve...ho-knocked-down-10574167

Recent train crash in Germany where the signal controller was playing a video game rather than controlling the movement of trains

Distractions take many forms including pungent and/or offensive aromas.

In the education environment I recall a fellow chemistry student stumbling over a lab chair and breaking her ankle attempting to escape a nasty niff from an experiment gone awry (no smell=no panic=no injury).

If the apprentice isn't being correctly supervised they could directly injure themselves e.g. drawn into a lathe due to lack of instruction and guidance.

If others around them aren't concentrating e.g. by gesticulating to other employees behind the apprentices back...

Sacked for being smelly - not the direct issue rather the continued lack of supervision if the apprentice fails to co-operate with the employer to ensure the presence of a supervisor it "could" constitute grounds to end their contract.

But then again from personal experience I have had the miss-fortune of a contract that forbade consumption of garlic (and other pungent food stuffs) from Sunday through Thursday so as not to offend clients the following day - this was part of the company dress code devised by Sales & Marketing (not H&S).

Whilst this H&S forum frequently drifts in to HR issues as in this post I don;t think it is fair to say we are laughable for trying to assist by providing our life experience.

Invictus - moving to a home with cats is as you surmised a personal experience with surprisingly an apprentice. The lad had to move in with his grandmother whose several cats chose the ironing basket as their toilet unfortunately as others have noted the affected individual became "nose blind" to the aroma in their home.

The link has nothing to do with distraction from a smell! Come on people, what complete and utter! It has been embarassing for years with conkers bonkers and all that, now serious injury because a colleague has an odour????

A
if U are soley a H&S bod then hand the subject over to HR/production as its not an obvious H&S area

When I was in production I came across this and similar very personal problems & as the managers I had to manage and tackling the problem on a face to face basis is the only way

Good morning all,

There are 6 apprentices from 1st years through to 4th years in this particular area, their has been instances of bullying which in turn one action had been taken has led to a reluctance to broach certain topics.

The chap is in his 3rd year, works well with the tasks he is given and there are no known medical problems / issues and nothing highlighted by the occupational nurse he see every six months

From the advice above and hopefully my own common sense I have taken the following action:

Reviewed all of the apprentices overalls, each one should have 3 pairs that are cleaned externally, at the same time we changed locks for those that had lost keys and checked sizes. most start with us at 16 and soon grow out of those issued.

We have 103 apprentices at the moment so its taken most of the week in and around normal duties.

I have only been with the company 10 months so most of my contact has been with the first years, I used this to catch up with each of them as I will soon be undertaking plant instruction with years 3 & 4.

Whilst checking on the general state of his overalls, I talked though in general terms how his NVQ was going, what did he get up to outside of work, had he moved out ect

I will be sitting down with him this afternoon to order new overalls so will broach the subject with him one on one, is there health issues ect, the job he undertakes is relatively clean.

Thanks for your help

Regards

Angelo