Mears in war of words with union over beard ban

Social housing construction and maintenance firm Mears is under fire from the Unite union over a ban on beards for some of its workers.

"Staff were told of the decision at a 'tool box talk' in Tower Hamlets, east London, that beards were now banned so that workers could 'wear appropriate dust masks effectively'," says The Guardian.

Mark Elkington, the company's group health and safety director, told Construction Enquirer that the ban "affects a very small percentage of our workers" who would be in an environment where they were required to wear a dust mask.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

He added: "The simple fact is that no dust mask can work effectively unless it forms a seal against the skin. That is not possible with a beard or even heavy stubble."

Exceptions will be made for people who cannot shave for medical or religious reasons, although a letter from a doctor or place of worship will need to be provided.

Unite's regional official for London Mark Soave has accused Mears of "hair-raising" arrogance. He suggests the policy was simply designed to save money.

He told the Guardian: "This is a highly delicate issue, which has huge cultural, religious and personal issues and where sensitivity should be the watchword. Instead members have been handed a decree from on high.

"This is clearly a case of Mears going for the cheapest option and amounts to penny-pinching stupidity. Other forms of masks are available and these should be offered to existing workers."

But the firm is standing by its decision, which it says was taken following a meeting of its health and safety executive.

The move is, at least in relation to the masks Mears currently uses, supported by Matthew Judson, technical director at the safety equipment specialist JSP.

He says "Mears cannot allow their staff to work if not properly protected.

"A mask cannot be tight-fitting on stubble, there really is no argument on that. If you want protecting you need to shave or use the powered devices."