Employee Hair Issue

LindaS

We are a manufacturing facility and our current Safety Regulations state that any employee whose hair can be tied back needs to be. We have one employee who has waist length hair whose job entails constant adjusting of machines with several moving parts. She braids her hair each day so technically it is tied back but because it is so long, it falls forward whenever she bends down and I feel it is a safety hazard. The Safety Committee has expressed concerns so I talked to her last week and voiced my concerns. Her response was that she is always conscious of where her hair is and knows how far she can bend, etc. before it falls forward and does not feel it poses any hazard.

At a former company I had a female employee get 1/2 her head of hair ripped out from it being caught in a machine so maybe I'm just being paranoid. What you you guys think? Should I force the issue or leave it alone since she is technically following the rules?

Don D

I think you should force the issue. Tied BACK means TIED BACK, not braided and falling side to side or forward. For her safety and your company pocketbook, insist that her hair be restrained behind her head at all times and unable to fall over the shoulder or swing from side to side. If she insists on playing a game, apply your progressive discipline and terminate her if its not resolved.

lorrie

I would change the rule to be more specific so that hair must be fastened in such a way as to not create a safety hazard for the employee or for others. In some situations this might mean simply braided, in others it might mean put up in a bun or otherwise held up so it is not below the shoulders. The specifics should be established for each position, not each person, and the safety manager should work with the supervisor for each position to determine what is appropriate.

I would not wait for an accident to occur. If common sense tells you this does not seem safe then you should take action.

Balloonman

Don D. is right on........the fact is it is not up to her to make this determination, it is the company that decides. The fact is the safety committee already has expressed their concerns. Your fear of another scalping is not unfounded, and is a horrible thing to have happen to anyone. Actually being braided could make it worse, as it guarentees that is the braid gets caught half of her head will be involved.
You need to sit down with her and have ready what you consider unacceptable, and what she needs to do. When she starts saying she is concious of her hair etc., say that is good but it is not acceptable here is what you must do to be in compliance.
Then if she refuses start the progressive discipline. Better to fire her than to allow her to seriously injure herself. After the first write up make that clear. You are willing to fire her for not complying, as you cannot in good faith let her work in a way that can potentially seriously injure her.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

LindaS

Thank you for the information. Do you think I should change the current Safety Regulations to read something like, "hair must be tied back so as not to allow it to fall forward over the shoulder" before I begin this process?

SDDCHR

Definetly force the issue!!!

Margaret Morford

I wouldn't keep re-working the policy to fit all situations. Just word the policy to say that hair must be tied back so that it doesn't represent a safety hazard. Tell you employee that the current loose braid represents a safety hazard, so she must do someting else to restrain her braid. Pin it up on her head, drop the braid down the back of whatever shirt she has on, etc. Let her choose the method, but tell her keeping track of it does not meet the guideline. Don't fight with her. Give her a choice in how she does it as long as she meets the safety hazard concern. Make it clear that the company is the last word on what is or is not a safety hazard.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

sonny

It's not tied BACK if it falls FORWARD. Force the issue. I'd rather have her ticked than hair, or worse head-less.

pecohr

I recently ran into a similar situation with an ee wearing high heels (often refered to as hooker heels)x:-8 in our manufacturing facility. When I talked with her about them she said that she had no problem walking in them and that they were her prefered shoe. I explained that they posed a safety hazard to her and sent her home, much to her chagrin, to change. She has been a little sheepish lately after stumbling (off work) and damaging ankle... I feel bad for her but I'm glad it didn't happen here!

I heard it somewhere and this is definitely a situation that demonstrates it "common sense is not common". Tell this ee that no matter how she feels on this subject you are going to act in her best interest and enforce your safety rule/s by making her restrain her locks. She will thank you in the long run.

Stuart

Rockie

If YOU consider it a safety hazard, then the employee should comply with the rule of tying the hair back so that it doesn't fall forward,maybe into the machine. If this happened, you can bet your bottom dollar that the employee would be suing you.

Whatever

Since this is a safety issue, give her direct order on what do with her hair. If she doesn't comply, it is insubordination and subject to your company rules.

njjel

Force the issue and do it quickly before you have a w.c. claim on your hands!

LindaS

Thanks for all your responses. After speaking with both the Plant Manager and her supervisor it was agreed that her hair poses a significant safety hazard. She was instructed to restrain her hair in a manner that does not allow it to fall forward. The supervisor agreed to "keep an eye on her" and he was instructed, by me, that if she does not comply, progressive discipline will occur. As far as our current Safety Regulations, the hair issue is something that is going to be addressed, again, at the next meeting.

LFernandes

We require hair nets to be worn in our Manufacturing Facility. No loose hair can be sticking out of the hairnet. Both men and women are required to wear them - period. That may be one way to get her to tie her hair back.