osha, kilts, and construction

[Chris Webb]

I work in Residential Construction, occassionally in Commercial Construction. I wear a kilt everyday.

I've been in construction for 14 years and have never heard of OSHA giving grief to anyone in Residential construction over what they wear. As someone else has already said, OSHA normally focuses their attention on larger works sites where heavy equipment is used, deep ditches are being dug, etc. OSHA is concerned about jobsite safety and is not likely to care what you are wearing other than what common sense dictates.

Wearing a kilt every day does have drawbacks that I live with. Sometimes I wear underwear just to add a bit of protection to my pieces parts. 2 weeks ago I got into Poison Ivy and was cursing my kilt for over a week, if you know what I mean. I haven't gone Regimental on the job sense.

My advice is this: Don't let anybody stop you from wearing your kilt ... use your own best judgement for when not to. OSHA regulations have a 'spirit' about them, so if you are keeping within the 'spirit' of their safety regs chances are you'll be just fine.

Of course, you're on your own if you get a ticket. LOL!!

Chris Webb

[Jerry]

In the chemical plant where I worked, we had a lot of regulations covering everything from beards to acceptable clothing. But most of those only applied to contractors if they were actually out in the plant, not those who just came to the store room or warehouse. However, I'm sure a trucker who was loading ammonium Sulfate would have been required to stay in his truck were he to wear a kilt into the plant. The amount of time spent in operating areas also had some effect on the rules. As an instrument mechanic who spent a lot of time out in areas with large rotating machinery and hazardous chemicals, I could have never worn a kilt at work. But women who worked in some of the office buildinds were allowed to wear open toed shoes, and skirts or dresses even though they had to pass very close to operating areas with very hazardous materials, because they were only passing through, and were in those areas for a very limited time. The only thing about a wool kilt which would have been acceptable would be the wool. Man made fibers (even though we were a manufacturer of raw materials to make nylon) were not allowed. Most of these were plant rules and like some have said, went further than OSHA does. One of the dumbest things that ever happened to me was a moustache check. One of the top dogs in the maintanance department went around with a pocket ruler and a hand drawn picturechecking the length of moustaches against it. I was told to trim mine even though I had just passed a respirator fit test with no problems. We all filed a group grievance, and at the third stage, the head of maintance and the plant manager got involved. A few who did have trouble passing fit tests had to trim a bit, but the idiot had to apologize to everyone for the ruler thing. So, even with stringent rules, enforcement can go too far.

[David Thornton]

In the old system, OSHA did concentrate on commercial construction. That is not necessarily still the case. Here in Kentucky KY OSH has hires 26 dedicated residential inspectors, so don't assume you fly under the radar just by virtue of being a residential builder.

One place shorts, and by extension kilts, are banned from concrete jobs. Chemical burns are a known hazard, so bare legs are banned. If there is no hazard, you would be OK, just know the hazards.

David

[yoippari]

Our company is pretty small. There is the boss, one office staff who has errends of his own to run, me the parts runner and guy who takes out the trash, and about a dozen plumbers.

My boss has pretty consistently poked fun at the kilt (to the point where I could likely threaten harassment if I really wanted) but has only said to wear pants on the one food production plant that we did. There I had to stay in the pickup if I had a kilt on. Otherwise, he has had no official problem with it.

I probably will e-mail and/or call the local OSHA office and see what the policy on uncovered legs for being on a work site is, though not actually working on site if it makes a difference.