Posties were fuming today after being banned from wearing shorts under barmy health and safety rules – because they might get frostbite.
More than 200 postmen have been told they are not allowed to wear shorts in the winter – and must don standard issue trousers instead.
Delivery workers say the ban has been brought after just one postman fell over during last month’s cold snap and grazed his leg.
The shorts ban has been introduced following a health and safety ruling by bosses at the Royal Mail depot in Swindon Road, Cheltenham, Glos.
But posties at the depot say they prefer to wear shorts during their ten mile-long rounds in all weathers – to keep their legs cool.
One, who asked not to be named, said angry staff members will be contacting the Communication Workers’ Union if the barmy ban continues.
He said: “We’re all disgusted about it. I find wearing shorts much more comfortable as I feel more restricted in trousers and my legs do get warm.
“There’s an agreement between Royal Mail and the union which stipulates the rules about uniforms and there’s nothing saying you can’t wear shorts.
“I’m very annoyed – I can’t stand wearing trousers when I’m on the go all the time.”
The ban came about when one postman fell over and grazed his leg with ice spikes that were attached to his boots for extra grip on icy footpaths.
Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said the ban was only introduced during the recent cold snap.
He said: “Our priority is for the health and safety of our staff and risks of frostbite and chapped skin should not be taken lightly.
“Following a local incident in which a colleague was injured in a fall, we advised our staff in the Cheltenham area not to wear shorts, to reduce the risk of injury during severe local weather.
“Now weather conditions have improved, our staff have been advised that this guidance is no longer relevant.”
Late in finding this item.
A shortist myself who was a victim of a longs school uniform before they were as universal as now, and count that an abuse of my body.
The spectrum of conditions related to autism and attention deficit involve heightened sensitivity towards fasbric and touch and body ehata ffected by active metabolism. Thes esenticities are teremd “sensory issues”. They make any dress code, ever, a human rights violation with a physical reality, an attack on the biology of folks in minority groups.
Too often big charities for medical causes function as self-interested institutions who prefer to tell politicians what they want to hear than to voice everything that the folks with the actual conditions say we need voiced. In work on autism related employment, this could have been broadcast a lot louder long before now, and got rid of dress codes not just for folks with autism but for everyone. Adults and kids. Everyone has their own sensitivities. Then the crisis for these workers would never have been possible.