Clean Shaven Face Enforceable for Respirators

The Tasmanian Fair Work Commission (FWC) has confirmed the right of employers to enforce a clean (shaven) face safety rule for workers required to wear respirators, especially where serious health risks are imminent if the respirator is ineffective.

TasWater, the employer in question, explained to the commission that workers were required to enter treatment plants and pump stations where they could be exposed to chlorine, concentrated carbon dioxide and airborne pathogens. Other workers are sometimes required to cut through concrete and bricks, to access or repair water systems, which could release hazardous asbestos or silica dust.

We all know wearing respirators can be hot and uncomfortable and interfere with easy communication. Ideally employers should adopt work practices and processes that contain the dust or respiratory hazards, thus avoiding the need for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators.

However, many tasks in the water industry involve repairing leaking pipes in situ and working in proximity to hazardous water treatment chemicals, thus making PPE essential.

The union involved, CEPU, argued that alternate types of respiratory protection should be provided which doesn’t require a clean shaven face to ensure a good airtight seal, such as air supplied helmets.

The FWC accepted alternatives might be available, but the CEPU failed to provide any conclusive evidence that they would be effective or suitable for the TasWater circumstances.

Therefore, the outcome of this case applies to TasWater work environments and circumstances, and other means of controlling exposure to harmful respiratory hazards may be appropriate for different workplaces.