- Fire Brigades Union slams “chronic management inaction” to safeguard firefighters’ dignity at work, as Kent Fire Service defends ‘stripping off’ practice
- Kent Fire Chief defends practice, having initially denied it
- Union writes to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services after National Fire Chiefs Council and Fire Minister fail to intervene
The Fire Brigades Union has today written to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), after it emerged that firefighters in Kent were stripping down to their underwear in full view of colleagues and the public. (Full text of letter below).
The union has slammed “chronic management inaction” on equalities and dignity in the workplace.
In May, the FBU’s Kent Brigade Secretary wrote to Kent Fire Chief Ann Millington to complain that firefighters were “on regular occasion stripping down to their underwear in full view of all prior to donning fire kit when attending operational incidents.” This followed concerns that were raised with the union via its National Women’s Committee.
Responding to the letter, Ann Millington dismissed the reports as the product of a “rumour” raised in a different Fire and Rescue Service. She also appeared to defend the practice, stating that stripping down to underwear could prevent overheating.
However, the Fire Brigades Union has confirmed that the practice is being used. As far as the FBU is aware, it is not accepted in any Fire and Rescue Service in the UK outside of Kent, and could have a negative impact on protection from toxic fire contaminants.
In June, the union raised the matter with the National Fire Chiefs Council chair Mark Hardingham and the Fire Minister Chris Philp. In their responses, neither the Minister nor the NFCC chair directly addressed the issue.
The FBU has now written to His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to raise the matter. The HMICFRS failed to spot the practice of stripping off in its latest report, which said that Kent Fire Service was “outstanding at promoting the right values and culture”.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
Fire stations are workplaces – and it is unacceptable that firefighters are being put in the position of stripping down to their underwear in full view of colleagues, or even the public.
As far as we are aware, Kent is the only Fire and Rescue Service in which this practice takes place.
The blame for this situation lies squarely with Kent Fire and Rescue Service senior leadership, who have normalised the practice, not with firefighters on the front line.
It is naïve at best for the Chief Fire Officer to argue that no complaints have been made. As HMICFRS has noted, many people are reluctant to report situations and behaviours for fear of a hostile reaction, a refusal to act or attempts to dismiss their concerns.
We need a proactive approach to championing equality and tackling discrimination in the Fire and Rescue Service.
But this episode demonstrates chronic management inaction. The problems in the Fire Service go right to the top.
Dismissiveness and defensiveness on the part of a Chief Fire Officer, and a circling of the wagons by the National Fire Chiefs Council, mean that we have no option but to go public and shine a light on this unnecessary, degrading practice.
While the leadership of the Fire and Rescue Sector fails firefighters, the Fire Brigades Union will lead the way in fighting for equality in our sector.”
ENDS
NOTES
1. For more information contact [email protected] or ring 07964791663
2. Correspondence between the FBU and KFRS is available on request
3. The FBU’s letter to HMICFRS is as follows:
Kent Fire & Rescue Service Practice
This is to bring to your attention an extremely inappropriate, unacceptable and unsafe practice being carried out in Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) which has been raised with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) through our National Womens’ Committee (NWC). This involves firefighters stripping down to their underwear prior to donning their fire kit (Firefighting PPE). This is being done in the workplace and in full sight of colleagues, and at times, the public. To be clear, this is not common practice elsewhere; the accepted practice is that fire kit is donned over cotton workwear (t-shirt and trousers).
On closer investigation, and confirmed in the attached correspondence, this is a practice permitted by KFRS policy and senior management.
The matter was raised immediately through the correct and usual channels by local officials as you will see in the attached correspondence. It is with regret that the Chief Executive of KFRS has chosen to dismiss the concerns raised by her staff through their union as simple rumour. She appeared to have done so at the time without any investigation into the existence or prevalence of the practice that is reported.
Furthermore, she sets out clearly her support for the practice of stripping down to underwear to don PPE, although she offers no evidence to support this position on the grounds of health & safety. She further denies, more than once, that the practice is carried out in sight of others. Our comments on this are set out in the attached correspondence.
Following the Chief Executive’s denial, FBU officials visited a KFRS workplace and witnessed first-hand the practice being carried in full sight. This is a simple exercise the Chief Executive or one of her managers could have also carried out. To be clear, there is no doubt that this practice is ongoing in KFRS.
KFRS appear to be suggesting the lack of previous concerns reported locally in some way validates the practice. It is widely understood and supported by research, that the absence of reporting to an employer does not mean the absence of a problem. For example, a recent research report produced by the TUC showed that four out of five women do not report issues of concern in the workplace to their employer, often because of the well-founded fear of reprisal and further victimisation. Fear of raising concerns was also reported in the HMICFRS report into values and culture in fire and rescue services published 30 March this year. Given the tone of the KFRS Chief Executive’s responses to us on this matter, it is clear why staff may not feel comfortable raising the same concern.
It is therefore extremely disappointing to see KFRS Chief Executive, also a lead figure in the NFCC, simply dismiss the concerns raised as ‘a rumour raised in another service’. This is not only factually incorrect but also highlights the very cultural problems we are trying to eradicate from the FRS on matters such as these, especially around reporting. Individuals, for whatever reason, have felt more comfortable raising these issues through their union than with their employer or in an employer led forum and it is highly inappropriate for the Chief Executive to label this as ‘unacceptable’.
It is unclear the extent to which removing an entire barrier to exposures will adversely affect the health of firefighters but cotton workwear can and does act as a partial filter preventing some contaminants being absorbed through the skin and causing harm. KFRS, although referencing scientific studies, are yet to provide any evidence this has been considered or risk assessed suitably and sufficiently.
I am writing to you as your inspectors have previously visited and inspected KFRS and as a result of their findings graded the service as ‘good’ at looking after its people. Can you please confirm if your inspectors assigned this grading in the knowledge of the practice in question, or if they in fact failed to uncover it during their inspection?
In closing, an employee may feel it is appropriate to strip down to underwear in front of colleagues because it is accepted and promoted custom and practice by KFRS senior management, or they may feel pressured to do so regardless of personal concerns and discomfort, for fear of standing out. Either way the equality, inclusion, safety and professional reputation concerns should be clear to all.
Yours sincerely
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
