Dallas aldermen keep ban on shorts for Public Works workers, citing safety concerns

The Board of Aldermen on July 9 declined to change dress standards to permit Public Works employees to wear shorts.

Staff researched policies in nearby municipalities and found most do not permit shorts for field personnel; Human Resources, the Public Works Director and the Electric Director advised the board against allowing shorts for safety reasons. In a written submission included as Exhibit H, Town Safety Coordinator Debbie Lowery wrote that while "there is nothing in the OSHA standards that forbids wearing shorts," the OSHA personal protective-equipment standard (OSHA 1910.132) requires employers to ensure clothing protects workers from hazards encountered in the field. Lowery cited hazards such as flying debris during mowing, exposure to chemicals, and the risk of bites or punctures when walking through tall grass.

Given those safety concerns and the town's safety record, the board agreed to maintain the current standard and not allow shorts for field employees.