If they wish to continue to serve in the field, the firefighters of Saint-Etienne (Loire) will therefore have to shave well. This is the decision rendered by the Council of State, which was taken by seven professional firefighters, suspended last February because of their beards, reports Progress this Thursday, November 7, 2024. This was their last administrative appeal, after the rejection of their request for annulment by the administrative court of Lyon, last March.
The tightness of masks
This disciplinary sanction was based on the internal regulations of the SDIS, which stipulate that the presence of hair on the face can compromise the tightness of protective masks, thus exposing firefighters to toxic fumes during interventions.
The Parisian magistrates rejected the appeal, ruling that it was sufficient for the firefighters to comply with the instructions of their hierarchy. The lawyer for the firefighters, for her part, maintained that“no scientific data proves that wearing a beard, mustache, goatee or sideburns has an impact on the effectiveness of protective masks”note our colleagues from the local media.
To find out more: read the article of Progress
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