Grooming Policy 2022.docx

**PURPOSE:** This policy establishes criteria for personal grooming, safety standards in grooming, and implementation procedures. **SCOPE:** This policy shall apply to all uniformed personnel of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department (KCFD). **Guidelines:** The grooming of uniformed personne...

**PURPOSE:** This policy establishes criteria for personal grooming, safety standards in grooming, and implementation procedures. **SCOPE:** This policy shall apply to all uniformed personnel of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department (KCFD). **Guidelines:** The grooming of uniformed personnel of the Department must be consistent with the conditions under which the uniformed personnel is employed. These standards are promulgated for the safety of all personnel, to foster esprit de corps, to enhance personnel morale, to affect a positive public image and to present a distinctive uniform appearance that assists the public in identifying KCFD personnel. Exceptions to this policy may be granted following the process outlined in Section 4.0 of this policy. It shall be each officer's responsibility to ensure that personnel under their command conform to the specifications outlined in this policy in a nondiscriminatory manner. **STANDARDS:** **[1.0 General Provisions]** The following standards apply to all uniformed personnel within the Fire Department. Position-specific standards are outlined in Section 2.0 and Section 3.0. 1.1 Tattoos shall not be displayed while on duty if they are profane or evocative. 1.2 Any uniformed personnel not assigned to a safety sensitive position below may wear one earring or gage in each ear. No other visible piercings are allowed. 1.3 Facial hair will be allowed as specified in this policy, otherwise personnel shall be clean shaven. Personnel with a medical reason may apply for reasonable accommodations to be excused from this subsection 1.3. a. Personnel with a reasonable accommodation shall be excused from the clean shaven requirement but must adhere to all other standards in this policy. 1.4 Cosmetics may be worn. Eccentric cosmetics which may attract undue attention or pose a safety risk are not permitted while in uniform. 1.5 Supplemental hair units may be worn on duty if they meet the prescribed requirements of this policy related to style, grooming and safety. See Section 2.0 for additional standards for fire suppression and safety sensitive positions such as paramedics and EMTs. 6. Hairstyles shall conform to the following standards: a. b. c. d. **[2.0 Standards; Fire Suppression Positions; Safety Sensitive Positions]** The following standards shall apply to personnel with job descriptions and functions that may require the use of any of the following equipment: a particulate filtering face piece (e.g., N95 respirator), turn-out personal protective equipment (PPE) or a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). All grooming shall comply with NFPA 1500-7.16 (See attached). 2.1 Facial hair, including mustaches, must be kept trimmed to the specified lengths at all times outlined in this Section 2.1: a. b. c. 2.2 Unless part of a beard, sideburns shall be worn in accordance with this Section 2.2: a. b. c. d. 2.3 Hair styles shall conform to the following standards: a. b. c. 2.4 Personnel that have improper or insecure fitting of required PPE, SCBAs, fire-resistive hood, or helmet (including gaps or exposure while wearing a hood) that restrict the safe performance of the duties of a first responder must be fit-tested. If the PPE is deemed to improperly fit, the personnel must take corrective measures to ensure proper fitting of PPE including getting a correctly sized helmet, fire-resistive hood, PPE, SCBAs, to ensure proper fitting. a. **[3.0 Non-Safety Sensitive Positions (work without the requirements listed under safety sensitive)]** The following standards shall apply to all personnel whose job functions do not require the use of a particulate filtering face piece (e.g.,N95 respirator), structural firefighting PPEs or a SCBA. 3.1 Facial hair must be kept trimmed to the specified lengths at all times outlined in this Section 3.1: a. Facial hair shall have a thickness equal to or less than one-half inch unless otherwise exempted according to Section 4.0 of this policy. b. Facial hair shall not wrap the crest of the jaw line beyond three-quarters of an inch unless otherwise exempted according to Section 4.0 of this policy. c. Eccentric facial hair which may attract undue attention are not permitted unless otherwise exempted according to Section 4.0 of this policy. 3.2 Unless part of a beard, sideburns shall be worn in accordance with this Section 3.2: a. Sideburns may extend any length up to the bottom of the earlobe. b. Sideburns that are not a part of a beard must end in a clean-shaven horizontal line unless exempted according to Section 4.0 of this policy. c. Sideburns must be kept trimmed at all times in accordance with Section 3.1 of this policy. d. Eccentric sideburns which may attract undue attention are not permitted unless otherwise exempted according to Section 4.0 of this policy. 3.3 Hair styles shall conform to the following standards: a. b. c. **[4.0 Exemptions; Reasonable Accommodations]** 4.1 Human Resources Department (HR): a. Personnel subject to this policy may file for reasonable accommodations to the HR director under the HR Policy Manual. Reasonable accommodations may include medical conditions such as *pseudo folliculitis barbae*. 1. Safety Sensitive Positions: HR shall review each reasonable accommodation request and make a final determination within three (3) business days of the submission. For safety sensitive positions a fit test will be requested. If an employee passes the fit test, an approval will be given. If an employee is not able to pass the fit test, the employee will be unable to work in their safety sensitive position but may be granted a different assignment. 2. Non-Safety Sensitive Positions: HR shall review each exemption filed and make a final determination as soon as practicable. b. Approved reasonable accommodations shall be effective immediately and placed in the personnel file for the duration of employment with the KCFD. 1. Personnel may voluntarily rescind a request for reasonable accommodations in accordance with HR Policy Manual. Voluntary withdrawal does not preclude KCFD personnel from re-filing for reasonable accommodations. 2. Personnel granted a reasonable accommodation may voluntarily comply with this policy including but not limited to: getting a haircut, changing hairstyle, or clean shaving. 3. At no time shall voluntary compliance result in a revocation of approved reasonable accommodations. The approved reasonable accommodation shall continue throughout the duration of personnel's employment with KCFD. 2. Civil Rights Equal Employment Office (CREOKC) a. Personnel subject to this policy may file for a grooming policy exemption based on the City's CROWN Act (including hair type or style) to CREOKC. 1. Safety Sensitive Positions: CREOKC shall review each grooming policy exemption filed and make a final determination within three (3) business days of the submission. 2. Non-Safety Sensitive Positions: CREOKC shall review each grooming policy exemption within ten (10) business days of the submission. 3. CREOKC shall only make determinations based on a request to review based on a protected classification and is not authorized to make determinations based on safety. Issues of safety shall be referred to the appropriate Fire Safety authority. i. If a safety issue is present and a safety assessment is needed, CREOKC will submit the safety issue to the appropriate KCFD fire safety authority and keep confidential the name of the personnel requesting the grooming policy exemption. ii. Personnel subject to this policy may file an exemption at any time. b. Approved personnel grooming policy exemptions shall be effective immediately and placed in the personnel file for the duration of their employment with the KCFD. 1. Personnel may voluntarily rescind a request for reasonable accommodations. Voluntary withdrawal based on racial characteristics must be accompanied by a notarized statement. 2. Personnel granted a reasonable accommodation may voluntarily comply with this policy including but not limited to: getting a haircut, changing hairstyle, or clean shaving. 3. At no time shall voluntary compliance result in a revocation of approved grooming policy exemption. The approved grooming policy exemption shall continue throughout the duration of personnel's employment with KCFD. 3. **[No Retaliation]** Nothing in this policy shall supersede personnel right to file discrimination complaints directly to the City's Human Resources Department or to the EEOC pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. **NFPA Standard 1500-7.16** **7.16 Using Respiratory Protection.** **7.16.1 ** Respirators shall not be worn when a member has any conditions that prevent a good face seal. **7.16.2 ** Nothing shall be allowed to enter or pass through the area where the respiratory protection facepiece is designed to seal with the face, regardless of the specific fitting test measurement that can be obtained. **7.16.3 [[\*]](https://codesonline.nfpa.org/freeaccess/df4242b82d154ddbbb0bc235608c7a62) ** Members who have a beard or facial hair at any point where the facepiece is designed to seal with the face or whose hair could interfere with the operation of the unit shall not be permitted to use respiratory protection at emergency incidents or in hazardous or potentially hazardous atmospheres. **7.16.3.1 ** These restrictions shall apply regardless of the specific fitting test measurement that can be obtained under test conditions. **7.16.4 ** When a member must wear spectacles while using full facepiece respiratory protection, the facepiece shall be fitted with spectacles in such a manner that they shall not interfere with the facepiece-to-face seal. **7.16.5 [[\*]](https://codesonline.nfpa.org/freeaccess/df4242b82d154ddbbb0bc235608c7a62) ** Spectacles with any strap or temple bars that pass through the facepiece-to-face seal area shall be prohibited. **7.16.6 [[\*]](https://codesonline.nfpa.org/freeaccess/df4242b82d154ddbbb0bc235608c7a62) ** Use of contact lenses shall be permitted during full facepiece respiratory protection use, provided that the member has previously demonstrated successful long-term contact lens use. **7.16.7 ** Any head covering that passes between the sealing surface of the respiratory protection facepiece and the member\'s face shall be prohibited. **7.16.8 ** The respiratory protection facepiece and head harness with straps shall be worn under the protective hoods. **7.16.9 ** The respiratory protection facepiece and head harness with straps shall be worn under the head protection of any hazardous chemical-protective clothing. **7.16.10 ** Helmets shall not interfere with the respiratory protection facepiece-to-face seal.