Ad
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Bricklayers Find Clever and Funny Way Round ‘No Shorts’ Ruling

ADVERTISEMENT

The weather has been pretty hot up and down the country in the UK in recent months it’s fair to say. In actual fact, pretty hot is putting it lightly to say the very least. Anyone that works outside would probably appreciate how some brickies felt when their boss told them not to wear shorts at work, even though it was a whopping 26 degrees Celsius. What would you do if you were told the same? In a hilarious twist, perhaps you should take a leaf out of those brickies books..

The brickies were told they were not permitted to wear shorts, even in weather so hot that it was uncomfortable for them to work in jeans and other work trousers. The brickies, who were based at a construction site in the town of Chertsey in Surrey, almost contemplated looking for other work until they found a way around the ruling with a truly ingenious, and let’s face it, funny move.

Brickies Find An Ingenious Loophole to the Ruling

Proving that there is more to brickies than meets the eye, they discovered a way round, what they saw as unfair rules, by using the gender equality regulations to their benefit. How did they do it?

The clever chaps turned up to work wearing a stunning array of women’s summer frocks and dresses. As well as using the gender equality regulations, they also took inspiration from stories involving schoolboys who have done similar at their school, where similar rules have been upheld about wearing shorts.

The fellas, who were working at Bellway Homes construction site, turned up wearing an assortment of dresses and skirts. Simon Miles wore a denim skirt belonging to his wife, stating that he was going to find another job and that many of his colleagues were really finding it uncomfortable and difficult to work in jeans. That was until he and the rest of his workmates realised that as there were female employees that worked in the office on site who obviously wore skirts and dresses, that they couldn’t possibly do anything if the brickies did the same.

Bricklayers Loved Their Skirts and Dresses

Adam Houdoire, one of Miles’ colleagues opted for a budget option of a supermarket £10 dress. Houdoire curiously said something we never thought a bricklayer would say about woman’s clothing – that he loved it and felt that it gave him a lot more freedom to work more comfortably than he would have been able to in jeans or other forms of trousers.

In a strange reversal of roles, Miles also noted that he had been wolf-whistled by a man, suggesting that he had never experienced that before.  Joking aside, we feel that this funny little tale gives insight to a more serious issue. If bricklayers and other construction site employees have to work in hot climates and we want them to do the best work they can, does it not make sense to allow some leeway with regards to the health and safety regulations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Categories

Latest news

China joins IASA as global membership continues to expand

China has become the latest country to join the International Access and Scaffolding Association (IASA), following the China Formwork and Scaffold Association’s decision to...

UK construction growth cut to 1.7% as housing sector weakens

Growth in the UK construction industry has been downgraded to 1.7% for 2026, almost half the figure predicted three months ago. The Construction Products Association...

Rainham, Zenith and TEi join new industrial services group Coriant

Rainham, Zenith and TEi have announced they are joining Coriant, a newly established UK-based industrial and infrastructure maintenance services group. The launch of Coriant follows...

Lawyer doubles salary after switching to scaffolding career

A former solicitor has nearly doubled her income after leaving the legal profession to work in scaffolding. Mollie Pollard, 33, from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, joined Attridge...

Scaffold Resource claims back-to-back victory at US Championship

A Maryland-based scaffolding company has successfully defended its championship title at the United States' most prestigious scaffold building competition, held at the World of...

JR Scaffold Services supports restoration of 19th-century church in Houston

One of Scotland’s largest scaffolding contractors, JR Scaffold Services, has completed a specialist access installation to support restoration works at St Fillan’s Church. The 19th-century...

NASC and CISRS to launch new digital platform and mobile app

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation and the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme are set to move to a new digital infrastructure on Monday,...

AT-PAC Ringlock supports Qatar’s longest zipline installation

AT-PAC Ringlock has been used to support what the project team described as the longest zipline installation ever constructed in Qatar, spanning approximately 200...

Inner City Scaffolding appoints new managing director

Inner City Scaffolding, a London-based scaffolding contractor working across commercial and urban construction projects, has appointed Ben Ramsey as its new managing director. The appointment...

POP UP Products marks 20 years in business

Access equipment manufacturer POP UP Products is marking its 20th anniversary in 2026, with a programme of events planned across the year. The Deeside-based company...

Latest news

ADVERTISEMENT

Magazine

Winter Issue #28 | Past issues >>

Popular

Lawyer doubles salary after switching to scaffolding career

A former solicitor has nearly doubled her income after...

NASC and CISRS to launch new digital platform and mobile app

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation and the Construction...

Scaffold Resource claims back-to-back victory at US Championship

A Maryland-based scaffolding company has successfully defended its championship...

JR Scaffold Services supports restoration of 19th-century church in Houston

One of Scotland’s largest scaffolding contractors, JR Scaffold Services,...

AT-PAC Ringlock supports Qatar’s longest zipline installation

AT-PAC Ringlock has been used to support what the...

Related articles

ADVERTISEMENTS

Latest topics

HAKI opens new Swiss subsidiary to support regional growth

The HAKI Group has launched HAKI Safety SA, based...

China joins IASA as global membership continues to expand

China has become the latest country to join the...

UK construction growth cut to 1.7% as housing sector weakens

Growth in the UK construction industry has been downgraded...

Rainham, Zenith and TEi join new industrial services group Coriant

Rainham, Zenith and TEi have announced they are joining...
ADVERTISEMENTS