News

CODE RED – Duty Wear Shorts

September 30, 2025

Published 26 September 2025

CODE RED – Duty Wear Shorts

With warmer weather well and truly upon us, and in the interest of health and safety, the FBEU is once again taking action where the Department will not, this time by ensuring you are able to wear shorts in the workplace to combat the potential for heat related illness.

For years now the FBEU has been working in good faith with the Department to secure agreement for our members to wear duty wear shorts, but with the Department now playing games with the proposal and refusing to engage in good faith, it has reached a point where we need to take action. Other states have safely implemented duty wear shorts with no adverse safety outcomes.

Effective immediately, all members are instructed that, if they wish, they may wear black cargo-style shorts consistent with the FRNSW Operational Duty Wear Short Work Instructions which can be found here.

This direction applies to all station and non-station based members where the wearing of duty shorts is appropriate and safe. Members are reminded that the Department has issued guidance permitting the wearing of black duty wear shorts during an extended trial and evaluation by operational fire fighters, with this instruction in full compliance with that guidance.

This instruction will remain in place until otherwise advised by the State Secretary.

Members are encouraged to exercise this option as needed to manage heat and maintain comfort during operational and station duties.

 

In Unity,

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

Click here to download a printable version of this Code Red