Women's Shoes and Health & Safety

Forcing women to wear high-heeled shoes at work is considered only under discrimination arguments. Nothing has been discussed from a health and safety point of view.
   Shoes can be dangerous (especially women's high heels). There can be no argument that some designs are a disaster.

It must be illegal to demand that
an individual must cause potential

self-harm or face dismissal

   Common decency and fairness should be enough to see that such a demand is wrong. Why men are not forced to wear high heels is a reasonable rhetorical question even in just a tongue-in-cheek manner.

   It is quite clear that such an attitude has no place in society (never did - DA) and the attempt to coerce someone to perform an act of grievous bodily harm to themselves is a nonsense. Actually, it is also nauseating and nasty.

   Sexist? Definitely.

   To have a dress-code (Vogue) is reasonable to ensure the individual represents the employer in a favorable light. Smart clothes do not require dangerous footwear.

   Bodyweight forces the foot into the shoe. Bunions and hammer toes can result. Sprained ankles are also to be expected.

No surprises

   A risk assessment of the 'request' needs to be done to show there is a work requirement for such an order and this can be used in any future legal action that results. Not simply because "it looks good".
   To attempt to defend this position in court (where it will inevitably find itself - DA) is very short-sighted. And ridiculous (laughably so - DA).
   Sensible flattish footwear can look very smart, not smutty like telling a woman to unbutton her blouse or wear a shorter skirt. Even British Airways (BA) has come under heavy criticism.
    A woman can appear and feel rather different to that which is anticipated by an employer.

The whole affair is destined to backfire

   Watch this space