Grampian Fire and Rescue dismissed Kevin Ogilvie on the grounds he posed a safety risk.

Now, the Fire Brigades Union has scheduled a strike vote for later in the summer over the matter.

The union says Ogilvie should have been reassigned instead of fired. It’s believed Ogilvie is the first Scottish fireman fired for being overweight.

Grampian Fire Assistant Chief Peter Murray said the service should not create a new job for a firefighter who was unfit for the job.

“The standards are pretty clear. We’ve got gyms in every one of our stations,” Murray said.

The assistant chief went on to say, ”The fitness policy is designed to protect the organization and the individual himself.”

A statement from Grampian Fire says it was forced to act after a “very long and arduous process of … consideration.”

Four years ago, her bosses at Covent Garden fired soprano Deborah Voigt for being too fat to play the part of Ariadne in Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos.”

In 2004, the casting director thought Voigt wouldn’t suit the “little black dress” he envisioned for the part.

Now, 120 pounds lighter after gastric bypass surgery, the same opera that fired her has invited her back for the part — and she’s accepted.

At the time she was fired, she wasn’t happy about the decision. But now, she tells Reuters “There’s no getting around the fact that the face of opera is changing.”

Voigt says she had the surgery for health reasons, not just to get better parts in operas.

And to promote her return — and also to show she has a sense of humor — she’s posted a video on YouTube in which she has a conversation with the “little black dress.”

Imagine having to explain this dress code to new hires: Do anything you can so you don’t look fat.

A retail store in Great Britain may not have been quite so blunt – but it came close.

Thousands of employees of the Next stores received a style guide that, basically, demands they look as thin as possible at work.

Among the dress code suggestions:

• Wear a certain type of clothing called “magic pants” to “hide lumps and bumps.”
• Use neck scarves to draw attention “away from those body parts you want to hide.”
• Put on bright shirts and ties to take attention away from “love handles.”
• Avoid “kitten heels if you are pear shaped.”

Some workers were insulted by the dress manual, according to a British newspaper.

An organization that helps people with eating disorders condemned the style guide.

Next’s chief executive Susan Ring said the company is entitled to expect its people to dress “smartly.”

Later, a Next spokesman said, “On reflection, we’ve made a rather thoughtless mistake. We have withdrawn the leaflet and apologized for the error.”

Well, maybe. But we kind of liked the hiding-the-love-handles idea.

A U.S. Post Office in New York carries this familiar creed: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

In Australia, they can add “body fat” to the list of obstacles overcome to make sure the mail goes through.

The Australia Post – the Down Under version of the U.S. Postal Service – has increased the maximum weight for “posties” by 33 pounds.

The old weight limit was 198 pounds. Why? Because the Honda motorcycles many posties use has a weight limit of 286 pounds. The extra 88 pounds was for letters.

Now, the Aussie deliverers can weigh up to 231 pounds. The Post will make sure their mail bags are lighter loads.

The union representing mail workers said the old limit had caused recruitment headaches, but the Australia Post denies that, according to a Sydney newspaper.

Those concerned about the safety of the heavier posties on bikes don’t need to worry: Testing shows the heftier riders won’t affect stability, handling or safety.