The Only Thing Worth Dying For

I just read this true story and found it both inspiring and disheartening. The basics of the story are this: A group of Green Berets infiltrated Southern Afganistan to help train Afganis to overthrow the Taliban. For several weeks, no one suffered a scratch through multiple battles. Then one day, the group was told the Battalion Command would be joining their group, which goes against all of their doctrine and training.

These guys were trained to call their own shots without much oversight. Basically trust was put into them that they would do the right thing. And they did. Eventually when Command arrived, they took over, as management usually does. Command called in an airstrike, with the wrong coordinates and the bomb landed in thier camp killing some of the same Green Berets that had not suffered a scratch so far.

So how does this fit in with Construction Safety, you might wonder? We train people to do the right thing and although they may need monitoring, we should let them do their thing, until they get ready to screw it up. Who knows better how to do a job than the guy doing it? Sure we can suggest a safer way from time to time. Management shouldn't micro-manage, they should let the boots on the ground do their job, whether its a Superintendent, Labor, Safety Pro or a Green Beret. Its what they get paid for. Management should be there for support when it is needed, not to take over.

I have heard on several occasions a Superintendent tell Management, " If you want to run the job, then run it and I'll sit back and watch. Otherwise let me do my job". Does this really need to be stated?

Work safe, work smart and trust your training. Do what you know is right and things will be alright.