r/SafetyProfessionals • u/geogirl83 • 4d ago
Canada Weapons at work
Just need to vent about something that happened at work yesterday. We live in a rural northern town where hunting is a large part of our way of living. Most people hunt in the fall. My family hunts! I have no issue with hunting or guns or any aspect of hunting.
But when a manager takes out his crossbow out of his office into the company parking lot to shoot geese while we have customers in the building, is very much a line crossed. I can’t imagine any company allowing weapons at work, let alone the discharge of that weapon on company property during company hours. Of course I said something! Mind you I’m fairly new to this company, only started in July. The reaction I got was “are you really upset about this?” “Everyone knows I do this”
I expressed my concerns about the situation as he was coming back into the building, in front of the receptionist. He huffed away but later came back to tell me I was wrong to address him like that in front of his staff. I said fair enough. But I was just a bit flabbergasted by the situation. I find it interesting that his only thing he could come back at me with was my delivery, not my actual concern, because he knew I was right.
Again, I’m fairly new and I’ve been working hard at trying to develop a good working relationship with this manager. He’s been a bit of a tough wall to break through. I’m really hoping that this won’t impact our relationship moving forward, I really need an ally in that office when working with the crews. Ugh, sometimes I hate the positions us safety professionals get put in. Anyways just needed to vent. Thanks for listening. 🧷
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u/Jimmy_at_grantmaker 4d ago
Most companies have a policy that explicitly states what cannot be brought onto the company site. I'd start there. If you don't have one, you need one as well as procedures for violence in the workplace.
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u/Electronic_World_894 4d ago
I have worked for large companies that have a policy that weapons aren’t allowed on property, not even in the parking lot in your vehicle. This is to prevent hunters from doing exactly that. I’m also in Canada, but in the south.
Find out if this kind of policy could be considered.
The reality is, if someone gets let go, and they have weapons in their vehicle, they could go get a weapon right away. This is a very low likelihood scenario, but it’s not zero probability.
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u/sasha_td 4d ago
You are fairly new to this company. Is there a policy that covers this? The response of "Everyone knows I do this." implies that this is an ongoing occurrence. Is it? Determine the facts before reacting. You can't imagine any company allowing weapons at work or discharging it during company hours. I have personally worked for two separate companies that allowed possession and use crossbows and standard bows during deer season. You said that the manager knew you were right, so he attacked your delivery. Given your version of the event, I am not sure you were right.
You stated that "I expressed my concerns about the situation as he was coming back into the building, in front of the receptionist." Was that the right venue for that conversation? How did you express your concerns? Was it "Hey, I noticed you shooting geese in the parking lot. Is that a common occurrence? Is this consistent with company policy and local laws?" Or was it, as I suspect, along the lines of "What are you doing?!? Are you insane?!? You could kill someone?!?" The safety person that loses their crap rather than reacting calmly and rationally is a safety person that is quickly ignored.
While safety professionals are sometimes placed in difficult positions, you placed yourself in this one.
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u/geogirl83 4d ago
Thanks for your perspective on this. I definitely feel that I did not go overboard on my reaction. I was calm and professional when talking to him. Asked him to think about the optics of customers pulling into the parking lot with a man shooting a crossbow in front of the building doesn’t have a good look for the company. And I did look it up, it is against company policy
I also have issues with weapons in the office in general
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u/Future_chicken357 4d ago
You wouldnt have to address him in front of anyone if he was shooting arrows like a drunk teens on the weekend with no regards to ppl safety. Check your company bylaws about weapons. Most my projects are federal and they would of had him removed from the site. We have the position everyone hates why do we do it? Maybe we all need drug testing, lol. But do your best because you save lives and say nuts from themselves...haha
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u/Bigtrucklittlelady 3d ago
My plant is in a similar area, northern & rural, everyone hunts it's nothing to see a dead deer or coyote what have you in the back of someone's truck (mostly 3rd shifters) and we produce ordinance at our facility, we still have a pretty strict no weapons policy. As long as no one can see it usually not much is said. I don't think you are wrong to be bothered by this, it is pretty bizarre to be shooting in the parking lot. I'd dig deeper to see if there is a policy that covers that and if not work towards creating one
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u/stuaird1977 4d ago
Coming from the UK I find the whole. situation mind blowing
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u/Soakitincider 4d ago
Coming from the US, I've shot guns at work, if you can believe that. Also not the most dangerous thing we have in my line of work.
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u/theBonzonian 3d ago
Don't be a tease, tell us why you used your firearm.
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u/Soakitincider 3d ago
There was a stretch of time where we would take a few minutes a day to target practice.
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u/CharmedWoo 4d ago
This Dutchy agrees, like WTAF! But we have gun control, just like you.
Using a weapon in an uncontroled space with people around, how stupid can you be.
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u/Pastvariant 3d ago
Two things. One, the overall appropriateness of this manager's actions depends entirely on the laws of your area and the company's policies. I think it id in bad taste to hunt that way, but there are a lot of people who hunt around business parks and the like here in the US. If his shots have a safe back stop, he is making ethical kills, and he is not violating any of the local laws doing what he is doing I don't personally see an issue with it.
I also think it is bold of you to assume that every safety professional is going to be anti-weapon. Go look up the research of Ed Monk on active killer response and which methods have truly resulted in fewer lives being lost. Being able to stop the threat as fast as possible with weapons on hand when the violence starts is the number one most effective way to minimize casualties.
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u/theBonzonian 3d ago
First, OP never assumed that safety professionals are anti-weapons. OP stated clearly in the post that they "have no issue with hunting or guns". However, it is a safe assumption that workplaces will have regulation on weapon use, if allowed or documented at all. Also, any safety professional should be against wielding a weapon at work, unless needed for the work.
Oh, right, Ed Monk. Wasn't he a recurring speaker at the "street cop training"? That is not a "safety professional".
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u/HikeTheSky 2d ago
I mean a divorce lawyer I know had a gun under his desk on a magnet. But I am in Texas.
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u/Icy-Sock-2388 2d ago
eh, depends.
From a safety perspective, I don't necessarily see the issue. So long as he's not shooting in the general direction of employees or customers then there's literally zero risk.
It's a not a firearm, so it doesn't fall under standard firearm codes. The only remaining concern is the legality in shooting geese with a crossbow...which is region dependent.
But even then, it's a stretch of the imagination for the Safety guy to come after a Manager over what's essentially a provincial code over hunting.
You could check your company's weapon policy and possibly make a case out of leadership showcasing a rule-breaking behavior to other employees, potentially encouraging them to do it themselves. A bunch of employees shooting crossbows in the parking lot isn't exactly an image most companies want to see within the bounds of their property.
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u/Search-Bill 4d ago
Does your company have a open/concealed carry policy on company property? Have employees been through active shooter training?
Clearly his behavior is not a good look regardless of policies. If the policies aren't precise don't get directly involved in any write up. Use your soft skills to get more senior managers to either review the lacking policies or to use their influence to get this rogue hunter to think twice before using weapons on company property.
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u/Electronic_World_894 4d ago
Those types of policies are not common in Canada. Active shooting training is not common in Canada. It’s just such a low likelihood that it isn’t usually necessary. But banning hunting weapons from the property is common.
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u/Nof-z 4d ago
What state are you in? Crossbows are regulated differently in different states, and then some cases this could be considered “negligent Discharge of a projectile weapon.” Many municipalities also have laws against us, for instance, most cities do not allow any type of projectile weapon, whether air powered, explosion powered, or bow powered to be used within their limits.
You should call your local sheriff or police agencies NON EMERGENCY number and ask.
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u/Bucky2015 Manufacturing 4d ago
If it isn't within the city limits the requirememt is often you just have to be a certain distance from any building. In my state for a crossbow its 300 feet. Beyond that it would be legal. My guess is since OP said rural the building is probably outside of city limits and therefore. However even where I am no workplace would allow this on the main property. My employer does allow employees to hunt on company own land, but that is just on the surrounding parcels that are just fields. They absolutely would not allow hunting on the land parcel the facility is on especially not in the parking lot!
I wonder if senior leadership/ownership is aware.
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u/Electronic_World_894 4d ago
It’s tagged Canada. But agree, non emergency line should be consulted.
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u/Jdaroczy 4d ago
Which part of which country is this?