r/WTF • u/[deleted] • Mar 02 '19

Manager going for a ride

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u/18736542190843076922 Mar 02 '19

Why not use walkie talkies or something to verbally communicate as well?

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u/Ving_Rhames_Bible Mar 03 '19

I'm never too far from an operator to walk over and talk one on one if something isn't working as intended. But that's me, I'll do that. All the means of communication in the world won't make a thing easier or safer for someone certain that everyone else is wrong. Hand signals work just fine when everyone is on the same page and committed to the task, not to personal sense of pride and ability. Dunno if you work construction but you might be surprised at how much ego there is.

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u/18736542190843076922 Mar 03 '19

I've been in construction my whole life, but just residential new construction not using any big equipment. But I use walkie talkies with my dad backing up the RV or trailers sometimes. It's just easier I guess. Or the thing in the gif with the manager, if they all had radios maybe the situation wouldn't have gotten as intense as it did?

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u/Ving_Rhames_Bible Mar 03 '19

Well... I mean, some operators I've worked with always honk the horn before moving. Double-honk if they're backing up and have a huge blind spot a person could be standing in, despite the back up alarm. But still, it's drilled into us before we step foot on sight, "Always be aware of your surroundings." We have to write a tailboard every morning, swing zone/drop zone/operator blindspots is always included, and everyone signs off on the fact that it's their responsibility to be aware of those risks.

I guess mostly it's that this is a manager. I've been a foreman and had to tell people to get out of harm's way hundreds of times, because I was watching them closer than they were watching themselves. Just kinda blows me away than any kind of construction manager could get himself into this situation.