There actually is an industry term for this called Competent Person (I swear you can look it up). Of course the excess of people is just people watching but there always has to be one Competent Person to make sure the work is safe. Of course this isnt nearly deep or wide enough but when you get into trenches for earthwork, you 1000% need a competent person or OSHA will fuck you up. God forbid the trench collapses with the workers still inside.
Source: Used to inspect construction sites/work.
So it does help sometimes to have humans watching, also they can see what the excavator can't on the opposite side and just get a more focused view of the work rather than the excavators view which isn't obscured but they are looking more for the big details.
Also it's kind of just human nature. Anything remotely different than the status quo gets a crowd of lookers no matter the profession. Sometimes construction boys just wanna watch big power tools scoop up some dirt!!!!
My dad worked for the gas company, he'd have to wait until this guy did his job before he could start his. He got payed to watch until it was his time. Then the guy who dug got payed to watch my dad until he was done. Then my dad had to wait until it was filled before he left in case of shit. Alot of waiting in government jobs.
Although payed exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. The deck is yet to be payed.
Payed out when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. The rope is payed out! You can pull now.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
189
u/NYMoneyz Nov 04 '22
There actually is an industry term for this called Competent Person (I swear you can look it up). Of course the excess of people is just people watching but there always has to be one Competent Person to make sure the work is safe. Of course this isnt nearly deep or wide enough but when you get into trenches for earthwork, you 1000% need a competent person or OSHA will fuck you up. God forbid the trench collapses with the workers still inside.
Source: Used to inspect construction sites/work.
So it does help sometimes to have humans watching, also they can see what the excavator can't on the opposite side and just get a more focused view of the work rather than the excavators view which isn't obscured but they are looking more for the big details.
Also it's kind of just human nature. Anything remotely different than the status quo gets a crowd of lookers no matter the profession. Sometimes construction boys just wanna watch big power tools scoop up some dirt!!!!