Page 21 - Tennessee 811 Magazine 2018 Issue 1

be recent events surrounding the tailed and tragic
I Niger attack nntli tlie loss ofAm2ri(an soldiers and
tbe ensuing barrage ot news coverage [mm ditter.
ent camps regarding the liandling of virtually every
aspect ot tbe events liigliliglited, fur me, an issue wliicli is
Proper
I l i’-irst grappled with this issue when wearing the dual hats
ot satety otticer and risk/ loss manager tor a large construc-
tion company. From my Vle\'i'pulnl, these are two at the most
M” ,3, diiiicult roles to fulfill simultaneously. Many years ago, l
was asleed to assist a contractor wlao liad been involved in a

5 fatal accident. Wlthoul going into its speciiics, the accident
was ot a nature that involved not only satety protocol but
also several regulatory agencies and tbus a great number or

— redundant and sometimes contliciing rules and regulations
nel poured over tlie site, uur sole tocus was on tbe potential
liabilities tbat tlae concractor miglit liave. Records were
ordered to be pulled, plaotos were tzlkcn, paperwork veri-
ried and recbeclccd, drug and alcoliol protocols followed, all
nntli tlie piimary tocus ot protecting tlie contractor trom li-
ability, satisiying tbe anuapnled requests trom tlae insurance
carrier and laying the toundation tor a detense slaould tliere
ultimately be a lawsuit.

As the final pieces ot this puzzle were talling into place, one
ot my people called me to a~k now things were going l re-
ported inucb as lliave noted already in tbis piece, tlaat tbings
were Eumlng togetber. Tliere was a pause on the otlier end
ot the conversation. wliat followed was bis voice reminding
me tbat tliere is nothing correct or easy wlien ”~'om2one goes
laoine in a box" as be called it l paused and retlected and re.
alized be was ngbt. l was embarrassed. l apologized to liim
and discussed tbe comments witli tbe person l was worlong
with And altliougl. tliese events were over a decade ago, tbe
comment has served as a reminder tor me since.

The natural thing is to tocus on tlae Ink and loss control side
rirst and toremost And it is a necessary tasle But so many
times, our success or tailure is gauged by bow we prepare
tor the attermztli of tlaese calainities. And wliile tbis is our
role, tbe constant reminder that someone is not going liome

B E to their tamily and loved ones, or that someone laas been
lrqumd, perliaps attecting their ability to pertorin work or
even daily lite iunctions liave been impaired sliould be part

fl ui our focus as well.

H l vtisb tbat not only tor my~2lf, but tor otliers, l could advise
tlae proper balance between tlie duality of tlie two roles.
wliat l do know is tbat any time l am involved in or witness

= an i an think or a. people in. n to
cident. lt tempers any teeling ot accoinplisliinent troin doing
my job as iislc and loss controller l-erliaps tbat is tbe way it
sliould be.

And to the reminder troin tbe beginning ot this essay, my
memory was focused on tour soldiers that were not going
lioine to their tainilies, instead ot the political uplieaval that
surrounded it tor days. Anylhlng else is secondary.

Mr as mrmlulmlmiln/ltvyvt-<tr1t'llItlIHl1Ct>uv;;t‘{ lgtllivta , Int
apr...viir.iiy.i..~..»;a.v.s..».i..r,. 35 llmvs‘ mg ,.afE,y_ ;, "mm, I
2018, issue i reaaerseesrr . 19