Current Events > One of my clients recently fired a contractor over concerns of a threat.

(+) Yeah! (+)

By which I mean "concerns about a threat to the facility".

I won't go into what this client does, but suffice to say they do enough to have their own on-site utility plant, which is run by contracted operators at all hours. They also have me contracted for the main facility as a safety consultant.

The evening operator of this plant is the kind of person who always struck everyone as a little odd in how they interacted with everyone. Nothing super red flag, until this past weekend. Apparently, the person was just informed their spouse had cancer, and didn't take it well. As the day operator was passing the work off to the evening operator, the operator apparently vented a little bit about how much they hate the place and wish they could take a gun to it. This seriously unnerved the day operator and he made sure to contact the local site people as well as his own bosses with his contractor. At the end of it all, the police were called, the evening operator was escorted off the site, and the person was fired.

I learned about all this because Monday the facilities managers who were made aware of the incident spoke to me and my team, as safety consultants, to let us into the loop. Of course, as contractors ourselves, all we can do is advise, and at the moment, there's not much we can do given the facility wants to keep this on the DL for the time being, so rumors don't spread and there aren't people panicking about a potential threat.

It does have me worried about how prepared this facility is in the event of an active shooter incident. We had just been bouncing around bringing ALICE Training on site for a session with the managerial staff, but it's the kind of thing you try not to think about because you don't want to believe it could happen.

Anyway, at the end of the day, it's likely nothing will happen, and it sucks that simply by stating this threatening language that the person lost their job, especially when they're in such a state with their home life, but still, who can take such chances in this day and age?

Also, the day operator themselves is still very rattled. Having just borne witness to threatening language, they actually had to take some time off to get away from work. They're former military and are legitimately fearing for their own life having reported this person.

So, moral of the story, kids. Always always take care with what you say at your workplace and in your professional life. Sometimes a venting can cost you everything.
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Literally informed that day that their spouse was likely going to die.
Literally still working.

What the fuck is wrong with your asshole workplace.
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Considering any idiot can get an assault rifle or ten in the US and how many shooting sprees happened recently, that's a valid response. Poor guy shouldn't have been there though, at all.
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Ilishe posted...

Considering any idiot can get an assault rifle or ten

I don't think so Tim
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Interesting.

You know, hardly anyone talks about the Vegas shooting anymore, and that had 60 dead. America barely seems to notice shootings that happen.

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Ilishe posted...

Considering any idiot can get an assault rifle or ten in the US and how many shooting sprees happened recently, that's a valid response. Poor guy shouldn't have been there though, at all.

i really hate the route people take when they face this sort of crisis, they aren't going to get away with it.
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Tupacrulez posted...

Literally informed that day that their spouse was likely going to die.
Literally still working.

Literally some people in this world where missing a day of work could ruin them financially, especially if they're looking forward to the American healthcare system.
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That seems like a fucked up thing to say but yikes firing a dude whose wife has cancer
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CyricZ posted...

Tupacrulez posted...

Literally informed that day that their spouse was likely going to die.
Literally still working.

Literally some people in this world where missing a day of work could ruin them financially, especially if they're looking forward to the American healthcare system.

Why does your asshole workplace not offer fucking health coverage?

Only fucking Americans could make this shit so complex.
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So, for clarification, my "asshole workplace" is different from this person's.

Note I mentioned that both this person and myself are contracted. I work for Company A. The person in question works for Company B, and the place where we are both contracted to work at is Company C. The person in question provided facilities and operations for Company C, and I provide safety consulting for Company C.

It's not uncommon for companies to contract for things like facilities, custodial services, medical, safety, etc., out to other companies that specialize in it, rather than hiring their own.

I have no information on the healthcare of Company B.
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