Jerry knows he right. He used to do it himself before the rule was put in place. Also, the soil is clearly a cohesive soil and it highly unlikely that it will collapse.
And although there is an organizational policy to use a trench box for trenches deeper than 5 feet, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have jurisdiction over municipalities in Nebraska because municipalities are political subdivisions of the State. The only entity regulating safety policies is the Citys Safety Director and he took the day off.
In this scenario, to what extent do you think allowing the crew into the trench without a trench box would be pushing (or exceeding) the limit?
Discuss any ethical grey areas in this scenario?
What in your mind is the right thing to do?
What is the value of having an ethics program (and related programs like safety programs) and what are the responsibilities of front line leaders/supervisors and the workers when they face dilemmas such as the one described?
