One of the things I admire most about Poland is the extraordinary level of trust people place in one another.
Not the usual kind of trust.
Not “could you water my plants while I’m away?” trust.
I’m talking about the sort of trust that involves heavy machinery, a deep trench, and a complete absence of what many health and safety professionals would describe as comfortable separation distances. While exploring the city, I came across a construction site where two workers appeared to be engaged in a fascinating exercise in professional confidence.
One was operating a mini excavator.
The other was standing in the excavation.
Very much in the excavation.
Close enough that if they had been having a conversation, there would have been no need to raise their voices.
Adding a touch of excitement to proceedings, the worker in the trench was not wearing a helmet. Apparently, his primary form of head protection was faith.
Faith in his colleague.
Faith in hydraulic systems.
Faith in fate.
Now, to be fair, the excavator operator looked perfectly competent. Calm, focused and in complete control. But we’ve all had days when we’re distracted. Perhaps he was thinking about lunch. Perhaps he was wondering whether he locked the front door. Perhaps he was mentally replaying last night’s football results.
Whatever the case, it struck me that the entire operation depended on one reassuring assumption:
“Steve won’t accidentally excavate me.”
And Steve, for his part, appeared equally committed to the arrangement.
The level of mutual confidence was genuinely moving.
In many countries there would be risk assessments, exclusion zones, spotters, permits, barriers, briefings and enough paperwork to deforest a small country. Here, the system seemed refreshingly streamlined.
- One man digs.
- One man stands where the digging is happening.
- Both agree to do their best.
- Job done.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but admire the optimism. It’s the sort of trust normally reserved for marriage, joint bank accounts and lending someone your favourite tools.
Let’s just hope the summer heat doesn’t affect the operator’s blood, distract his concentration, or inspire an unexpected sneeze at the wrong moment.
Because while trust is a wonderful thing, there’s a reason most safety manuals stop just short of recommending it as personal protective equipment. 😄
