Part 2: Personal Protective Equipment

I couldn't stop now. Not with possibly tens of employees working here at the most hazardous facility I'd ever seen counting on me. I needed to get my report filed as soon as I could, whether in person or some other way.



Not far after the room with the lasers, I encountered a locked door. Despite my best attempts, I couldn't get it to open. Shouldn't there be some sort of emergency switch on these doors as per regulation 1910.36 part D? Escape doors need to be operable in case of emergencies. And based on the many violations I'd seen, this certainly was an emergency. I made a note of it in my report.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I wheeled around and found myself face-to-face with a security guard.



Sir, please open this door for me.

Sorry, sir. I'm not authorized to let anyone through without an HEV suit and a gun. Lucky for you, I have both of those on the tables over here in the corner.



This right here is a Desert Eagle someone left. You can just pick it right up and-

SIR! What you are suggesting is highly illegal! I am not licensed in this state or anywhere within the continental United States to carry a firearm, nor is this gun registered to me as the owner! Unauthorized use of a firearm is a federal offense.

Wait, you're not gonna… get me in trouble are you?

I'm sorry, but I will have to make note of this in my report.

Well then… uh… over here we have some military armor-



Are you authorized to give this military equipment to civilians?

Well, you do kinda look like the government-

Sir, I am an employee of the Compliant Safety and Health office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration! I am NOT a member of the United States Armed Forces and thus am not authorized to carry this equipment. I refuse to pick it up.

Well, sorry, Sir, but I can't let you through.

I must get through this door in accordance with regulation 1910.37(a)(3)!

The guard slowly walked towards the back of the room with a confused expression on his face mumbling about "damn government laws." Recalling the treatment I got from the scientists, I began to wonder just who Black Mesa was hiring. Whenever I asked for any kind of assistance, I got nothing.

Suddenly, the guard wheeled around.

You know, over on this table over here, we have some OSHA-certified safety protection equipment.

Is it compliant with regulation 1910.132?

Uh… yeah, we certified it and everything.



Certified safety equipment stored on the premises? And in an easily accessible location? Black Mesa seemed to be coming around after all! Even if this inspection did start off with a bad first impression and the employees proved mostly unhelpful, the few regulations followed here helped.

Well, if I'm going to be inspecting potentially hazardous areas, I must put this on.

And on this table right here, we have the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device. All our employees need one to safely work here.



I picked up the protection equipment and the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device. The security guard helped me put the protection equipment on. Even if this facility contained some major violations, at least they tried to keep people safe and make sure all their equipment training followed regulation 1910.132(f)(1).

Okay there, now that you have your gu- I mean Black Mesa safety device and protection equipment, I can let you through. Do you know how to use them?

Sir, I am not an employee at this facility! I must be instructed in the use of this equipment as per section 1903.7 part C of the-

All righty, then. The safety device works by pointing it at whatever you want and pressing the lever in the middle there. The protection equipment works on its own. Using it wears down the power, but if you find batteries or a terminal, you can recharge it. If you come with me, I'll show you.

Don't interrupt me again!



The guard went up to the side of the door and stuck his head forward. A retinal scanner? How were low-level employees or visitors supposed to get out in case of an emergency? Were they just supposed to pray that part of the door collapses and gives them passage? I didn't have much time to think, as the door opened and the guard motioned me through.

As we walked down the hallway on the other side, part of the drop ceiling above us collapsed.



This facility is falling apart!

Don't worry, just use your safety device on those things on the floor.

As per the guard's instructions, I pointed the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device at the things on the floor and pressed the lever. A loud sound came out, and both of the objects on the floor flipped over.



Yep, looks like you got that gu- I mean safety device down pretty good. Okay, I can't go on any further, but it looks like you're good to go. Just use the safety device on those things whenever you see them.

I tried to call out after the guard that the ceiling was still unstable, but he disappeared around the corner. I made a note in my report and ran with my hands over my head to the next door.



On the other side, around a corner, sat a small person tending to an injured employee. I walked up, hoping I could be of assistance. I'd marked the location of some first aid kits to check compliance for regulation 1910 subpart K, so I was ready and willing. When the person heard me, he turned around. Suddenly, several green electrical arcs came out of the walls and hit him!



This was a clearly fatal violation of regulation 1910.303 part (b)(1)(vi). One person already died from non-compliance and I was now watching it claim another victim. I already had my pen out when he turned around and faced me. For some lucky reason, he (or she) had just survived a very bad electrocution. Before I could call out to ask if they needed assistance, I was suddenly hit by another electrical arc coming directly from them!



I ran back around the corner. Did this employee just try to assault me? I heard their footsteps growing louder. Should I use the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device again? I'd only been instructed to use it on those small things on the floor. This device might not have been authorized for use on this individual. Improper use would not only be a violation of Section 1910 subpart I, but of federal law. Could using this device in an unauthorized manner constitute assault, even in self-defense?

I didn't have much more time to think, as the person had just rounded the corner. I aimed the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device at them and pressed it.



I glanced around the hallway. No possible witnesses. I dragged the body to a dark corner, and made a note in my report about the assault. Hopefully the Attorney General around here would understand self-defense. A good enough lawyer could probably get me out of this one.

Once I made my way past, I glimpsed more identical-looking employees on catwalks ahead. Nervously glancing ahead trying to avoid any more hostilities, I heard one of them speak to the other in a language I couldn't understand.

"Shit!" I realized, "I just killed a foreign worker. And with a device used in an unauthorized manner. I'll be fired for sure if I get found out. And the mountains of paperwork alone could get unbearable." Luckily, I couldn't find any sign of a visa or ID on the one I killed. Perhaps there was some hope. I made a note about improperly identified migrant workers and made my way onto the catwalks.



Just as I was beginning to have some hope for this corporation, I had to find this. My report was beginning to get quite long at this point. Nonetheless, enough room remained to record the infraction by reference of 1910.6 part K.

I still had yet to find any way of contacting anyone outside the facility. By the looks of things, Black Mesa seemed to be quite large and getting out could take some time. I continued on, in hope of finding some way to take care of the situation as quickly as possible and get some people out here. Merely proposing a penalty under Section 1903.15(a) would not be enough. I needed OSHA, Code Enforcement, the Police, anyone I could get to the facility. Someone needs to answer for this.