Part 3: Rules of Practice

A little further on, I found a storeroom with some first aid and supplies. After taking enough to patch myself up, I left a few kits behind.



Anyone working in a facility like this would definitely need them more than me. That is, if they could make it here. I'd passed by numerous safety violations just to get to this point. At least I had the proper certified safety equipment. Some of the other, low-level employees here might not be so lucky.

After passing through a door on the other side of the storeroom, I finally came outside.



The first thing I saw after going through the door was a massive hole in the ground. It looked like one of the towers collapsed through the floor at some point, creating a massive gap. While the tower itself presented a hazard, the hole presented a clear violation of regulation 1910.23 part (a)(5)! At least someone could have put up a temporary barrier to prevent employees from falling in the hole or a caution sign or SOMETHING, but that was probably asking too much of this corporation.

As I walked up to the hole to make a note in my report, several gunshots rang out. I quickly ducked back near the door where I came out and saw another person on the other side of the hole aiming their gun directly at me!



I caught a glimpse of an army uniform around the corner, and quickly tried to reason with them.

SIR! CEASE YOUR FIRING AT ONCE! I am a safety inspector for the US Department of Labor, and firing on me is a major offense!

Oh Shit! Sorry about that. Nobody mentioned anybody else from the government was here.

I walked around the hole and up to the soldier. Based on his headband, I assumed he was some sort of medic.



What is the army doing here?

I'm a Marine, sir. We've got orders to secure the facility and silence any witnesses. Right now, though, we're just trying to get out of here alive. Black Ops have got us pinned down out here, although with that gun you've got there-

This is not a gun! This is the Black Mesa Portable Scientific Safety Device! I will NOT have you-

No, Sir, that's definitely a Desert Eagle. You can see the print on the side of the barrel there.

WHAT!?

The security guard lied to me! I had NEVER touched a gun in my entire life. That sort of thing was for other people, I'd told myself, but not for me. Yet, here, in my hand, was a gun that I had used. What was I to do? It seemed that nobody around here cared about the fact that I had it. Not the trained security guards, not the scientists, not even this guy. Perhaps I could keep it, and reason with the local Attorney General later, if I needed to.

So then, how do we get out of here?

Well, this door is our only way out, and it's sealed up pretty tight. Where's an engineer when you need one?

Another door prevented from opening? Based on the sign, it led to a secure location, but even secure locations need to follow regulation 1910.36 part (b). There must be at least some way to get out in an emergency. Luckily, I spied another door across the blacktop.



I went inside, around the corner and came to another door that was jammed closed. Luckily, I was able to force it open after some trying. On the other side, I found some more soldiers.



Good afternoon, soldiers. I am a Comp-



Before I could even introduce myself, they all opened fire.

This was too much. First, I'd picked up a gun for the first time in my life from some unknown source without any knowledge of how to use it, and then I got shot at by a platoon of I don't know how many high-level soldiers. And all of this after wandering through the worst regulations violations I'd ever seen in all my years as an inspector. I didn't know what to do. So, I ran back through the hallway, outside and back to the medic.

THERE'S… THERE'S… THERE'S GUYS IN THERE! THEY SHOT ME!

Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down.

HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO GET OUT OF HERE WITH-

Sir, calm down. Just take a deep breath.

BUT, SIR!

JUST DO IT! Now, those guys in there are Black Ops. I don't know what they're here for, or why they're shooting at us, but the only way either you or I are getting out of here is to take care of them. You've got a Desert Eagle and an HEV suit and that's enough to take out even the best soldiers.

Sir, you don't understand! I'm just an inspector, here to inspect the facilities and make sure they comply with the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration guidelines.

Well, you've got no other option. You're either stuck here, or you take care of those Black ops and get on with your OSHA stuff. I know you don't want anybody harmed and you just want to go on with everybody safe and sound, but the only way you're getting on with your inspection is through those Black Ops. Now, do you have what it takes to inspect these facilities?

Well, I am a Compliance-

YES OR NO!

Yes.

SAY IT LIKE YOU GOT A PAIR!

YES, SIR!

I walked right back through that door and hallway. Since when did the army start training lowly medics in motivational speeches? But that wasn't important now. Those Black Ops had a little surprise coming for them!



As I opened the door, the Black Ops started firing on me again. But this time, I was ready.



I killed every last one of them. They shot me several times, but that safety equipment the guard gave me held up pretty well. I picked up the gun from one of the soldiers that fell on the floor. It didn't feel right, but I had to get on with my inspection and file my report, and this was the only way.

At the back of the room, I saw a garage door. I pressed the button to lift it up. Inside was another soldier lying against the wall.



Sir, are you all right? There's a medic right outside who can apply proper first aid. Just hold on!

I ran back outside and got the medic. This soldier probably didn't have much longer, and I didn't see any first aid stations nearby like in the labs.



As soon as the medic saw him, he got to work. A few more minutes, and the soldier was standing up again. Then, the medic turned towards me.

Looks like you've been hurt pretty bad. Let me help you.

Ah, it's okay. This facility contains first aid equipment more than adequate to meet regulation 1910 subpart K.

It's fine. Really. You wouldn't want to go on with your inspection if you're not in good physical condition.

I didn't like the look of the tools he was carrying, all those needles and syringes. Well, regulation 1903.7 part (c) does mention that I should comply with all health rules and practices, and the medic was right. So, I let him patch me up in the end.

The three of us went outside to the shut door behind where I met the medic. As soon as the other soldier saw it, he took out a blow torch and began working on the door.



Suddenly, I noticed he had a lit cigarette in his mouth while using the blowtorch! This was a major violation of regulation 1926.151 part (A)(3)!

Sir, smoking while operating a flammable device is highly hazardous!

Shhhh. It's okay. Just let him do his job.

But this is a violation of-

Door's done!

I would be speaking to the local authorities about this. Smoking within the vicinity of a flammable operation? Yet, these people didn't seem to care. And these were army guys, they weren't a part of Black Mesa. What was going on out here that made the law suddenly disappear?

I went through the door while the soldiers stayed behind. Even though they didn't care about proper workplace safety, I was glad they were there. At least there was some form of trained law enforcement on the premises. If anything serious happened, at least they would know what to do. Now, I wasn't in as much of a hurry anymore. I could now get on with my inspection with one less thing to worry about.