A high-vis vest doesn't eliminate a blind spot.

From Brandon Glenn's Safirst newsletter on LinkedIn.

In 2013, we lost Phoenix firefighter Brad Harper in a backing tragedy during a fire response.

Crews were laying a water supply line. A fire engine backed into position. Brad was caught between the engine and another emergency vehicle. He later died from his injuries. OSHA's incident summary

As a former Phoenix firefighter and paramedic, I carry this loss with me. It's a big part of why I take vehicle movement and backing so seriously.

On construction sites, we work around moving equipment every day. Depending on the project, dozens or even hundreds of people share the site with delivery trucks, forklifts, telehandlers, and loaders.

That daily familiarity makes it easy to get comfortable.

We know the operator. We know the delivery schedule. We've walked behind that truck before.

Knowing the movement doesn't make us visible to the operator.

October is Pedestrian Safety Month. The national campaign focuses on roads, but it's a good moment to look at how people walk through our sites. NHTSA's October calendar

Look at where people and equipment meet

Think about the walk from the parking area to the morning huddle. The trip to the restroom. The route to material storage.

Does that path cross a delivery zone? Does someone have to step behind a truck to reach the building? Are workers cutting corners because the walkway is blocked?

Project leadership can find and fix those conditions.

Telling everyone to "pay attention" is only part of the job. The site itself has to let people move safely.

Here are six practices I recommend reviewing with your crews:

1. Separate the routes. Set pedestrian paths, controlled crossings, and equipment zones. Keep walkways clear and update them as the work moves.
2. Reduce backing. Plan deliveries, unloading spots, and traffic flow to minimize reversing. Give visiting drivers directions before they enter active areas.
3. Assign trained spotters. Agree on signals before anything moves. Spotters need a safe position, an escape path, and no other tasks. Keep them out of travel paths and pinch points.
4. Stop when communication is lost. If the operator loses the spotter's signal or can't confirm the path is clear, stop. Reconnect before moving.
5. Get acknowledgment before approaching. Stay outside the operating area until the operator acknowledges you and stops. Seeing the cab doesn't mean the operator sees you.
6. Check equipment and cut distractions. Inspect alarms, cameras, and mirrors. Keep phones and entertainment earbuds out of active traffic areas.

These draw on NIOSH's guidance for preventing backing incidents in construction work zones. NIOSH's backing-safety guidance

Make the expectation clear

Supervisors: cover equipment movement in the morning meeting. Which deliveries are coming? Which routes are changing? Who runs the unloading area?

Operators: be willing to stop, even when the schedule is tight or the move feels routine.

Workers on foot: use the set route, and wait for clear communication before approaching equipment.

A high-vis vest is one part of the system. So are alarms, cameras, training, and spotters. Each one needs a site layout and work plan that keep people out of harm's way.

This week's field check

Pick one busy delivery or equipment area. Watch it from a safe spot.

Where are people walking? Where is equipment moving? What keeps those paths apart?

If the answer depends on everyone noticing each other in time, the plan needs work.

Remembering Brad means carrying the lessons of that loss into how we work. Every movement deserves a clear path, clear communication, and the willingness to stop.

— Brandon Glenn