There is a tandem concern in the workplace, safety and workers' compensation. In my career, I spent many hours defending workers' compensation claims and witnessed a variety of comprehension for the interrelationship between these two business concerns. Without exception, the extent to which the two silos interrelated or even communicated within an entity was largely dependent on leadership.
If leadership recognized that better safety meant less probability of accident and injury, then the management team likewise acknowledged this and there was collaboration and engagement in the two functions.
Similarly, if company leadership did not acknowledge the potential for interaction and interrelationship, there was a tendency in some businesses to view these two silos as utterly free-standing. In those entities, there was periodically a challenge with incompatible goals or approaches in the two silos resulting in conflict and frustration.
Leadership. There is a necessity in any business for both leadership and a clear understanding of goals, responsibilities, and interaction expectations.
This is true in the broadest sense. Conflicts persist between silos. I knew a salesman long ago who frequently lamented that "legal" frustrated his deals. Unfortunately, the company precluded him from interacting with the lawyers as deals were conjured, sculpted, and prepared. That review could only come after the deal was tentatively struck, by then, there had been much effort and even the most minor "legal" suggestions periodically killed the deal.
Leadership. There is a necessity for leaders to be aware of such issues of communication, interaction, and potential frustration. It is the leader who must ensure that goals are understood, coordinated, and appreciated. These thoughts occurred to me reading the news coverage of the terrorist attack in New Orleans, on a street I have often enjoyed.
If you missed it, the news broke early New Year's Day of a vehicular attack on Rue Bourbon. The British Broadcasting Corporation reports on the 14 that died in this attack. Other reports suggest that dozens more were injured. The world has many famous streets, but this one is as iconic as any I know. The alleged driver/attacker is said to be Shamsud-Din Jabbar, and police say he perished in a gunfight with the police after wrecking the vehicle he allegedly used.
About a week before, Taleb Al Abdulmohsen was accused of driving a truck through a Christmas market in Magdenburg, Germany. CNN reports that he allegedly drove a truck into a crowd and killed 5 while "injuring more than 200 others." It is possible that a leader awakening on December 23, 2024, might have asked a question or two about whether such an event could happen on or at their premises.
Or, perhaps not.
But, ABC News reports "New Orleans city leaders were warned in a 2019 confidential physical security assessment." The report said: "Bourbon Street was vulnerable to a vehicle ramming." It noted that there were inoperable "existing blockade mechanisms." No, while the Magdenburg attack might have been a wake-up call, there was a specific, direct, written warning about safety and potential five years ago (perhaps longer, see below).
NBC News reports that the Police Superintendent knew of the threat and that the installed barriers, "bollards," had been removed. She noted that her team therefore strove to "harden those target areas" with "patrol cars and other measures." Nonetheless, those measures were ineffective. It apparently came as a complete surprise to city officials that the terrorist could drive on the sidewalk to avoid those precautions.
NBC News also reports that the bollards were being fixed in 2024 because the city would soon host the Super Bowl. The Mayor of New Orleans is reported to have explained that "the Super Bowl gave the city 'an opportunity to go further and deeper with infrastructure improvements' including replacing the bollards."
Some estimate that "about 1,000,000 people . . . attend Mardi Gras New Orleans." Those annual events since 2019 (or 2017) somehow apparently did not "give the city an opportunity."
The Sugar Bowl is played annually in New Orleans. The stadium is the same that will host the Super Bowl. A website provides the "Ultimate Guide to" this game, and it seems to suggest that more people come to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl than will fit in the stadium. However, those annual events since 2019 (or 2017) also somehow apparently did not "give the city an opportunity."
The city promotes Rue Bourbon as a place of "constant celebrations." It mentions "bachelorette and bachelor parties," "the Southern Decadence Festival," and more. However, those constant events since 2019 (or 2017) also somehow apparently did not "give the city an opportunity."
Each year, the city celebrates the new year with free concerts, fireworks, and more. There are advertisements to draw people to the French Quarter, Rue Bourbon, and more. Somehow, these annual events since 2019 (or 2017) also apparently did not "give the city an opportunity."
No, it was apparently only the Super Bowl that afforded the city the opportunity to safeguard a known and notified threat.
In an effort to inform the public, the City of New Orleans published on its website that the Rue Bourbon bollards would be under construction. The vulnerability of missing barricades was advertised intentionally.
Anyone with an internet connection could quickly learn that "Construction began in November 2024 and is scheduled to continue through February 2025." There is a handy, color-coded map included to illustrate "sequencing details" for the work. The vulnerability was literally detailed and advertised. Some perceive that as facilitating terrorists. Nonetheless, the website also assures that "Safety is our top priority."
Leadership. Safety.
Today, according to InvestigateTV, there are "temporary barricades" in use in the New Orleans French Quarter. This story claims that there was a "2017 traffic study" (note the various "or 2017" herein) that highlighted the need to "upgrade infrastructure" and "make the street 'less accessible to those intending harm.'" This story claims that one temporary protection, the "wedge-style" was "intentionally left down on New Year's."
NBC News reported that "New Orleans (also) failed to deploy anti-vehicle barriers that the city had owned for years ahead of the attack." The Louisiana Lt. Governor noted that these "Archer" barriers ("700-pound, steel anti-vehicle barriers") were available. He said the attack illustrates
“a complete failure of responsibility to keep the city safe, from the top down, by not having those barriers in place or even having knowledge of them.”
Not having knowledge? NBC News Chicago reports that the New Orleans Police Chief was asked about the Archers that appeared after the terrorist attack. She responded:
"Actually, we have them. I did not know about them, but we have them, so we have been able to put them out."
The team leader in charge of security and protection did not know what assets or tools were available to protect the public. According to the NBC Chicago story, New Orleans had 48 of these 700-pound steel "Archer" barriers. They deployed them the day after 15 were killed and dozens injured in a preventable terrorist attack.
NBC News further reports that there is a "sense of betrayal." Those who work in the Rue Bourbon area lament the absence of Archer barriers until after the attack. Some were critical of the scheduling of the bollard replacement and noted "it seems worse than poor planning."
The role of leadership includes responding to threats and events. In a broader sense, planning is always management's role. A good leader takes any event or accident as an opportunity to discuss how to prevent a recurrence. This happens every day in America as people are injured at work and claim workers' compensation. Good managers examine how such an accident might be prevented or militated (better safety devices, etc.).
Workplace safety demands it, and the persistently decreasing frequency of workplace injury (aside from the spike in illness during the Great Panic) is a testament to the benefits of focused analysis of workplace safety in this country. That is not to say all managers are so focused and engaged. It is not to say silos do not exist. It is to say that everyone can strive to do better.
Leaders facilitate communication. Leaders recognize the potential for threats or risks. Leaders plan and prepare for the protection of both workers and the public. And when leaders fail, questions may be asked. It is hoped, in all instances of injury or death, that those questions are pointed, focused, and lead to efforts that could prevent recurrence.
Every leader should consider the start of 2025 a potential for a fresh look. What are the safety risks in your environment? What tools are you using to increase safety and decrease the frequency and severity of injury (do you have proverbial "archers" sitting unused or unknown in a closet)? Have you received warnings? What could or should be different?
Every organization can learn from the New Orleans terrorist attack. No competent manager wants their Lt. Governor to characterize them “a complete failure of responsibility." After all, as the City of New Orleans stresses on its website, "Safety is our top priority." It should be, but slogans are easy. Safety is challenging. Management is downright hard. Take a lesson, take a look, and let's make 2025 as safe as practical for all.
