Consultants who had a job go south - what happened?
Feel free to share your story anonymously if you have one. Wondering if any consultants have any horror stories from the field. Although I’ve never done any consulting I can imagine there’s some room for error (from both the client and consultant)
Comments (9)
I have the opportunity to work as a contractor, consultant and a client. Everything boils down to the client. It's pays/ benefits the contractor more when working with a PRIVATE /self-sponsored client than a consultant..becuase the client want the best but he also wants to economize at all cost. Some client don't even have budget for HSE requirement of the project!!! But the want or go to the consultant to provide it so that the contractor can cover up. And the consultant will never work out of scope for any reason.. they stick strictly to the contract... So, no matter any violation or fine coming from the govt. Authority the Consultant dont respond to it is it out of their scope of work...
Me: You can not just burn the leftover materials in a field. Since you treated it with Hexane, you must make haz waste determination and treat it accordingly.
Owner: Well, we will just spread it out in the sun and let it off gas until its no longer hazardous.
Me: Well, it does not work like that in XXX county. The air district rules expressly say that is a no-no
Owner: -Ok. We will just burn it at night. Problem solved
Me:
Owner: I am serious
Me: I no longer work here
I am constantly asked to do unethical things. Clients have threatened to blackmail me unless I go along with whatever unethical behavior they are doing ("I know people, I'll make sure you never work in this industry ever again"). I will end that work relationship the second that happens.
"Send a word document, not pdfs" (they want to erase things from the reports)
"Leave that out of the report"
"Go kick that guy off site"
"Go fire that guy" (Have to remind them that I am a consultant, not their errand boy)
"Don't go over there" (directions to ridiculously stupid hazard)
"How can we pin this on somebody else?"
"How can we fire [injured employee] and get away with it?"
"Can't you just look the other way?"
"Step off your high horse, nobody actually follows that ****"
- All quotes I have heard.
Additionally, I have to constantly remind clients that I do not correct issues unless specifically stated in the proposal/contract. For 90% of my work, I do audits and program development. I point the bad stuff out, they fix it. Hard concept for many to grasp. That being said, if there is an IDLH situation, I will do whatever I can to protect the employees exposed.
Consulting is great, but there are some pretty terrible clients out there. Not to mention racist. The second I hear someone use a racial slur, I end that client relationship. It shows the type of person that is, not someone you want to be working with.