Reply #153: No more so than yourself

[Major Nikon]

You don't know the actual reason they chose to wear the suits any more than he does. So what you're proposing is pure speculation, so are you saying nobody but you is allowed to speculate and if they disagree they must be eating "propaganda"? Lighten up a little, you'll live longer.

Employers are required by OSHA to provide a safe working area for their employees. The city was citing hazardous living conditions as a reason to clean up the sites in the first place (whether or not this was a valid claim is irrelevant). It's very possible the police union advised management they should take precautions to protect their cops or they would face OSHA complaints, and/or grievances. Some police union contracts also have provisions for hazardous duty pay if personal protective equipment isn't provided and required where warranted. The union where I work files complaints like this all the time, and more often than not they win.

So maybe your speculation is correct, but there are other possibilities, and pointing those out isn't "eating the damn propaganda".