Had a roofing crew, about 15 young dudes, at the recovery furnance (pulp and paper mill), scrapping off near 4 decades of various coating chit for a major recoat, dust flying thick. Their "leadman" had given them each a bandana to wear - all western bandit style... I got all up in his business, as appropriate, and handed out N95s. All thankful like Christmas, 'cept the"leadman". I' m fine, I have this, motioning to his banditito wear, he bitched.
Other times stubborn-ass millwrights would not voluntarily wear, so much as safety glasses breaking lines that had 11.7 pH residuals in them... None of us would benefit from anyone being hurt. Caustic hurts. There's a point you know it is ok or not, gotta plan for the worst until then.
Two simple examples why to not just leave it up to the individual, there's industry standard safety practices for a reason. That some are bullchit does not mean none are valid. But, wearing a hard hat out in an open field, that'd piss me off.
