Which action should you take first if a supervisor's instruction to leave cars out to foul an adjacent track appears to violate a rule?

• A. Good faith challenge
• B. Immediately disobey
• C. Call local authorities
• D. Continue with instruction

Answer: (A)

Safety comes first in these situations. When a supervisor’s instruction looks like it might violate a rule, the proper first move is to raise the concern in good faith. Politely ask for clarification, explain what you’re seeing as risky, and request a safe way to proceed. This approach shows you’re following procedures and looking out for everyone’s safety, while giving the supervisor a chance to correct course or point to the applicable rule or procedure.

Disobeying outright bypasses the chain of command and can create confusion, increase risk, and lead to disciplinary issues. Calling local authorities is not the first step unless there’s an immediate, unquestionable danger that requires external intervention. If you were to press on with the instruction without addressing the potential violation, you’d be acting on something that hasn’t been verified as safe.

If the concern isn’t resolved through a good faith challenge, follow the established escalation path in your safety policy, such as elevating to a higher supervisor or safety officer. This preserves safety, documents the concern, and keeps the process within proper procedural controls.