I Signed Off Unsafe Gear

I was responsible for safety checks on site. One morning I skipped a full inspection and signed off equipment I hadn’t properly checked. Bolts were loose and a guard rail was missing. I knew it, but stopping work would have delayed the schedule. Later that day a section collapsed and a worker fell. He survived but was permanently injured. The paperwork showed everything was approved. My signature was the final clearance before they climbed it.