Why shouldn't the ISO judge the tactics and overall strategy during an incident?

The reasoning behind the idea that the Incident Safety Officer (ISO) should not judge the tactics and overall strategy during an incident is rooted in the core responsibilities of the role. The ISO's primary focus is on the safety of personnel involved in the incident response. This includes monitoring operational conditions, assessing safety hazards, and ensuring adherence to safety protocols and procedures.

Judging tactics and strategies can lead to conflicts where the ISO's perspective might differ from that of the Incident Commander (IC), potentially undermining the IC’s authority and creating confusion among the response team. The ISO must remain impartial and focused on safety alone, without getting involved in operational decisions that fall under the purview of the IC. This delineation of responsibilities helps maintain a clear chain of command and prevents the dilution of attention from critical safety matters.

Ensuring that each role within an incident management structure remains distinctly defined helps facilitate effective communication, coordination, and overall incident management. Thus, the ISO's role is centered on safety oversight rather than tactical evaluation or strategy judgment.