Average Joe normally aint that switched on, and certainly isnt trained to operate the exits, to know what they are to look out for.
Saftey is saftey is saftey, and if you carry out a procedure that you begin to doubt is the safest way, or creates potentially dangerous situations then saftey is being overlooked as far as im concerned.
It doesnt take long for smoke to enter a cabin, let alone from a door opened by a pax who might not shut it again with flames roaring outside. If a CC member had been there the door wont be opened at all, and comands would be shouted to use the next available exit. Just remember manchester were most if not all the deaths were caused by smoke. Smoke will kill and very very quickly.
"Carrying out a saftey related duty" oh thats ok then we can overlook the other saftey related duties that we also carry out, sorry thats not good enough.
Accidents happen on the ground enough that we need to be at our doors prepared for the unexpected like we should normally. What good is being in the cabin half way through the "saftey related duty" if the a/c never even leaves the ground, need to evacuate and people die as a result of a botched evac? I dont think that " we were doing saftey related duties" would be a good enough reason for the deaths.
Time in an evac cost lives, we are there to sped up the evac, its not going to happen if we are faffing in the centre of the cabin
I just think its reckless in short!