 Jerold W. Wiley, safety director, Madison County Hospital, London, OH, says, "While there may be many factors that can help reduce employee injuries, the most important one is communication. By completely opening up the lines of communication throughout our hospital, up and down and sideways, we reduced our injuries by 34% from 1998 to 1999. Our communication includes our safety bulletin board in a very accessible location, published minutes of the safety committee minutes, short presentations at every department head meeting and safety presentations for all new employees." Does your organisation do this?
Communicating safety apparently sounds very simple. It is not. Because most of the time we are not communicating, it is either not being understood by the target audience - or it is being misunderstood. And it is not realised that safety communication correctly done can indeed make the difference between life and death. In this concluding part of the article on office safety we discuss the important types of communication aids available to an organisation which help in getting the safety message across effectively.
 When the first issue of Time magazine was launched Henry Luce told his staff, "It is not what is printed on the page that matters - it is what comes off the page and into the reader's mind". This golden rule applies to any material developed for safety communication too. Today in our country, considering the safety situation it is important to develop a sound safety communication strategy. The printed
material is very popular among office personnel and more so if it is well produced. Most of such material, currently, is made available by professional safety organisations. However, a few companies have developed their own safety publications by adapting the material available to suit the needs of their employees, perhaps you could also do the same.
Posters are also very popular at the work place. They can be used effectively to highlight one important idea or message, by using large sizes and bright colours. They can be strategically positioned to ensure maximum visibility and attract attention. The poster should "hit them between the eyes". Newsletters and safety bulletins are useful communication channels. They carry news, information, messages, statistics, features, accident facts, etc. Safety newsletters and bulletins reach a large majority of employees and their families. They can be brought out simultaneously in languages. Pages can be devoted to cover various aspects - safety at the work place, home, road, etc. They serve to highlight the company as well as individual achievements in the field of safety. Thus, they serve as a via media for recognition and self-esteem.
 People learn through their five senses, and it is believed that 80% of the time one learns through seeing. Many experts feel that there is 30% more comprehension and probably 50% more retention when multi-sensory channels of communications are used. Hence it is prudent to make use of audio visual aids like films, slides and transparencies and multi-media presentations extensively. Lectures, panel discussions and meetings are still the more popular types of communication channels in our country. Most of our education is lecture-oriented, and safety messages also rely heavily on oral communication.
Safety practitioners all over the world are now realising that the communication process is a complex one and requires a scientific approach. It is not enough to make " noise" or resort to gimmicks to promote safety, one should know how to communicate. One should understand the profile/characteristics of the target and then plan what has to be communicated. And this process has to be repeated over and over again till it brings about attitudinal/behavioural changes.
(Concluded)
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