Effective

Communication
for Safety
Communication Defined

 Basically, communication is sharing of ideas or

information with others to be UNDERSTOOD.

 It is a two way process of sending and receiving

information.

 It is what we do to have understanding.

 Communicating for Safety
 To provide the necessary information about a job, a
machine, a decision, an action taken, etc.
 To recognize good performance
 To prevent misunderstanding or misinformation that
may lessen a person’s working efficiency
 To alleviate fears, worries and suspicions an
individual may have in his work or toward his
employer.
 Communication as a Tool
To serve as a real management tool communication
must:
 Notend with the transmission or orders
downward

 Considerthe rights and needs of people below

to communicate upwards

 Be a two way exchange

 Types of Communication
Downward communication

 It flows from upper levels of management to the

next lower level, down to the rank-and-file

 Used when management wants to inform

employees of policies, procedures, directives, etc.

 It is the supervisor’s responsibility to make sure

that he as well as those below him understand
what is communicated.
Upward communication

 Proceeds from the lower levels of the

organization up to higher management.

 Necessary to improve efficiency as well as to

ensure that downward communication from
management is received and understood.

 It is the supervisor’s responsibility to help his men

express themselves clearly and relay exactly
what they want to say.
Lateral communication

 Takes place among employees of the same level.

 Usually concerns the dissemination of information

pertaining to areas of responsibility and/or reports
of levels of achievement in jobs involving more
than one work group.

 It ensures avoidance of duplication of work effort

in achieving management goals
 What to communicate to
workers
1. Workers should be told every thing that directly
affects them.

2. Things indirectly related with the work or

physical conditions surrounding the job such as;
 work coordination
 company organization
 plans for growth and expansion
 Work assignment
 Work flow in offices
 Machine repair  Vacation policy
 Materials  Company services
 Methods of  Recreation
operation  Management policy
 Overtime  Pay
 Responsibilities  Rules and regulations
 Acknowledgement of
good performance
 When to communicate

1. As a general rule, people should be informed

about any event well in advance of rumors,
gossips, conjectures.

2. If the information deals with vacations,

shutdowns, etc. It should be released soon
enough to be useful to individuals who will
benefit from them
3. All announcements should be so timed that the
reasons given for them would not conflict with
other information fresh in the employee’s mind.

4. In all cases, a supervisor should receive the

information before his subordinates do.
 How to communicate
1. Give meaningful reasons to those being
informed. This is one of the best way to gain
acceptance.

2. Where persuasion is necessary, employ verbal

communication. This is more effective than
print since you see the other’s reaction and
hence are able to adapt your presentation
accordingly
3. Invite response from workers

4. Use more than one medium of communication.

 A meeting may be good, but a meeting

reinforced by a letter is more effective than an
announcement which gets only one
treatment.
Most Common Communication
Filters / Barriers
Knowledge

Bias

Motives

Mood

Language Barriers

Physical Factors
Barriers to Effective Listening
 Word barrier
 Emotional barrier
 Distractions
 Heated Discussions
 Listening process :
 sensing, interpreting, evaluating,
responding.
Other Factors Influencing
Effective Communication

 Self-Concept
 Listening Process
 Clarity of Expression
 Coping with Feelings
 Self disclosure
Keys to improve listening skills
 Have a reason/purpose for listening
 Initially suspend judgment
 Resist distractions(noise, views, people)
 Stop talking, maintain eye contact
 Rephrase in own words the message
 Be ready to response at the right time
 Clarify when needed
 Share responsibility
Other Aspect of Communication
3 basic elements of communication: the sender,
the receiver the message.

 For one to get through the other

 They must be tuned in on the same wave
length
 They must speak the “same language”
 The sender must use the language the
receiver understands.
The communicator makes use of certain aids of
devices:
1. Words are precision instruments

 Use the right words for the purpose in hand

 Avoid imprecise words like “few”, “some”, or “many”

when meaning will be conveyed better by actual
numbers and percentages.

2. Listening is an important aspect of communication.

 In communicating, don’t do too much of the talking
yourself, listen to what the other has to say. This
way, you establish rapport with your receiver.
3. Tone sometimes convey more than content
does.
 It is how the thing is said rather than what is
said that may set road-blocks and cause a
communication gap.

4. “Reaction” reacts on the thoughts and

emotions of the receiver.

 It is, therefore, wise to use the correct tone in

your messages.
5. Letters can be made appealing to the
receiver’s self interest:
 Catch your reader’s interest in the opening
salvo
 Close with an appeal to action
 Don’t let your message dangle without clear
indication of just what it is you want him to do.
6. Speeches and written reports must be well-
organized and well-presented.
7. Written Communications should be brief:
 Long enough, and no longer, to get the point
across
 Not wordy, redundant or long-winded

8. Effective presentation should include the

following:
A clear-cut identification of the problem, idea or
program to be presented
9. A careful organization of the subject matter:
 By identifying major and minor points
 By organizing thoughts and information
points to put across a specific outline.

10. Judicious (sensible) use of visual aids

Charts, graphs, slides, transparencies, movies
have an important part. Used improperly,
however, they can be boring and, worse, may
give the wrong emphasis.
11. Careful consideration of the background
and interests of the audience
 A minor point for one group can be a major point
for another
 What is interesting to one group can be boring
to another.
12. Sensitivity to audience reaction as a
presentation progresses
Part of a presentation may have to left out and
others elaborated on to meet the situation
Boring speakers are usually insensitive to audience
reaction.
 Devices used for
communicating
 Bulletin board  Exhibits
notices
 Letters
 Circulars
 Interviews
 Inter-office
 Informal talks
memos
 Meetings
 Company papers
 conferences
 Official notice
 Posters
SAFETY is more than a word !
 Supervision – is a vital part of safety
 Awareness – be aware of your surroundings
 Familiarity – know your job, equipment and
environment
 Education – teach about the job / learn
from others
 Take time – to complete a job properly
 You – are responsible (responsibility for safety
can’t be given to someone else)
Thank you!