Communication is key in health and safety. Without effective and thorough communication, incidents are more likely to occur.
Here are some tips to ensure effective communication across your workplace:
Know your audience
Not all communication techniques will work with every group. Identify the best
way to communicate with your team and use it.
• Not all people can listen to a speaker, provide written material as well.
• Have conversations to ensure the team are listening and are actively involved
in the discussion and the decisions that are made.
• Discuss! The majority of the time your team will know the safest and best
solution to an issue. Ask your team their opinion.
• Keep messages brief, and repeat the action plan at the end of the conversation.
• Ask your team for questions, encourage your team to speak up.
• Explain why the safety talk needs to happen and how it relates to the work.
• Keep communication positive. Include praise for good actions.
• Provide activities or scenarios for those who are interactive learners.
Up, Down and Across
Communication is required for all levels of the business. Managers,
administration, workers and subcontractors need to know what is
happening across the business. Keep communication open and clear
to ensure thorough understanding of risks, hazards and controls.
If questions are asked, share the question and answer with all parties.
The question may be relevant to other peoples movements, activities
and time-frames. Everyone will feel more included and valued if you use good
communication skills and methods.
Schedules
By sharing the work schedule with everyone involved in the project, any potential hazards can be identified and managed. Hazards may arise due to parties working alongside each other, competing deadlines, programmed delays or space required for deliveries or
hazardous tasks. Sharing and discussing schedules allows for early communication between contractors and workers prior to the task.
Work will run efficiently and helps all parties involved to understand the plan.
Review
Communicating the positive actions, any errors post project or task,
that may have occurred. Evaluate how the next project or task can be
completed in a safer, more efficient way.
By reviewing projects and tasks with everyone who was involved you
can create a positive and engaged work culture.
Good communication across our business helps us achieve our goals of:
• Efficient Planning and Management
• Employee Advancement
• Health and Safety Controls
• Quality of Work
• Performance
• Customer Satisfaction
• Business Improvement
• Positive Company Culture
