Alert of the Month
Consider the following radio transmission from a supervisor to a worker:
Hey (radio static) go down in the valley. The one with the S4 creek. There’s something (radio static) going on down there.
What’s the problem with this communication and what could go wrong?
If the transmission was clearer, the full transmission would be heard with a very different message:
Hey don’t go down in the valley. The one with the S4 creek. There’s something weird going on down there.
There are three key components of communications:
1) message,
2) delivery and
3) reception.
If one of those is missing, the communication will fail.
1) Building a Solid Message
- Some planning is helpful prior to sending your message. For radio communications, think about what you’re going to say before you key the mic. For more complex communications like leading a safety tailgate meeting, make some notes to keep everything on track.
- Decide on the best way to deliver the message. Do you need to deliver it in person, will a text do or do you need to draw it out on a map? Safety critical or complicated messages should always be delivered face to face so you can gauge understanding and answer any questions.
2) A Good Delivery
- Do you usually talk too much or not much at all? You may have to change your style to meet the needs of your audience. When in doubt, a short, simple message with a follow up check for understanding is a good practice. Current research says our average human attention span is all of eight seconds!
3) Message Received?
- Plan to communicate at the right time and place. Avoid noisy environments or when people will be too distracted, tired or hungry to receive the message.
- Watch your audience, are they paying attention? If not, try a different tactic. One-on-one communications may work better if you want to get a 2 way conversation going
- Getting feedback from the person you are communicating with is important. Are they making eye contact, asking questions and engaging in the conversation? If they are, that’s a good sign that they are receiving the message. For critical radio communications, have the person repeat the message back to you.
Situations That Require Safety Critical Communication
- Cable Yarding Commands
- whistles and radio commands
- Radio communications on Resource Roads
- calling kms and using pull outs
- Emergency incidents
- communicating what people and resources are required
- Communication between falling partners
- calls for qualified assistance
- Logging equipment working in close proximity
- communicating locations and staying out of hazard zones
Barriers to Communication
Here are some potential barriers to good communication that you may need to manage:
- Fatigue
- Stress
- Literacy challenges
- Jargon
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- English as a 2nd Language
- Distraction
- Bullying
- Noise
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- Hearing disabilities
- Technical terms
- Poor equipment
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Resources
- Attend Forest Supervisor Communications Training
https://www.bcforestsafe.org/training/supervisors/basic.html
- First Aid Drill Resources – ideas on how to practice emergency communications
https://www.bcforestsafe.org/innovations_first_aid_drills.html
- How Loud Is It? Forestry specific hearing information
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/resources/health-safety/hazard-alerts/how-loud-is-it-forestry?lang=en
