{"id":12581,"date":"2014-08-11T20:50:58","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T00:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/?p=12581"},"modified":"2021-06-24T04:56:04","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T04:56:04","slug":"wake-up-how-to-give-boring-safety-briefings-a-shot-in-the-arm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/wake-up-how-to-give-boring-safety-briefings-a-shot-in-the-arm\/","title":{"rendered":"Wake up! How to give boring safety briefings a shot in the arm"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s happened to the best of us. You\u2019re standing in front of a room of people, tasked with the job of delivering a safety briefing. You\u2019ve put on your best suit, practiced your presentation and double-checked your data. Yet as you look out at your audience, you are confronted by a sea of bored faces, shuffling their chairs, itching to leave. You don\u2019t get it. After all, the things you\u2019re saying are vitally important \u2013 possibly life-saving! Yet for whatever reason, the message just isn\u2019t getting through\u2026<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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As we\u2019ve discussed in our previous post, some people simply hate health and safety<\/a>. For all sorts of reasons, they have\"Businessman<\/a> constructed a wall of prejudice, and no matter what you say they\u2019ll wheel out the usual, lazy stereotypes \u2013 \u2018Boring!\u2019, \u2018Time-wasters\u2019, \u2018Kill-joys\u2019 \u2013 you\u2019ll have heard it all before, even if health and safety has only recently been added to your remit. However, the key is not to get disheartened, but rather to break down that wall; to mentally shake that room of people by their collective lapels and get them to understand that the message you\u2019re sharing relates directly to THEM. Fortunately, we\u2019ve spoken to some of RoSPA\u2019s most experienced trainers, who have kindly provided us with their top tips for working a difficult crowd. So sit back and learn from the best \u2013 safe in the knowledge that next time you give a speech or deliver training, there\u2019ll not be a drooping eye in the house.<\/p>\n

Keep it real<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the biggest criticisms of health and safety is that it can sometimes feel a little abstract. One of the best ways to combat that impression is to root your presentation in real life examples. Accident statistics<\/a> are a great way of providing context, but you should be sure to balance the broader picture with real life examples. For instance, it\u2019s one thing to make a point using shocking construction statistics<\/a>, but to then use a real life example about an individual whose life was changed irreparably after a building site accident<\/a> can really cause your audience to stop and think \u2013 which is exactly what a good safety briefing should do.<\/p>\n

Crack a joke<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying that safety is a serious topic \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t lighten the mood by making the odd joke. Humour can be a great way to break the ice with a \u2018frosty\u2019 crowd, and can help people become more receptive to your ideas. If you\u2019re stuck for material, you can always take a look at our 10 worst health and safety myths<\/a> \u2013 there\u2019s enough nonsense there to keep you laughing for a while!<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t rant<\/strong>\"iStock_000016921928Small\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We know it\u2019s tempting \u2013 especially when you take into consideration the shattered lives<\/a>, financial burden and general heartache accidents cause \u2013 but sometimes a calm, rational argument can have an even bigger impact. That\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t be passionate, it\u2019s just that the facts often speak so loudly for themselves that there\u2019s no need for you to shout and risk people switching off.<\/p>\n

Speak plainly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be honest \u2013 if you had a pound for every mis-used, mis-remembered or mis-pronounced acronym you heard at work every day, then the chances are you wouldn\u2019t be in work in the first place! While there\u2019s definitely something endearing about the OSH industry\u2019s dedication to cramming every new initiative into a not-so-snappy shorthand phrase, it\u2019s worth remembering that your audience won\u2019t always be familiar with the latest safety-speak \u2013 which at worst could leave your life-saving message unfathomable to all but the most hardened H&S professional. The key here is to tailor your message to your audience \u2013 and to check understanding as you go along if in any doubt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Read More At Rospaworkplacesafety.com <\/a><\/p>\n

Related Health and Safety Audits Training DVDs:<\/h2>\n
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Safety Audits Training DVD<\/h3>\n

\"safety<\/a> Reminds employees about the goals of a safety audit, and how all workers should become involved. View Product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Safety and Health Advanced Training Video<\/h3>\n

\"safety<\/a> This DVD covers more advanced guidelines and best practices for safety in a variety of industrial workplaces. View Product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s happened to the best of us. You\u2019re standing in front of a room of people, tasked with the job of delivering a safety briefing. You\u2019ve put on your best suit, practiced your presentation and double-checked your data. Yet as you look out at your audience, you are confronted by a sea of bored faces, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWake up! 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