Designing Occupational Safety and Health Training Materials for Clear Communication.

Abstract

Printed materials are an essential part of occupational safety and health programs. Public health professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created a Clear Communication Index (CCI) to guide design of health education materials for the general public. We revised an existing handout on heat exposure hazards in construction using the CCI and tested the old and new versions of the handout with an audience of 425 construction apprentices and journey-level workers. Some features recommended by the CCI-such as the use of subheadings, numbering, and other visual cues-strongly conditioned the readers' understanding of the main message. Design and layout have a significant impact on the delivery of messages in written materials. A communications-based rubric such as the CCI can help writers preparing written occupational safety and health materials for workers and general audiences.