Risk Communications
Communicating effectively is important in any human undertaking. Scientists and engineers frequently get into trouble when communicating with the public in certain situations. These troubling situations usually involve high concern coupled with low trust. Risk communications as a specialized undertaking is needed to communicate effectively in these high concern, low trust situations. The level of concern of the public who feel they were exposed to hazardous chemicals or may be exposed in the future is usually high. The public trust is almost always low for representatives of the PRP or their consultants. It is frequently low for regulators as well. Surprisingly, it usually low for the media.
Why do we want to communicate risks effectively? We want to:
Before I give you the "7 rules to success, " here is the most frequent reason for failed risk communications: the person responsible for the communications (you) does not realize he is in a high concern, low trust situation and that special efforts are required. Oblivious to the dangers, he speaks and writes in the the usual manner, shoots from the hip. Later, swatting at the hornets of rage buzzing around his head he asks, "What'd I say?" Again, for engineers, an equation:
High concern + low trust = special risk communication efforts required.
Seven rules for success in risk communications:
This Risk booklet has a good 3-page summary about public involvement, pages 30-32 (29-31 as pdf counts them), that I recommend.
Dr. Peter Sandman is an expert in risk communications. For insight into the risk communication, please read the following.
Glance at his web site here then read the general article that highlights some of his ideas, It’s The Outrage, Stupid.
Then read two of his web article on risk communication, facing public outrage and risk communication . Bookmark these, you will need these "outrage factors" for homework NEXT