• Quarterly written and/or verbal feedback to all employees on their accident-prevention performance;
• Process for upward communication and downward communication throughout the organization;
• Communication such as memos, bulletin boards, staff and general meetings;
• Feedback incorporating your organization's overall safety and health performance.

Implementation
Safety communication is a two-way process between employer and employees. Many traditional safety programs emphasize top-down communication and virtually overlook communication from the bottom up. To have an effective safety program, you must incorporate a bottom-up communication process.

Encourage employees to identify obstacles to safety without fear of reprisal. It is crucial that you develop and nurture a system of open and honest communication for a safety culture to evolve.

Soliciting employee input and participation on safety and health matters will do more than simply help the organization communicate more effectively. Encouraging employees to share their ideas and concerns on safety and health matters, and asking them for their help in decision-making and problem-solving will help them not only feel in on things, but actually contribute to successful outcomes. High morale and productivity also result.

Communication with employees needs to be easily understood. If you have languages other than English spoken in your facilities, communicate safety and health issues to employees in the language they understand. In addition, some employees may not read, requiring verbal communication.

Whatever communication strategies you use, it's important that employee concerns and suggestions receive timely and appropriate responses. It's also important that employees feel they are being heard and that their opinions matter.

The following communication ideas will help you design your communication systems and processes:

• One-on-one discussion — the supervisor, foreman or team leader sits down with each employee on a scheduled basis to discuss safety concerns, suggestions and ideas. Dialogue can last from 10 minutes to one hour. Ideally, discussions should be monthly, but should not be less frequent than every quarter;
• Informal discussion — inform employees that the accident-prevention coordinator, supervisor and/or team leader is available to discuss confidentially their safety and health questions, problems and suggestions;
• Suggestions — establish a safety and health suggestion program. Install a safety suggestion box in the work area and ask employees to contribute their comments and suggestions. Consider providing a form for employees to use when submitting their suggestions;
• Group discussion — provide the opportunity for executives, supervisors, team leaders and employees to discuss safety issues at employee gatherings. Regularly schedule meetings to share information and seek input on safety and health matters. Meetings offer an opportunity to use problem-solving and decision-making techniques. Meetings can be formal or informal, held in a conference room or on the job site, last long or be done in 10 minutes;
• Written communication — communicate key information, which can be motivational, developmental or informative, in writing;
• In-house company publications — an in-house company newsletter provides accident-prevention information on a regular basis;
• Safety and health booklets — provide safety and health information to employees at work or mail to their homes;
• Safety alert notices — inform employees of accident causes and how they can prevent them. Discuss the alert notices with employees, post notices on the safety bulletin board or send them to individual employees;
• Memorandums — summarize discussions and plans, provide information on performance goals and expectations, and give feedback on safety performance;
• Postings:

Safety bulletin boards — use for posting safety-related policies, notices, articles, meeting schedules, meeting minutes, memos, etc.;

Safety signs — a constant reminder of safe work practices, dangerous conditions and special precautions. Safety signs are often posted as reminders on machinery, entrances to work areas and in high hazard areas.