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Mersey  
#1 Posted : 14 January 2020 10:19:01(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Mersey

Stratergy for this year is to improve engagement, awareness, knowledge, sharing infomation.

At a site I visited a few years back, they designed a mock Health and Safety Newspaper and brought one out every month. A4 size laminated (2 sided).  Put them in break rooms notice boards etc.

I'm thinking of doing the same but looking for ideas what to populate it with.

I was thinking of a monthly focus topic as the main head line for example SLIPS TRIPS FALLs find an industry story, a smaller side story on what steps people can take to reduce risk at site (local photos).

Other side stories of a local safety champion on site 

Has anyone seen something similar done, and if so what type of infomation was on the New letter?

All ideas helpful

Many Thanks

RayRapp  
#2 Posted : 14 January 2020 19:51:52(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

Some years back I produced a monthly newsletter for my organisation. Two A4 pages which included topical things you might find in other journals and websites, any interesting court cases or precedents, new or revised legislation and what initiatives the HSQE team were currently doing or promoting. I also included a 'Did you know?' feature each month of a particular concept, such as, a Duty of Care.   

It was essentially aimed at supervisors and managers, but available to anyone within the company who might be interested. Finding interesting and pertinent subjects each month can be hard work - so be prepared.   

thanks 1 user thanked RayRapp for this useful post.
Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 14 January 2020 20:41:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

trying to come up with monthly content is why most attempts at news letters die a natural death personally i ran a monthly prize on a spot the mistake (deliberately placed) just to drive engagement Laminating isn't particularly friendly for the environmental types on what should be a recyclable publication

Edited by user 14 January 2020 20:44:18(UTC)  | Reason: tree hugging

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC), Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#4 Posted : 14 January 2020 20:41:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

trying to come up with monthly content is why most attempts at news letters die a natural death personally i ran a monthly prize on a spot the mistake (deliberately placed) just to drive engagement Laminating isn't particularly friendly for the environmental types on what should be a recyclable publication

Edited by user 14 January 2020 20:44:18(UTC)  | Reason: tree hugging

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC), Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
Dave5705  
#5 Posted : 15 January 2020 06:30:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Dave5705

how about a "best question of the month" feature. Raise a topic on the newsletter, say you will be asking the question at toolbox talks or site visits. Offer a small incentive for the best question. It will create a period between asking the question and asking for answers, thinking time, which is why we never get questions at safety meetings. Might start a dialogue, may knock a few myths out of the park too.

thanks 1 user thanked Dave5705 for this useful post.
Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
Mersey  
#6 Posted : 15 January 2020 08:40:51(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Mersey

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post
Laminating isn't particularly friendly for the environmental types on what should be a recyclable publication

Thats a good point!

Reference spot the mistake - sounds a good idea any example? Was it on the newsletter or in a magazine or on the plant? Bit iffy if on the plant I suppose as you've potentially left an unsafe condition :) 

Thanks for the reply - May stretch it to a quarterly News letter instead.

A Kurdziel  
#7 Posted : 15 January 2020 09:15:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

The idea of relying on a printed magazine type newsletter is so 20th century. Even back then they hardly worked but at least they raised the profile of H&S with senior management.

The deal tool would be something that appears on their phones and reminds them about local H&S issue. The problems is unless the phones are company supplied this is not going to happen. My ideal solution would something that pops up on your phone and is really annoying but you can’t get rid of it unless you respond or react to the content.

This will of course not happen,  most people want to control the content of their phone and use it for important stuff like Candy Crush, R32 gambling site or what’s going on Love Island.

Communicating less important stuff like H&S relies on showing you face and annoying people in person

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Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#8 Posted : 15 January 2020 10:28:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

It would be a script error in the document  e.g.

stating an incorrect year for a regulation/standard

listing a wholly inappropriate (elf n safety gone mad) control measure

Some would research and proudly announce the answer, with others it prompted face to face discussion

Roundtuit  
#9 Posted : 15 January 2020 10:28:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

It would be a script error in the document  e.g.

stating an incorrect year for a regulation/standard

listing a wholly inappropriate (elf n safety gone mad) control measure

Some would research and proudly announce the answer, with others it prompted face to face discussion

Holliday42333  
#10 Posted : 15 January 2020 10:33:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Holliday42333

A Kurdziel has a valid point here.

It is because of this that you need to be really clear at the outset what a newsletter is trying to achieve.

Understand that a large percentage, and certainly the majority, of the workforce will either not look at it at all or at best idly flick through it paying scant attention.  If this idea is to communicate H&S information effectively then a newsletter is not the way to do it and will not be good bang for your buck.

However, if your goal is to just raise awareness that an H&S Function exists, the H&S function can produce some professional information content and very occasionally people might interact with that content, then a Newsletter works just fine if it is part of a larger communication strategy .  You can also employ some sneaky engagement tricks like leaving it in site waiting areas like meeting room tables, break room tables, reception areas etc where people might kill a few minutes of time and therefore MIGHT pick up the first thing that comes to hand.

Make sure you and your management team fully understand all this.  There will be nothing worse for the credibility of the project (and by extension you) if after a couple of issues the question is asked "So is anyone reading this newsletter because it takes quite a bit of resource to put it together?  I am concerned that the messages are not getting through to some people.  How are we sure that this newsleter is effective? (because while I'm not going to admit it, I haven't read it either)"

As others have said, the real challenge is finding enough engaging content, issue after issue.

I have sent you a PM.

Edited by user 15 January 2020 10:38:19(UTC)  | Reason: Spelling etc

thanks 1 user thanked Holliday42333 for this useful post.
Mersey on 15/01/2020(UTC)
A Kurdziel  
#11 Posted : 15 January 2020 12:36:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Once in a previous life I committed to providing an “interesting and informative” H&S article to the monthly newsletter which was distributed by the intranet around the organisation. Here is a list of articles

 

  1. If you think offices are safe - think again!
  2. Environmental incident: Cleaning Vehicles on site and contaminating the local drainage system
  3. Falling Over is Not Funny-Highlighting slips, trips and falls
  4. Drinking water hygiene- do not drink water directly from the spout!
  5. Rules of the road on site: we have them and they are enforced especially the 20 mph rule
  6. Please report near misses-why they are a good thing
  7. Sitting and sitting, and sitting and sitting, and sitting… take breaks and move about a bit
  8. We need more volunteers to be first aiders
  9. H&S champion for offices required
  10. True Grit- the practical limitations of gritting an 80 acre site  

The aim was not simply to regurgitate H&S policy which was already available on the intranet but to mention H&S topics which were current and based on what was actually happening on the site.  

They were short (about 200 words and if possible included pictures). Management liked them, as did the internal comms people but it was difficult to assess how much real impact they had.

Enthusiasm for the whole newsletter faded and they stopped being monthly and became irregular and then ( as staff were being culled) we lost interest.

 

Edited by user 15 January 2020 12:37:12(UTC)  | Reason: missing words

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