Safety Icons and Communicating to the Unconscious It is not surprising that many organisations who ‘profess’ an interest in people use objects as their icons in safety. With slogans that are about how much they ‘care about safety’ (not care about people), they chose icons of hard hats, cones, … [Read more...] about Safety Icons and Communicating to the Unconscious
semiotics
Semiotics and Unconscious Communication in Safety
Semiotics and Unconscious Communication in Safety Some really interesting recent articles by Hayden Collins – http://riskintelligent.com.au/. One of his previous posts, How Semiotics Affects The Return To Work Process, generated some great discussion. The Semiotics of the RTW Industry FIRST … [Read more...] about Semiotics and Unconscious Communication in Safety
You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans Unions and Mining Companies have dug in for a long battle of meaningless aphorisms and condescending platitudes, started for safety reasons. Multinational Safety Organisations including Anglo American, Rio Tinto and BMA have recently diversified … [Read more...] about You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
What are Your Secret Messages in Safety?
What are Your Secret Messages in Safety? We say and sign many things in safety often only thinking about their overt meaning. It’s not that often that people consider the unconscious level of their communications and what are the by-products, trade offs and trajectory in messages. If the language … [Read more...] about What are Your Secret Messages in Safety?
How to use signs, symbols and text effectively in communicating about risk
How to use signs, symbols and text effectively in communicating about risk The power of symbols and signs to communicate to the subconscious was first systematised by Goebells in 1937. The power and effect of these symbols and signs to create identity and belonging was captured systematically by … [Read more...] about How to use signs, symbols and text effectively in communicating about risk
Safety Semiotics Competition
Safety Semiotics Competition We have all heard the saying “A Picture Tells a Thousand Words”. There is more significance in this meme than just a person having a bad day or another stupid safety fail photo. But, I imagine that, given the speed with which we consume social media these days, many … [Read more...] about Safety Semiotics Competition
Incommensurability and Discourse in Risk
Incommensurability and Discourse in Risk One of the most important concepts discussed by Feyerbend, Laktos, MacIntyre and Kuhn is that of incommensurability. Incommensurability refers to incongruence and misunderstanding between linguistic structures. What this means is that disciplines are limited … [Read more...] about Incommensurability and Discourse in Risk
Amping it Up in Safety
Amping it Up in Safety In a recent blog I asked why are we afraid, and explored fear and how it may impact on our feelings, and decisions about risk. I also shared a story of how after the 911 terror attacks in 2001, American’s turned en mass to driving instead of flying. One result of this was an … [Read more...] about Amping it Up in Safety
What Can Safety Learn from Barbie
What Can Safety Learn from Barbie We learn today that after many years Barbie is getting a ‘make over’. The iconic doll of the ‘perfect’ female form is about to become ordinary, diverse and not perfect. This is the end of a 56 year tradition that has had more harmful by-products than any other … [Read more...] about What Can Safety Learn from Barbie
Making Sense of Semiotics and Safety
Making Sense of Semiotics and Safety Semiotics is about symbol (sign, significance, signified and signifyer) as language and text as symbol and, the discourse (power-trajectory) of both (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotics ). Semiotic influence is tertiary and non-conscious. Semiotics is … [Read more...] about Making Sense of Semiotics and Safety
