Key Takeaways
OSH practitioners frequently use technical communication to convey information to a wide range of audiences.
Documents and reports should be written and effectively communicated using applicable standards.
This article details seven key elements that will make technical writing for OSH communication more effective: project preparation and purpose, structure, audience, graphics and visuals, use of technology, review process, and communication of knowledge.
Written communication is a fundamental skill required of all OSH practitioners. As described in "The Occupational Health and Safety Professional Capability Framework," an OSH practitioner must prepare professional reports or documentation for a variety of audiences (INSHPO, 2017). These documents should be written and effectively communicated using applicable standards. The form of written communication most frequently used in OSH is technical or scientific writing. Society for Technical Communication (STC, 2019) defines technical communication as any method of communication that has at least one of the following characteristics:
covers a specialized or technical topic;
uses technology such as websites or social media; or
gives instructions to accomplish a task.
In short, the purpose of technical or scientific writing is to communicate information to an audience.
When performing technical writing for OSH communication, an OSH practitioner should consider or include several key elements. Proper consideration and inclusion of these elements will make the technical communication more effective; however, failing to consider or include these elements will decrease the chances that the document will satisfy its intended purpose. Detailed in the following sections, these key elements include project preparation and purpose, structure, audience, graphics and visuals, use of technology, review process and communication of knowledge.
