| Safety in the industrial environment is challenging. | | | | space. It's not just a matter of putting the main |
| How much money do you have to spend to | | | | focus in the center. The arrangement of other |
| purchase safety protective equipment to prevent | | | | components of a picture will lead the eye of the |
| accidents? Try asking yourself how much it will | | | | beholder to the center of interest. Through |
| cost you whenever an accident happens - loss of | | | | composition, a picture is unified into a well-balanced |
| life, loss of work and productivity, insurance | | | | and pleasing design. |
| claims, material damage, and not counting those | | | | There are many techniques for arranging subjects |
| extra hours writing reports... | | | | to create attractive graphics. Some of the well |
| Accidents are not cheap. In fact, they can be | | | | known ones are: the S-shape, L-shape, three spot |
| very, very expensive! | | | | composition, tunnel, silhouette, golden mean, |
| And ironically, most accidents are caused by | | | | radiating line and many others. |
| people! And it is not easy to get people to follow | | | | Another way to capture interest is by the use of |
| what you want them to do. Everybody has a | | | | colors or lack of it. Strong reds will stand out in a |
| free will and they know it. | | | | green background. Skilful matching of colors can |
| How useful are your protective equipment if your | | | | enable pictures to stand out, and make people |
| workers are not using them? How do you ensure | | | | take notice. |
| that your workers remember safety guidelines | | | | In safety communication, the safety slogan must |
| and avoid dangerous practices? Or observe good | | | | also be eye-catching. After all, that is the safety |
| safety practices when nobody supervises them? | | | | message that you want to deliver to people. To |
| Somehow, people need to get it into their | | | | be successful, the words must stand out above |
| subconscious mind to want to follow safety rules | | | | the rest. |
| and regulations. If not it will be an uphill task for | | | | The successful safety poster first captures |
| the safety practitioner. Do they have to wield the | | | | people's attention with the graphics and the color. |
| big stick like a policeman and play a | | | | Next, it lets them enjoy the images to relax their |
| cat-and-mouse game all the time? | | | | mood. Finally, it presents the safety slogan or |
| Safety awareness is the key to controlling | | | | message for the finale. |
| accidents. Safety awareness is critical in any | | | | If done well, people will remember the messages |
| construction site. So many dangerous activities | | | | in safety posters for a long, long time. And when |
| are happening at the same time. It only takes one | | | | a similar situation occurs during their work, the |
| unsafe act to bring your safety record plunging | | | | vivid graphic comes back to their minds, perhaps |
| down. | | | | causing them to smile knowingly for what to |
| What is the best way to deliver your safety | | | | avoid. They have seen the consequences and |
| message? | | | | they will avoid putting themselves in that similar |
| Interestingly, researchers have found that people | | | | accident-prone situation. |
| remember 50% more in what they see than in | | | | Does it make sense then to use eye-catching |
| what they hear. Visuals get people's attention. | | | | cartoon graphics to influence safety behavior in |
| Advertising people know about this. The many | | | | people? I think it might work when we expose |
| images on billboards, magazines, newspapers or | | | | people sufficiently over a long period of time. The |
| even on the internet are testimonies that visuals | | | | messages must sink into their subconscious mind |
| do attract people and advertising using visuals are | | | | so that it becomes second nature to them. |
| so effective. | | | | There had been a lot of propaganda graphics |
| Humor in posters brings good feelings and makes | | | | created during the world wars and also during |
| ideas more memorable and receptive. This again | | | | political campaigns. Many of them used cartoons |
| has a lot to do with the working of the mind. | | | | to influence the thinking of the masses. People in |
| Pleasant thoughts generate more receptive | | | | advertisement use a lot of graphics - all for one |
| learning. Have you ever tried studying for an | | | | purpose - to influence people's impression or |
| exam when you have ugly thoughts disturbing | | | | buying behavior. |
| your mind? | | | | Truly, cartoon posters with the proper messages |
| Humor effectively drives a point that is so easy | | | | can influence people's behavior. That should be |
| to understand when done correctly. Accidents | | | | good news to safety professionals. It's a tool with |
| situations cannot be photographed. Only stuntmen | | | | a lot of potential. |
| are crazy enough to do things that can result in | | | | If you are involved with safety, where can you |
| accidents. Cartoons can be effectively used to | | | | obtain suitable safety posters that are both cheap |
| illustrate dangerous situations which might be | | | | and good, where you can store in your computer, |
| impossible to capture on film in real life. | | | | and print at any time you want? |
| What do you mean by done correctly? Well, in | | | | You might find the 50 downloadable poster |
| any graphic design, there must be a certain | | | | images contained in the e-book "Construction |
| composition that makes a picture stand out. It's | | | | Safety with Mabuk" that can be downloaded at |
| what makes people stop and stare. It's the | | | | very useful. Safety posters can be printed on any |
| difference between a prize-winning visual and a | | | | normal printer straight from the computer |
| mediocre one. | | | | anytime. It's so convenient and practical. |
| Composition is simply the arrangement of the | | | | Prevention of accidents is certainly better than |
| subject matter within the confines of a picture | | | | cure. It's so much cheaper too. It's so funny! |