A Guide to Safe Field Operations
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-777
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Communication
Communication, as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary (William,
Morris, ed., 1976), is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or the like, as
by speech, signals, or writing. Thus, if we are to accomplish our mission
and do it efficiently without any personal injury or property damage, we
must exchange our thoughts and ideas with each other. Communication is a
two-way street: it includes instructions and questions and answers if
clarification is needed, it includes letting people know where you are
going and why and checking to make sure of safe returns, and it includes
contacting others to explain our plans and receive permission to enter on
or use the property of others.
Making assignments and conveying instructions for accomplishing assigned
tasks is the responsibility of the supervisor; making sure the assignments
and instructions are understood is the responsibility of both the
supervisor and the employee and this constitutes an effective two-way
communication. In addition to specific instructions, the supervisor needs
to explain the purpose of the assignment and how it relates to our overall
mission. The employee will be in a better position to accomplish the tasks
if he or she understands the importance of the assignment and its relation
to the other work that we do; the employee will be able to think about the
assignments, make plans, and make adjustments to get the job done. On the
other hand, the employee needs to be thinking why and how. Why is this
task important and how am I going to get it done? If the employee doesn't
know, he or she needs to ask questions and gets answers from the
supervisor. Supervisors prefer spending extra time repeating instructions
and answering questions rather than having an employee return from the
field without completing the assigned task.
Communication also is critical (second only to thinking) for safety.
Employees must be made aware of potential risks, how to avoid them, and how
to get help if an accident does occur. Supervisors need to know where
employees are going and when they will return to provide information to
searchers and rescuers in case the employees do not return from an
assignment. Special communication equipment, such as two-way radios or
cellular telephones, are necessary if assignments are in remote locations.
Remember to think, communicate, and consider the following procedures to
ensure your safety:
- Prepare an itinerary and discuss it with your supervisor, including a
list of field sites, a route-of-travel log, motel reservations, and a
schedule for "check in" telephone calls to your home or office.
- If going to a remote area, use mobile or portable radios or a cellular
telephone if coverage is adequate. Always have fully charged batteries
and an extra set of batteries.
- Before entering a remote area, confirm that your communication equipment
is operating properly.
- Whether using telephones or radios, keep to your prearranged check in
schedule and provide update information or adjustments to your
itinerary.
Another important aspect of communication is conveying plans for hydrologic
data-collection activities to cooperators and landowners. Almost all field
activities are conducted on land or water that is in private ownership or
under the jurisdiction of local, state, or federal agencies. Before
starting an assignment, contact the appropriate individuals, discuss plans,
and receive permission. Give them a schedule of planned activities and
keep them posted on progress. Time spent talking with a public official or
landowner may help avoid problems or gain their cooperation for activities
in the future. We can do our job only if we have access to collect the
needed data.
Previous--Training for New Employees
Contents
Next--Preparing for the Field
A Guide to Safe Field Operations
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-777
http://water.er.usgs.gov/pubs/ofr/ofr95777/communications.html
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