CRISIS & EMERGENCY RISK COMMUNICATION: Six Principles for OSH Professionals

ABSTRACT

[...]as of this writing, the last complete revision to the CDC's CERC framework took place in 2014, and the last update to the web page where it is housed was in 2018 (CDC, 2018a). While OSH professionals may not find themselves as the face of a response effort, their subject matter expertise is essential to helping their organizations identify potential hazards and implement appropriate controls using effective communication (CDC, 2018b;Loon, 2020). [...]it is critical for OSH professionals to apply these six principles of CERC to remain accurate, credible and timely in their risk communication. In situations such as serious injuries and fatalities, extreme weather events, environmental or property damage, or even infectious disease outbreaks, OSH professionals are well positioned to be the source of immediate subject matter expertise even if the situation is not fully understood. [...]while establishing their position as the first to present the information relevant to their subject matter expertise, OSH professionals must accurately present what is known, what is not known and the processes in place to fill any knowledge gaps (CDC, 2018b).