Risk Communication

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“Communication is important in all aspects of dam safety within an organization, with the public, and with the specific owners or stakeholders of a project. However, communication about the work associated with risk is particularly important because of the fears, sentiments, perceptions, and emotions surrounding the work risk and the use of risk analysis in engineering”

“Integrate risk communications early in the process of responding to dam safety issues. This is beneficial because by including individuals in the process and giving them the opportunity to provide input, and possibly, influence decisions, they are more likely to accept the decisions being made. Provide context for risk communications (i.e., compare with other risks). This is especially important for the public who may have trouble identifying the significance of dam safety risks”.

Types of Risk Communication

• Communication to the Public
• Communication to Subject Matter Experts
• Communication to Regulators and Engineers

Best Practices Resources

Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety Risk Management (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Dam and Levee Safety: Using Risk-Informed Decision Making (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Trainings

On-Demand Webinar: Risk Communication for Dams

On-Demand Webinar: How to Communicate Effectively in Any Situation

Citations:

Revision ID: 3497
Revision Date: 09/16/2022