Environmental Proiortkjn Agency 1989
DC
Seven Cardinal
Rules of Risk
Communication
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tf
luvr
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*CV«1*O
pmrt JiD>
v Ulc
»i> the puH*
Although munv ol Ihr ruk-v nut
* .-!v vwfoiiil in
Thti*. 4 uwHful WAV to ftfJit Ut
rule* is to fawn. on wh
no: fattpto
hy iHr
nl
Accept and involve
the public as a legitimate
partner
A Kink et tlul
4 Ftflt |0
EMM
r jnd Eh?
G«ld ifiri:
the pi^bfic md
e* wur rt*o*l
IB% oh* ai pirtic* thil luvr j«
inlru-*: uc J TiiW in the rvwr
If von arc j
ttul ye« nwfe tot Che pubK H
da twt wini. for the j^vcrnmctr!, ihr
t'liini in L\ M i MI!
» i hi' i^ul of rr-k
in
.tn
puolk. irvi! i* iir> .'^ru,
m»m~^r*1 K-jwubb-, '^•lghlfcj.
IfeBB Bit IB iBHs^B^T I*
irpbc?
Plan carefully and
evaluate your efforts
cofnmutnu'Jitkvi wnfi
only j* (jrrtuih
,
to
or
i& irffwrr^'ft., .
sin-
IP
four JUaiwfKV Ajm yuur
utrtmtHi i* ,L:IVI", 4: v^vif
in ivur ,MiJK-ncc, Rntuif
who
Jttd
ttdin^ tcvfwiw *(
'. wv>*r*d then- jnr Bum
with iK own uitrh •
l mctltj
• hi". ii-/i: n ,'K
vir.iti
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Listen to the public's
specific concerns
W you 'do no? fasten to proptf ,
cannot fspect them fe fefen
CoHununicahwi is j twit-way *,r
Guidelines: Do- rti«!
ihmk. or want donr atvul
i-. Take tho lime tin dpnJ H.-UJ
ate ihurtkrrtg: us*1
a*, interview K \ 1 u 1 : • .in J
lj?l :-A\ p.irin.". I: •: ' Sin
,!,-...- ,-,-• ,:-•;,. I ;.. i • In . • i . i I •
hi'.i r J . Idcntily iv i 111 yiHi r 1 1 1 < 1 1- • 1 1 1 •
and fry lo pu.' yourself in lln-n p-m ••
Rot'Ogn btc peopie's ^nipEiciiw |.,ul
lo know i hot ymi uncisimliindl
(hey said, addressing lllc'ir
as
J-
.ind bmadrr i'i r 1 1 1 • i M i . < i
fOrt-;- ' <-•> (hjl i^'
.irnj complkitEp the tjsk til
Poml b> Omsidt-r
m Peopk m ihecomtnwittv «nr titan
oitire conomied about suds taw
tmct. cm£faifilyr c»onipgfa>r^g,
EMHTM.
dun dbmit
ilir Jrydt ^
Be honest frank,
and open
In
tisi
f • ui Jrl ificv Male VCTIT -credrnlLiK
Imi ck* ci . . • • i expect u> l
by ihr piuNif ll you do not kncn-
^r ar jrt- uncertain „ fo\
H> pi
, - i i v1'- -'li-l
'ii -.-.t1^ — including the one*-
hy other cretirl
n»r>f-cj'^ estimates as Mich.
t'tEt1- riHgus u* risk
Qmsaden
V I fit*" 4Qo cwdJwWj? tine uuticuit
fifctaflu CJnce ktot tfarf are
Coordinate and
collaborate wrtfi other
credible sources
AHii** i j.n ix- effective in helping,
i; Taku bme ED cocirdiTi.il>
-i * TL.;,ir:,/.'il;r
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Consult t»TJh e&
to determine IB h
rtkk . Try to
rafioM fomftr
other irostiwDctfnr >o«r(
cwsmpie. credibfe iichrcnitv
- phyiiciim. or trotted
cpf
ufftozb).
to Cansider
* Few thing? make :
^n •!•! i .m
or public disagri-' < with
other tTt'dFblk
Meet the needs of
the media
Tin1 iri.'Jhi ..ire a prime1 ti.ni-.inii1. i «•
inliirrnaltnn rr n-,- - . I .
• .5! role m netting dj*efwlLi<. 4*nJ in
Ihrtt
Guidelines: Be open with
lo usepcw
13-. Provide n>k
(i» the need.-
media ifcrcum|«lc, p
-rtd
other visual aids Bar li*k
in advene? and ptm^fc-
d iifcifii in! on (uui^iin
: : -.:. :_ :. •
un vtucie^ frith pcabe w cniicwm. **
warranted. TIT to establish
t«LitjQct*Jup* of trust
Jo
* The media are fretjuenlly mun*
interested in pofiacs thjii
rt'.-n: incetvstfil in Mmplutlv than in
etHTipk'xity; mote ir: I in
I -i, XT Hvin in ••••.
Speak dearly and
with compassion
Technical language and priori
tftcjr or barriers to SMxxssful
. I r-r- ll.i •• ,,-,. ri-, |':1l 1 1 |-.,', ,|> i'
cxpr* = i. i-., fij-cir, iinsL'T,
•.nili.ii,!. . !••• «•!• "•!'• ^-- Ai kn.
JLITiJ K'>;':-n.' h. the JJMr,
Ihr public vk-w's as tnnporlant in
• uilmft n .
Eanulianty, Jrcj
(rutural or man-made).
fjir- ^J
I LM> risk canqxansons to
jp*fsp«\-:
avow cn
dM»ction«. that
try to
ol ^t »•.•*«. tiiat are
w«y «¥ «n be taken. T*-D
P imnt**; ontjr
VIHI can do. and b*? sun? In da
what vou
lu
of huw well
risk inkurnarjum,
Will mil bv s: i .!
• - 'in UMrtH CM iiuarm
• | -•- il -;il uskrt prt-M-'i! '.I- 1, I .....
anci saying — t
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illness, injury, or efcaifi is ;\>t "
the uieit'f uf Q
(Jrc 5K^. /lW.ffr is
f Office af Policy Analysis
at the Eiafirmtmtntai
EPA IfM.
i.'.l! as a
ttt !^N^I fric ^wrrfirrrct1 s^riu^d Iv
will necessarily piinf faint (tif? 1
Thf JFHlfoDrS invite \nr\tr
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