Certificate II in Construction Pathways CPC20211

Conduct Workplace CommunicationCPCCCM1014A

What is workplace communication?Workplace communication is all about how you gather, receive and pass on information in a construction workplace environment. So, you might gather information by writing it down, or making notes, or listening to what's been said to you and remembering it. You might receive information verbally. That is, another worker might speak to you and ask you to do something, or pass on a message. And you might be asked to write something down, or go speak with another worker, to convey information.

So, this unit is all about how well you communicate to carry out tasks or to work effectively in the construction industry.

What is communication

The term communication can be applied in three ways

1. The act of communication2. The message that is being communicated3. The means of communicating

The act of communicating

• Talking• Singing• Writing• Gesturing• Signalling• Hugging• Punching

The message that is being communicated

• Maybe about emotions, feelings, wants, warnings, information

What are we trying to do when we communicate with others?

To persuadeTo provide informationTo seek informationTo express our emotions

There are at least two parties in the communication process; what do we call them?

• The receiver: the person receiving

• The sender: the person imparting the message

Who has the responsibility for successful communication?

• The sender• The receiver

The parties in the communication process can experience barriers. List these barriers stating examples.

• Physical barriers Loud machinery, distance, interference on radios, deafness• Emotional barriers Anger, resentment, dislike, frustration• Psychological barriers Aggressive, confrontational• Intellectual barriers Lack of knowledge, language, understanding of signs

How does good communication benefit everyone on a building site?

Poor communication results in injuries, faulty work and wasting time

What do we call the procedure for checking whether communication has been successful?

Good communicators give and seek feedback

List the procedures for checking whether communication has been successful.

The sender checks by:• Asking the message to be repeated• Asking questions• Asking for the message to be restatedThe receiver checks by:• Repeating the message• Asking questions• Restating the question

Worksheet 2:

List the different forms of communicating information on a building site

Forms of communication Examples

Spoken language Face-to face Telephone Two-way radio

Written language Letters SWMS Specifications

Body language Hand signals Gestures Facial expressions

Diagrams Safety signs Plans Dangerous goods

Sounds Whistles Sirens Reversing machinery

Lights Rotating beacons Traffic lights Overhead

cranes

Touch/sensations Other workers

Faulty equipment

Unstable scaffolding

Odours Chemicals Gases Fires

When being spoken to in face-to-face communication, what should you do to make sure you get the message?

• Look at the person talking to you• Attentive posture (don’t slouch)• Show interest (nodding)• Encourage the speaker• Ask questions• Summarise to check your understanding

When you answer a business phone, what should you do?

• Give a polite greeting• Give your company name• Give your name• Offer assistance

If you cannot help the caller, what must you do?

Write down the following information on the caller:• Name, where they are from,number

• Write down the message• Repeat the message to the caller• Write down the day, time and date• Give a polite farewell• Write down your name• Deliver the message

What is the procedure for using a two-way radio?

• Use an individual call sign to identify yourself• Say ’Over’ to indicate you have finished speaking so the

other person can reply• Turn your microphone off after saying ‘Over’ or you

cannot hear the other person• Spell out important words using the international

alphabet, e.g. (a) alpha, (b) bravo, (c) Charlie, (d) delta• Speak clearly at a moderate pace. Remember that radio

frequencies are public, so be careful what you say

List the procedure to follow when reading a document to ensure you get the essential information:

When you are seeking information from a document, you can:• Predict the content from the title or pictures• Skim quickly through the document to get a

broad idea of the contents• Scan the document to find a specific piece of

information• Read for the main ideas• Read in detail for deep understanding

Give four examples of when specific hand signals may be used

Specific hand signals are used to guide:• Crane operators• Surveyors• Truck drivers• Excavators

Safety signs must be manufactured according to what specific Australian Standard?

Australian Standard AS1319-1994Safety signs for the occupational environment

What specific categories of signs do the following types fall?

Sign Categories

No smoking (symbolic) Prohibition (don’t do)

Wear head protection  Mandatory (must do)Caution – explosive powered tool in use  Hazard warning

Fire hose (symbolic)  Fire

Toxic material risk (symbolic)  Danger hazard

Emergency exist  Emergency information

Wear hearing protection Mandatory 

First aid equipment Emergency information 

No naked flame (symbolic)  Mandatory

Fire extinguisher (water)  Fire

At no time should signs be located on doors or windows, explain why?

At no time should signs be placed on anything that moves or is likely to be moved. Signs located on doors or windows are likely to be concealed when they are either opened or closed.

What is a quick and effective way to create a simple barrier?

• In some situations, where there is a possibility that signs may either go unnoticed or ignored, a physical barrier may be necessary to draw attention to the existence of a hazard or a danger zone. A quick and effective way to create a simple barrier is to

use barricade tape

Describe underground warning tapes, and why they are used.

• Underground warning tapes are brightly coloured plastic tapes that are usually buried 100-150mm below the surface of the ground above and along the length of the underground installation.

• To prevent damage to underground installations during excavations

List the classes of dangerous goods.

Class Dangerous Material

Class 1 ExplosivesClass 2 GasesClass 3 Flammable liquidsClass 4 Flammable substancesClass 5 Oxidising substancesClass 6 Poisonous or infectious materialsClass 7 Radioactive materialsClass 8 Corrosive materialsClass 9 Miscellaneous dangerous materials

Employers are required to provide employees with information about dangerous goods. State the most effective way of ensuring

the information is made available

• Having material safety data sheets MSDS available for use on-site.

Sketches and drawings are useful means of communicating information. State six typical materials found on site that could be

used to sketch or draw on.

• A block of timber• An off-cut from a board• A piece of fibre-cement• A piece of plasterboard• A piece of paper torn from a cement bag• A piece of cardboard torn from a carton

Worksheet 3: The Art of Clear Communication

Q1: When speaking to someone face-to-face, make sure your message is clear:

• Use ‘I’ messages: talk about your thoughts, your feelings, your needs; do not blame or label others; deal with then issues

• Focus on an outcome, the situation, the problem, a behaviour; do not focus on the person; be consistent; make your body language match your words; do not send conflicting messages; pick your time and place; make sure the other person is not distracted by something else; and seek and offer feedback to check understanding

• Always speak with a civil tone and treat people with politeness and respect. If you need to instruct someone, before you begin be certain about what you want the person to do.

Q2: List the steps you would follow to instruct someone in a practical task

• State the overall goal you require• Describe the main steps in the task in a logical

order• Explain the details of each step slowly• Emphasise the critical points• Seek and offer feedback to check the other’s

understanding• Summarise the main steps in the task in a logical

order

Q3: How must you write a document to make sure you are writing in plain English?

Write the document:• In a logical order, e.g. from the least important

point to the most important point, or vice versa, according to distance, or according to construction sequence

• In the active voice, e.g. ‘I need more nails’, not in the passive voice, ‘More nails are needed’

• And in short sentences, with one main idea to a paragraph

Q4: List the types of language you must avoid using if you do not want your meaning to be obscure

• Ambiguities• Clichés• Tautologies• Jargon• Slang• Technical terms

Q5: Explain the following hand signals

StopSignal Meaning Description

Your hand is raised with your palm outwards

Your hand and forearm rotate in a circular movement towards your chest

A forward pushing movement with your hands, palms outwards in front of your chest

Your right arm extended to the right with the hand and forearm swinging in a horizontal arc

Crossing and recrossing your hands and forearms horizontally in swinging movements in front of your chest

Stop

Towards me

Move away

Move to the right

Cease what you are doing

Q6: When using hand signals, how can you ensure the message will not confuse others?

Make sure that your body language is clear and concise. It is very easy to confuse others with a sloppy and inaccurate gesture.

Worksheet 4: On-Site Meeting Processes

Q1: List five types of meetings that may be held on a building site.

• General staff meetings• Union meetings• Occupational health and safety committee meetings• Special-purpose committee meetings• Team meetings• Social club meetings• Special-interest group meetings

Q2: Meetings may be conducted formally or informally.Briefly describe each form of meeting

Formal meetings• Run by elected office bearers called chairperson,

secretary and treasurer• The meeting will follow an agenda prepared by the

secretary• The meeting will follow a set procedure for making

decisions using movers, seconders, speakers for and against the motion and finally a vote by the meeting for or against the motion

• Minutes of the meeting will be taken

Informal meetings• Simple procedures without the election of

office bearers• There may or may not be an agenda, but

everyone will have a general focus of the meeting

• Someone will probably lead the meeting• There is no set procedure for conducting

discussions and making decisions• Members will probably take their own notes

Q3: List the types of meetings that are often conducted ‘formerly’

• Company meetings• Union meetings• Occupational health and safety meetings• Special purpose meetings

Q4: List the types of meetings that are often conducted ‘formerly’

• Team meetings• Social club meetings• Special-Interest group meetings

Q5: List the information which is included in an agenda for a meeting

An agenda is prepared by the secretary and sent to the people prior to the actual meeting. It will include:

• The time, date and location of the meeting• The order I which items will be discussed at the meeting• Welcomes and apologies• Minutes from previous meetings• Business arriving from minutes from the previous meeting• General business for this meeting• Other business• Next meeting• Close

Q6: Describe the minutes of a meeting

• During the meeting the secretary will write the minutes, which are summaries of the discussions and decisions agreed upon

• The minutes then become a formal document• These procedures are usually followed only

when the items to be discussed affect a lot of people, have legal implications, are required by law, or need to be accurately recorded for the future reference

Q7: No matter whether a meeting is formal or informal, what must attendees be prepared to do?

No matter whether a meeting is formal or informal, It is important to participate. When you attend a meeting, make sure that you:

• Understand the purpose of the meeting• Contribute to relevant discussion• Are prepared to listen• Offer only constructive criticism• Deal with issues or problems, not with people or

personalities• Are prepared to resolve problems• Are prepared to accept and carry out the decisions

reached by the group, because the groups decision is binding on everyone

Q8: List four important things to make sure of during a meeting.

• Everyone sits where they can see each other• Everyone has a place to put there agenda and

take notes• Everyone has an opportunity to make a

contribution• No-one is allowed to dominate the meeting

and control the outcomes

Q9: List and describe the four most common ways of responding in a conflict situation

The most common way to responding are:• Withdraw from the situation, which allows others to win and, because

the conflict is not resolved, it may allow it to grow out of control• Suppress your feelings and refuse to acknowledge the problem, which

does not allow others to recognize your feelings and have the opportunity to behave differently

• Compromise, which can lead to dishonesty, which degenerates either into haggling or exaggerated ambit claims

• Confront the other, which can lead to a win / lose ego-fired battles of will, which have nothing to do with the pros and cons of the issues at hand

• All of these ways of responding to conflict lead to a win / lose situation

Q10: Describe the kind of situation these ways of responding can lead to, and the effect this situation can have

All of these ways of responding to conflict lead to a win / lose situation.• In time, successive win / lose situations can

produce a culture of tit-for-tat responses, where it is most important to win and get even than to solve the problem.

• This leads to a breakdown of harmonious and cooperative work relationships and the creation of an unhappy, unsatisfactory and unproductive workplace

Q11: Name and describe the ideal response to a conflict

A win / win solution where the solution or outcome benefits everyone and meets everyone’s need (collaboration)