Colorful Aviation Safety Posters Get The Message Across
The aviation safety poster and other work related posters were first used extensively at the beginning and during World War Two. By the end of the war in 1945, there were 18 million women in the workplace. These women had been recruited to replace the men who had enlisted or were inducted into the military. Rosie the Riveter was a major poster—over 180 different poses were used. Some were patriotic, some were safety related, but most were production related. The US Government was so concerned about worker safety during the war years that they delivered hundreds of thousands of these posters to defense plants free of charge. All Army Air Corps, Navy, and Marine Corp Bases had aviation safety posters located at strategic places about the bases or on aircraft carriers.
All types of safety posters were devised quickly; warning these new workforce employees of the dangers. Most of these women had never been around 'moving' machinery; air driven rivet guns, electric drill motors, grinders, saws, lathes, and numerous motorized tools used to fabricate and assemble war materials. Towing of aircraft was very dangerous — damage to towed aircraft was excessive at the beginning of war production.
Colorful posters have been used to promote safety for over a century. Posters placed in the proper areas around the manufacturing plant or airfield hangars and aircraft engine shops present passive training methods and are used to remind aircraft mechanics and aircrew of a hazard, precaution, or an idea.
Aviation safety engineers have made many studies of the effectiveness of posters. They found that posters must be current and have a message applicable to the audience. They discovered that the posters had to be changed frequently or they become part of the hangar wall—basically invisible to the aircraft workers and crewmembers. The Germans in Europe learned about posters quickly. The Luftwaffe used aviation safety posters at airfields before the world war started. The propaganda ministry in Germany thrived because of the messages delivered by posters.
Aircraft Safety posters use both pictures and words to convey a safety message. For workers with poor reading skills, safety posters are more effective than lengthy written aviation safety text and processes. Eye-catching, colorful pictures are as important to the effectiveness of a safety poster as clever text. A study found that aviation safety posters depicting the airplane actually being assembled were more effective than 'stylized' generic aircraft pictures.
To be effective they soon learned to put posters in high traffic areas; places where workers linger or stand in line, or at entrances and exits. However, make sure they are placed in appropriate areas. For example, place a poster about the use of safety seat belts in the main cabin. These would be numerous and lit by a light bright enough to be readily observed from all passenger seats in the airplane. Simplistic aviation safety posters should be placed so that both crewmembers and airline passengers can see them; in aircrew lounges, VIP passenger lounges, and definitely near the gates.
