That question would have been laughable even one year ago. More and more recently, however, social media is being used as a tool for businesses to communicate internally and to a broader audience.

Twitter is a microblogging site that limits users to communicating in 140 character blurbs, per post. NIOSH, the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, utilizes Twitter to provide timely information on relevant safety and health issues.

Not only are they reaching out to their audience, but NIOSH is listening as well. For example, NIOSH retweets, or reposts the contents blogged by other users, to indicate agreement or to acknowledge that their followers’ posts are being read. One recent tweet offers readers a link to test their hearing protection. Another asks readers who handle pesticides to respond with their personal protective equipment (PPE) concerns.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opts for a more traditional social media avenue. Greenversations, a blog written by EPA employees and guest bloggers, discusses day-to-day environmental issues, opinions and comments. Though the EPA does not verify the accuracy of the content their authors publish, the blog offers a vehicle to discuss hot topics in the environmental arena: green offices for example.

Social media may or may not be a good fit for disseminating information at your company. Either way, it is certain that social media in the workplace is a growing trend that has potential to be very effective when applied to safety.

Sources
http://blog.epa.gov/blog/about/
http://icast.icst.org/2010/01/social-media-health-and-safety
http://www.ccohs.ca/products/webinars/social_media.pdf