RE: Warnings

Subject: RE: Warnings
From: JB Foster <jb -dot- foster -at- shaw -dot- ca>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2002 11:49:47 -0700


Jan, I agree with you '200 percent' on this. However, society has decided
that we must warn people of their foolish actions as well. I guess it could
work the other way, by someone suing because there was too much information
present in the profusion of warnings

Litigation wise, warnings are moving to more easier to understand symbols,
so no one can claim they didn't understand. Also, most companies won't
accept that by simply introducing a product to the market, you're opening up
risk of a lawsuit. Then again, if they did - there would be a profusion of
un-employed lawyers, until someone actually decided to make a claim.

Bruce


Jan Henning wrote:

> The problem is, of course, that more warnings do not lead to more
> warning: When there is one warning, people may read it (if it is
> prominently placed and reasonably short and clear). When there are a
> dozen, an everyday item such as a mobile phone or an iron, people are
> likely to read none of them.*
>
> Moreover, people learn. After reading their umpteenth useless warning,
> they will learn that warnings on products are a waste of time to read.
> So, in a way, bizarre warnings clog the communications channel to the
> user and prevent serious and important warnings from getting through.
>
> This means that, paradoxically, more warnings can result in less safety.




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