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Subject:Warning or caution? From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Thu, 31 Jul 1997 11:48:13 -0500
Vikki Shine provided us with the following warning or
caution message: <<THE POWER SUPPLIES POSE SERIOUS HIGH
VOLTAGE AND HIGH CURRENT ELECTRICAL HAZARDS DURING SERVICE.
MOST POWER SUPPLY TERMINALS AND BACKPLANE BUSES PRESENT AN
ELECTRICAL HAZARD. EXTRA CAUTION AND CARE MUST BE
EMPHASIZED WHEN SERVICING THESE AREAS. DUE TO THE HIGH
POWER HAZARDS, RINGS, WATCHES, NECKLACES, AND O HER
CONDUCTIVE ORNAMENTS SHULD NOT BE WORN WHEN SERVICING POWER
SUPPLIES.>>
A few thoughts before I get to your actual question. First,
I hope you're not planning to set this in all caps... it's
very difficult to read that way, and I'd bet big money that
a court would accept the argument that someone shocked
themselves silly using your product simply because they
couldn't easily read the warning. Use "all caps" only for
short headings, never for sentences. If you want to
emphasize the warning, set it in a box with a large icon,
use boldface and a large font for the word "warning", etc.
etc... just don't use all caps.
Second, eliminate the passive voice: "Extra caution should
be exercised" should become "Be _particulary_ careful", and
"Rings etc. should not be worn" should become "_Never_ wear
rings etc. because they increase the risk of shock even if
you don't touch something dangerous." The text will be
shorter, stronger, and more likely to convince people not
to take risks.
Third, have a really close look at your assumptions. For
example, "_Most_ power supply terminals and backplane buses
present an electrical hazard" implies that _some_ of these
gismos don't pose a hazard, and I doubt that's the case...
they _all_ do, if I'm understanding this correctly.
<<Is this a WARNING or CAUTION?>>
FWIW, I've usually seen "warning" used for serious things
and "caution" for less serious things, but if you clearly
identify the consequences of an action, the distinction is
truly irrelevant. If you read the phrase "death by
electrocution may result", will your behavior change if you
see "caution" instead of "warning"? Mine sure wouldn't. The
problem is, your warning doesn't make the consequences
clear, since "present an electrical hazard" is
meaningless... will I get a shock, or will I be burnt to a
crisp? Picture someone in a hurry reading this: "Well, a
shock is certainly a hazard, and it's a pain to take off
all my jewelry, so why bother?" This sort of wording likely
offers your company no legal protection whatsoever. Be
specific everywhere, without panicking your clients.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
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