Warnings Placed on Products - Essay Example

Warnings Placed on Products Introduction As a way of safety communication, warnings aid in enlightening persons at risk about risks and lower the adverse results of interactions with situations that may cause injury, property damage, or illness. In that aspect, warnings try to reduce injuries, property damage, and illnesses linked with the use of these products. Authors on the other hand, indicate that a warning can cue information that is stored in long-term memory increasing awareness of a specific risk while still acting as a reminder (Smith, 1). According to the law, a manufacturer has an obligation to warn the consumers where the product is dangerous; the presence of danger upon using the product in the usual and anticipated manner; the user is ignorant or misinformed about the danger; and most importantly, the manufacturer’s knowledge about the danger (Ross, 33). According to Swindell, there is no guarantee that the user will read, conform with, or understand the warning even if it is there. On the other hand, the warning ought to enlighten the user of likely injuries that can happen while using the product hence encouraging behaviors that can help the user evade these injuries (2). Moreover, the policy validation to warn is rooted in the idea that product manufacturers are best capable of anticipation what dangers are innate during the product usage. In addition, the manufacturers are in a well placed to warn of these dangers. This on the other hand, provides the manufacturers with a motivation to attain the best levels of safety while designing and marketing products (Adams & Ross, 7). Many factors increase the effectiveness of warning labels. For instance, the graphic labels in the cigarette packets stimulate responses that have an effect on behavior. Certainly, loss-framed graphic warnings bring about emotions of anxiety, fear, or disgust causing a positive effect on reducing smoking, attempting to quit, or even totally quitting. The graphic labels are more efficient than texts because they prevent non-smokers from starting and encourage smokers to stop (Morvan et al, 1). Locating the warning in a place that will disrupt the users’ normal behavioral use of the product is another way of increasing noticeability. Interrupting the custom of using the product, or interrupting the custom of reading the instructions is a way of achieving this (3). Embedding the information within the product instructions is one way of designing a warning to interrupt the normal flow of information processing (Swindell, 4). On the other hand, several factors reduce the effectiveness of warnings. For instance, according to research, symbols generated in the Netherlands are incomprehensible in other European countries while the English signals words are incomprehensible by Spanish speaking people. In addition, profound differences occur in the hazard implications of colors and symbols between Spanish speaking people and English speaking people. In this regard, it is necessary to do cross-cultural testing of warnings whenever suitable and possible since warning constituents that are efficient in one culture may not be efficient in other (Wogalter et al, 224). Although this rarely happens, a product warning becomes insufficient if the anticipated users of the product cannot comprehend the warning. Consequently, it is necessary to regard the intellectual and communication skills of the product’s planned audience. These concerns are especially significant when the product targets non-English reading users or illiterate people (Adams & Ross, 12). As a design feature, color can increase the noticeability of a warning and certain colors raise the expected efficiency of a warning. For instance, a number of studies have found red to express the highest level of perceived hazardousness. Warnings printed in black locate less easily on a product label than warnings printed in red (Swindell, 9). When the warning color is distinguishable from background and surrounding colors, the color added to a warning can raise its ability to attract attention. On the other hand, colored warning labels are more readable and hazardous than achromatic labels. For example, those warnings printed in red compared to black lead to better noticeability (Wogalter et al, 221). Another factor that can enhance warning effectiveness is the addition of an icon (7). The use of icons is an essential part of a warning since they have the possibility to put across a message to people who do not speak or read the language of the textual message or to those who are illiterate. In many cases, when expressing information in hospitals, airports, and many other domains where people may require information about their neighborhood, icons are vital (Swindell, 9). Other factors that reduce the effectiveness of warning labels appear in the case of pre-packaged foods. The propagation and diversity of food allergen warnings on pre?packaged foods triggers disappointment, risk and uncertainty for allergic consumers. Actually, allergic consumers comprehend different warning statements in diverse ways. In effect, this leads to assorted behaviors as well as unpleasant events. In addition, some customers of these foods view warning statements as firm’s legal protection instead of concrete warning of potential hazard. Consequently, this reduces the efficiency of the warning labels as consumers take the warning for granted (Fenton & Elliott, 6). Moreover, some consumers assert that contradictory label appearance and location of allergen information makes the warning information ineffective. In some occasions, the conspicuousness of the warning and the display of information are challenging to consumers. Another problem with warnings on allergens occurs due to different companies applying diverse information. Since the information is different, consumers struggle with the disparity in regulations that establishes how and where allergen information appears on the label. This further reduces the effectiveness of the precautionary statement (Fenton & Elliott, 20). Apart from warnings on food allergens, health warnings also appear on tobacco products. Moreover, health-warning labels on tobacco products represent the most suitable instrument for alerting smokers and non-smokers similarly concerning the health hazards of tobacco use. Several studies indicate that most smokers admit getting health warnings from labels on cigarette packets. Moreover, even no-n smokers indicate that they receive awareness of the dangers of cigarette smoking from warning labels (1). In addition, there some populations that have low literacy levels hence may find it difficult to read the messages. In these regard, alternative warning method other than text is essential. Studies have cited the use of Pictorial warnings as being very effective in conveying health information to such populations. This method increases the effectiveness of tobacco warning since smokers in most nations report increased illiteracy compared to the rest of the population (Fong et al, 2). There some other factors which reduce the effectiveness of a warning. First, there are difficulties in conveying the intended information if the warning label contains multiple warnings or a particular warning becomes too long. In other occasions, some people merely do not believe that the threat or hazard is genuine if they have used the product or a similar product several occasions without harm (Folk, 3). Perceptions and motives of users of products also reduce warnings efficiency. For instance, for female adolescent smokers, the perceived benefits achieved from smoking dominate any possible negative health results. They are more prone to disregard the disincentive health warnings on tobacco packaging since they smoke to accomplish pleasure intentions (Shanahan, 58). Moreover, people will ignore warnings if the warnings mention safety tool that is not accessible or to circumstances that are doubtful. In other occasions, lack of enthusiasm makes people warnings not to take warnings seriously. This appears in warnings that emerge to be in the wrong place (Folk, 4). More experience with a product emerges to decrease probability to read warnings and instructions. In this regard, experienced users are still vulnerable to injuries due to absentmindedness and reduced awareness at the time of injury (Smith, 6). There are some products, which have only one room for a label, which is for user instructions. In effect, the warnings for such products are minimal hence do not communicate the required precautionary measure effectively. In addition, due to reduced space, some manufacturers fail to attach warnings (Ross, 35). In order to increase the effectiveness of warning labels, manufacturers should employ several strategies. Most importantly, a warning should depict the potential outcomes of non-conformity. A precise depiction of the means of injury offers extra information and enlightens consumers on the significance of complying. For instance, a chemical exposure warning could plainly state that “Severe lung injury can result’’ rather than outlining the outcome non-explicitly (Wogalter et al, 221). Concerning warnings on cigarette packs, it would be vital to design them exclusively to deal with the concerns of various ages. In effect, this would cause significant impact and behavior change on specific groups. For instance, there is the need to emphasize messages, which feature the outcomes of smoking on the appearance of the user. On the other hand, there should be less emphasis on the probable unseen health problems. These health problems often take years to build up and are pertinent for older smokers (Shanahan, 58). Conclusion Warning labels placed on products by manufacturers depict safety standards to reduce risks caused by the products. However, some manufacturers merely place the warnings as a way to comply with the law. In addition, many factors reduce or increase their effectiveness. For instance, adding color to a warning label increases its readability hence augmenting its effectiveness. Other factors increasing the effectiveness of product warnings include pictorial graphics, location of the label and adding an icon. On the other hand, factors that reduce the effectiveness of product warnings include illiteracy, ignorance by users and use of different labels by different manufacturers of similar products. Other factors include multiple warnings, perceptions and motives by users and unrealistic safety tools. Manufacturers should research new methods of designing warnings in order to increase their effectiveness. In addition, manufacturers should place warning labels as a safety measure rather than as a compliance with the set laws. Works Cited Adams, Matthew & Ross, Kenneth. Legally Adequate Warning Labels: A Conundrum for Every Manufacturer. 1998. Web. Fenton, Nancy & Elliott, Susan. Consumers Response to Precautionary Statements on Food Labels. 2008. Web. Folk, William. Warning Labels: Safety Compliance and the Effectiveness of Audio, Video, and Written Instructions. 1993. Web. Fong, Geoffrey et al. The impact of pictures on the effectiveness of tobacco warnings. 2009. Web. Morvan, Gallopel et al. The use of visual warnings in social marketing: The case of tobacco Karine. 2009. Web. Ross, Kenneth. More Guidance for Warnings and Instructions. 2005. Web. Shanahan, Patrick. Evaluation of the Health Warnings and Explanatory Health Messages on Tobacco Products. 2000. Web. Smith, Jeffrey. On-product Warnings as Reminders: Compliance to Product Manual Warnings based upon Presence and Content of On-product Warning. 2010. Web. Swindell, Julie. Measuring Visual Search Reaction Time and Accuracy for a Product Label Warning as a Function of Icon, Color, Column and Vertical Placement. 1999. Web. Wogalter, Michael et al. “Research-based guidelines for warning design and evaluation.” Applied Ergonomics 33.1 (2002): 219-230. Read More