Videos can be especially effective in demonstrating unsafe conditions or reenacting accidents and incidents. As with full-length feature movies, however, the quality of laboratory safety training videos ranges from very good to very poor. Perhaps because there are no Siskel and Ebert for safety videos, the people who are responsible for safety training often rely on the advertisements or catalog descriptions. Because the blurbs describe the film as accurate, realistic, and professional, purchasers may assume that the information presented in the video is correct and appropriate for the viewing audience. Unfortunately this assumption of competence is not always valid.
Laboratory safety covers a wide range of complicated topics.
Producing a safety video for laboratory employees is not as straightforward as producing training videos for general use such as home improvement or gardening. You need to consider content, realism and credibility, minor flaws in the presentation, and any subtle messages conveyed by the actors' depiction of laboratory activity. Another important question regards technical content, which is often presumed to be a part of all safety videos. A safety video on a technical topic that does not convey specific, technical safety information is not worth your employee's time or your money. This can present a major obstacle in using a video effectively, especially if you have to point out the discrepancy every time you show the video.