PSMS Lessons Learned - August 2026 - API RP 1173

Three-Way Communication for Utility Workers

The purpose of effective communication is to ensure understanding between two or more people. It is an important defense in the prevention of errors that can result in incidents. While the effects of mishaps due to ineffective communication will differ, the unfortunate organization can find itself facing legal, regulatory and financial consequences, and its people dealing with a significant emotional event as a result of a lost teammate.

Many industries have established protocols for effective communication. For example, in the medical field, 66 percent of all sentinel events reported from 1995 to 2005 were related to ineffective communication, according to The Joint Commission, a nonprofit that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 U.S. health care organizations and programs. The commission defines a sentinel event as “an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof.” To help combat this issue, organizations in the medical field have begun requiring their employees to engage in a repeat-back process when information is verbally communicated to them. This is because, in general, verbal communication presents a much greater risk for misunderstandings than written communication.

How Does Three-Way Communication Work?

The repeat-back process – sometimes referred to as three-way communication – is also used in the electrical and gas utility industry, typically in situations when workers are not face to face and must talk to each other via radio, telephone or similar technology. If your organization hasn’t already implemented this form of communication, safety managers should strongly consider doing so in the near future. By making the tool part of the fabric of your communication culture, employees can help to prevent the undesirable consequences that may result if an important message is not accurately transmitted or received.

Tool Usage and At-Risk Practices

So, when should you use three-way communication?

There are an infinite number of situations in which it is applicable, including during task assignments that impact equipment or activities, the safety of personnel, the environment or the electrical grid. For instance, it is ideal for workers to use the repeat-back process during switching activities, when communicating the conditions of equipment, when communicating the value of an important rule, and during operation or alteration of equipment.

Be aware, however, that although three-way communication is an excellent, highly effective tool that can reduce the possibility of an incident occurring on a job site, there can also be risks associated with its use, such as:

• The sender stating too much information or multiple actions in one message. Messages should be kept concise and focus on one action or task at a time.
• The sender not providing enough information for the receiver to understand the message.
• The sender not verifying that the receiver clearly understands the message. Verification is critical to the repeat-back process.
• The sender using the word “incorrect.” Because “incorrect” contains the word “correct,” use of either term may confuse the receiver if he or she is having a hard time understanding the sender. It is better to use the words “right” and “wrong” – or similar words or phrases – than “correct” and “incorrect.”
• The receiver failing to ask for clarification of the message, if needed.
• The receiver taking action before the repeat-back process is complete.
• The receiver being mentally preoccupied with another task.

Adopted from an article written by Rey Gonzalez May 20, 2016 posted in Tailgate Topics published by Incident Prevention