10
For Clear & Concise
Report Writing
Tip #1
Use Storytelling.
Before starting to write your report, you should decide
- what story do I want to tell my client? You have seen
their processes, taken observation notes, and reviewed
exposure monitoring data. You have put this
information through your professional judgement and
made certain conclusions about the level of risk. Don’t
just lay out bare facts. Structure your report in a way
that tells a cohesive narrative, guiding the reader
through the problem, the investigation, the findings,
and the recommended actions. This can help maintain
engagement and clarity.
Tip #2
Structure
Your Report.
A clear and concise structure is essential to allow an easy
flow of your findings and recommendations. Reports that
are hard to read and navigate are more likely to be
ignored. Use industry guidance to produce wellstructured, actionable reports.
As a minimum, all reports must consist of:
Title Page
Executive Summary
List of Contents
Introduction
Process Description
Results
Discussion
Recommendations
Action Plan
Appendices
Tip #3
Set The Scene.
Providing background information is essential to put
your findings into context. The “Introduction” section
should focus on who contracted the survey and for
what reason (compliance, complaint, specific
concerns). It is important to identify the scope of the
report and where and when the work was carried
out. Your “Process Description” section should briefly
describe the assessed process and the prevailing
conditions at the time of the survey (how
representative?). This should also include a brief
summary of the hazard and its health effects.
Remember, many decision-making report readers will
not be familiar with the process, so context is a must.
Tip #4
Exercise Your
Professional Judgment.
Occupational Hygiene is both a science and an art.
Although we apply robust scientific principles, we
heavily rely on previous experience, a comprehensive
understanding of exposure science, and intuition that
forms our professional judgement. Exposure data
alone cannot fully convey the level of risk without
proper interpretation. Make sure you combine your
qualitative observations with quantitative data to
reach an overall conclusion. This will add value to
your report and increase the overall confidence in
your findings.
Tip #5
Use Proofreading
Tools.
Your report is the final product you “sell” to your
client. Correct use of grammar is indicative of
professionalism, attentiveness, and tenacity. Use free
proofreading tools like Grammarly to spell-check your
report. In the long run, it is worth investing in a full
version, which will help you to increase the clarity of
the message you try to convey.
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JANS BABKEVIČS