5 Tips for Effective Safety and Health Toolbox Talks

Toolbox Talk, sometimes referenced to as Tailgate Safety Meeting, is an informal group discussion on a single safety issue. Toolbox Talks are an effective way to refresh workers’ safety and health knowledge as well as to promote safety culture daily. The Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc (ABC)'s newly released 2017 Safety Performance Report says companies that conduct toolbox talks only monthly have a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) more than four times higher than companies that hold toolbox talks on a daily basis.

Popular toolbox topics often include OSHA Focus Four, Heat Stress, Cold Stress, PPE, and many more. They are short, easy to digest and assign, and perfect for leading a discussion on hazards, controls and safe work practices with employees.

The various ways individuals process information and learn pose challenges to employers. An article on grovo.com, “Why microlearning is the training for employees shrinking attention spans,” stated that “technology is advancing and training is having difficulty keeping up. Over one third of workers clock more than 50 hours per week, leaving less time for traditional training." Thus, concise resources like toolbox talks are a great way to keep safety front and center in the workers’ minds every day.

5 Tips for an Effective Safety Toolbox Talk

• Encourage everyone to participate and discuss from their own experiences and knowledge

• Focus on only one safety and health subject per talk

• Be specific with the recommended actions for hazard controls and safe work behaviors - avoid general statements!

• Incorporate real work situations

• Allow sufficient time for questions and answers

Popular ClickSafety Toolbox Talks

OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting (8 minutes)

Recordkeeping and reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses is required by OSHA, specifically in their 29CFR 1904 recordkeeping regulations. This Toolbox Talk reviews the 2017 changes and how it can affect a company's safety and health processes. Sign Up >

Electrical Hazards Toolbox Talk (6 minutes)

This toolbox talk reviews electrical hazards, tools used to prevent electrical hazards, like AFCI's & GFCI's and finishes with some sobering statistics around electrical fatalities. Also, learn 10 electrical safety tips! Sign Up >

Unsafe Acts and Unsafe Behaviors Toolbox Talk (7 minutes)

Taking risks to get your job done faster or cheaper could lead to serious, long-term pain. This toolbox talk discusses the triggers and trigger controls that help you enact safe acts and safe behaviors on the job site. Sign Up >

Focus Four Hazards – Falls Toolbox Talk (6 minutes)

Did you know that falls cause the most injuries and deaths on a job site? 294 construction workers were killed by fall-related hazards in 2013 and 100,000+ were injured in fall-related incidents in 2011! OSHA has identified Falls as one of their Fatal Four Hazards. Sign Up >