What are Safety toolbox talks?
A short, simple, easy, and quick introduction or discussion about safety before work starts, usually in the job site, is called safety toolbox talks. It is a type of briefing of almost five to ten minutes about the safety and tools in the workplace.
Safety manager briefs the worker about the safety risk associated with their tasks. It facilitates knowledge sharing and promotes a safety culture at the workplace.
Importance of toolbox talks
One of the main importance of these talks is that it increases employee’s engagement. It helps employees to recall the safety procedures and risks associated with workplace. As a result, it reduces workplace incidents. Some basic and important points are below.
- It creates a positive and safety culture within an organization.
- Toolbox talks keep every worker alert at the workplace.
- Improve productivity and communication between groups.
- It helps to remind the responsibilities and duties of every worker.
- It helps in executing action plans and reduce hazard at the workplace.
- Assure that all workers know the hazards around them in this task and how to avoid danger.
Who Should Present a Safety Talk?
The best one to conduct this meeting is the job supervisor or the team leader of the job. Because this will make workers believe that the supervisor cares about their safety and also the organization do. Also the supervisor talk will lead the workers to have an effective rule in safety program.
Where Should Safety Talks Be Conducted?
This talk should be held in a place that has no distractions, and where the workers will be focused and positively engaged.
Meeting or break rooms are the most common places in most companies. Some companies conduct this meeting at the work site it self, But this may only be a good idea if the workplace is safe, comfort and suitable for the meeting.
Tips for an effective talk
To make the meeting effective you can use the following tips in account.
- Prepare for the talk before conducting it.
- Announce the workers before the meeting.
- Choose the right time for the talk, (for example don’t make it in the workers tea time because this will make them not focused).
- Use visual media, example videos and stories.
- Engage the workers by asking them questions.
- Be funny, don’t take your self so seriously.
- Use real examples from your workplace i.e near miss and accidents reports and photos.
- Keep topics relevant.
- Never only read straight from the slide or the paper, Just take head-notes.
- Share experience and your own work stories.
- Always accept your mistakes. If some one correct something to you if he is right accept that, discuss with him and thank him.
Different Examples of safety toolbox topics
The safety topics vary and depend upon the nature of upcoming work and associated risks. However, one thing is common that it should be short easy, and efficient. Below are some different topics for your next safety meeting.
- Construction Toolbox Talks
- Slips, trips, and fall hazard in workplace.
- Electrical safety and hazards talks.
- Safety talks about PPE for some jobs. Like electrical jobs PPE, eye protection PPE and hearing protection PPE.
- Cold stress and it protection wears.
- Working at heights safety.
- What is safety harness.
- Electrical energy isolation
- Safety work procedure.
