The Ultimate Guide to Toolbox Talks

1. What are toolbox talks?

Definition of toolbox talks

Toolbox talks are brief, casual safety meetings held on the jobsite to educate field crews on the latest safety protocols and guidelines. They help supplement formal safety training from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

All toolbox talks are different. Some are short, five-minute refreshers on proper tool usage. Others are more in-depth-and have important updates based on new safety guidelines.

Other names for toolbox talks include tailgate meetings, safety briefings, and safety meetings.

Safety topic examples

Toolbox talks cover safety topics like:

2. Why are toolbox talks important?

Top 5 cited safety violations in 2019
(according to OSHA)

Common safety violations in construction

In the construction industry, workers are faced with serious hazards and risk every day.

According to OSHA, the top 10 most frequently cited safety violations in 2019 were:

1. Fall protection
2. Hazard communication
3. Scaffolding
4. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)
5. Respiratory protection
6. Ladders
7. Powered industrial trucks
8. Fall protection training requirements
9. Machinery and machine guarding
10. Eye and face protection

Mitigating risk with toolbox talks

Toolbox talks are a great way to refresh you and your crews' knowledge on important safety topics. The proper identification and assessment of workplace hazards are key to preventing injuries on the jobsite. Short, casual safety meetings are the way to do it, since construction work can get pretty busy.

By keeping the safety and well-being of your crews a top priority, you not only give them the protections they deserve. You also give them more confidence in your company's safety programs, and build trust among your team.

3. Common problems with toolbox talks

Construction is an industry of productivity. Meaning, even the smallest thing can throw off a project's budget or schedule.

While the talks themselves aren't an issue, managing toolbox talks can be quite difficult. Here are some common problems with toolbox talks.

Common toolbox talks challenges

Challenge #1: Finding toolbox talks

A quick search for "toolbox talks" yields a lot of different results. How do you know which safety topics are best for your business? Narrowing down the list-and finding the highest quality safety talks-is a challenge for many.

Challenge #2: Scheduling toolbox talks from the office

Safety meetings are given out in the field, which can make it difficult for office admins to schedule and plan safety talks when they're away from the site (especially across projects).

Challenge #3: Knowing which toolbox talks are given across jobsites

Every construction site is different. Still, when it comes to safety, everyone should be on the same page. When you have multiple projects going on, it's hard to make sure everyone discusses the same safety topic for a given week.

Challenge #4: Tracking paper documents, like talk materials or attendance sheets

Paperwork can make things messy, fast. From poor handwriting to grit and paper stains, tracking loose documents (and decoding them) isn't the easiest.

The good news-we have just the thing to help you better manage your toolbox talks.

4. How to efficiently conduct a toolbox talk

Like we mentioned before, everyone on the jobsite is busy. But that doesn't mean safety can't be a priority.

So, just how do you make your toolbox talks more efficient?

The old way to conduct toolbox talks

A lot of companies still use paper and pen in their workflows, including for toolbox talks. But how efficient is using loose papers out in the field-where workers are constantly on the move? (Hint: It's even more time-consuming than it looks.)

Documentation is harder with paperwork, too. Papers are prone to the great outdoors, meaning messy or misplaced attendance sheets. It's also hard to track which talks are being given across jobsites.

The new (digital) way to conduct toolbox talks

More and more construction companies are starting to manage their toolbox talks with construction software. With a minimal paper trail, construction software (like Raken) offers more flexibility for the field and office alike.

By managing and storing all your toolbox talks online, you get more visibility with less effort. Meaning, everyone can get back to work (and home) faster. Going paperless also minimizes the need to search for your safety documentation-it's all stored neatly in one, easy-to-find place.

Good safety documentation can help protect your workers beyond the jobsite, like in the case of litigation or a dispute. You'll be able to prove they had proper safety training, without wasting time shuffling through loose papers.

5. Improve your toolbox talks with Raken

Safety is important. So is giving your crews a tool that's easy to use in the field.

Raken's easy-to-use platform helps you manage all your toolbox talks in one place-and gain more insight into your jobsite safety. That way, you can make more informed decisions to improve your projects.

With Raken, you'll also get access to digital daily reports, production tracking tools, and customizable safety checklists. Better jobsite visibility is only a few clicks away.