G-010 - tool box talks - Memorial University of Newfoundland

Tool Box Talks
Latest revised date: December 5, 2012 Page 1 of 5
Prepared by: Department of Health & Safety G-010

Tool Box Talk Safety Procedure
1.0 Statement
Tool box meetings are a means of communicating health and safety initiatives as well as
accident/incident “Lessons Learned” and expressing concerns, obtaining information, and
resolving issues related to safety in the workplace. Tool box talks provide a direct method of
communication and exchange of information between management, supervisors, workers, faculty,
staff, and students with the purpose of improving safety and health by directly involving workers
in issues that are important to them.
1. Scope
This procedure applies to all workers, faculty, staff, and students of Memorial University.
2. Definition
Supervisor - a person authorized or designated by an employer to exercise direction and
control over workers of the employer.
3. Responsibility
A supervisor shall advise workers and/or students, under his or her supervision, of the health or
safety hazards that may be met by them in the workplace and provide proper written or oral
instructions regarding the necessary precautions to be taken for their protection.
All employees and students, if warranted, connected with the department will attend.
These meetings will be conducted with the authority and attendance of the Supervisor or
Department Head.
4. Guidelines
Using tool box meetings is an ideal way to get employees involved in matters relating to their
own safety, finding solutions to problems and building a strong safety culture.
A tool box talk is one mechanism that can be used to meet this legislative requirement.
Toolbox Talks should be:
Run in small work groups by the supervisor, department head or designate.
Held at regular intervals based on nature of hazards associated with work assignments (i.e
daily, weekly, monthly).
About 5 to 10 minutes in duration and informal, they are not meant to be lengthy training
sessions but rather provide an opportunity for all parties to participate in the exchange of
ideas related to a specific topic.
Latest revised date: December 5, 2012 Page 2 of 5
Prepared by: Department of Health & Safety G-010

Tool Box Talk Safety Procedure
Supervisor, Department Head or designate conducting the meeting should:
Choose a topic relevant to the work group and prepare for the talk by:
o
o
o
o
Reading over the material you plan to cover.
Identifying any regulations, guidelines and University policies related to the topic.
Inspecting the jobsite for hazards related to your topic.
Reviewing reports of recent accidents on the site, including “near misses.”
Engage workers by:
o
o
o
Encouraging them to ask questions and make suggestions related to the topic.
Asking them for feedback about the meeting.
Asking for suggestions for future toolbox meeting topics.
Respond to questions that you can answer, and offer to find answers you don’t know.
Look into complaints, concerns, and suggestions that were identified.
Issues that fall outside the knowledge base of the presenter should be referred to the building
OHS Committee for consideration and clarification.
Provide updates to group on the status of the follow up action items identified.
Complete the “Record of Toolbox Talk” form, identifying topic(s) discussed, suggestions made
and follow up action required.
Ensure that all meeting attendees sign the “Record of Toolbox Talk” form.
Provide a copy to any employee that was unable to attend due to other commitments.
File a copy of the completed “Record of Toolbox Talk” with their department.
Latest revised date: December 5, 2012 Page 3 of 5
Prepared by: Department of Health & Safety G-010

Record of Toolbox Talk
Date: ___________________________________________________
Department: _____________________________________________
Supervisor / Presenter: ____________________________________
Topic(s) Discussed (or attach copy of prepared toolbox talk to this form):
Suggestions Made:
Follow Action Required:
Latest revised date: December 5, 2012 Page 4 of 5
Prepared by: Department of Health & Safety G-010

Record of Toolbox Talk
Attendees Name
Signature
Supervisor Signature: ________________________________
Date: _____________________________
Latest revised date: December 5, 2012 Page 5 of 5
Prepared by: Department of Health & Safety G-010