Let’s Chat About Toolbox Talks

This May 2 - 6, continue to join OSHA in the National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction. Planning for situations where these hazards arise and preventing these potential falls can mean the difference between life and death. The hundreds of fall-deaths that occur each year are preventable by planning, providing, and training your workers. 

To train your workers, OSHA recommends using short and direct Toolbox Talks to efficiently reach and engage your workers with the best health and safety information. A Toolbox Talk involves a discussion of a fatality related to the topic, discussing how it could have been prevented, asking questions, and encouraging trainee participation. Delivering effective information and training takes a lot of preparation, therefore OSHA outlines the best way to carry out these talks in their Fall Prevention Guide.

Peer-to-peer training is the most effective, participatory, and well-retained method of delivering this information. These Peer Trainers then need to become familiar with OSHA’s method of giving Toolbox Talks, deliver a talk on one of the fall prevention topics, and most importantly get feedback from their fellow workers. This feedback should describe if they understood the material, if it was presented well, and how the training could be more relevant to their specific work. As a trainer, ask questions throughout the talk to entice participation, provoke interest, and ensure people will remember the information.

These talks discuss all sorts of potential fall hazards, highlighting ladder safety, scaffolding safety, and roofing work safety. In addition to structuring these talks, the guide gives trainers insightful examples and questions to ask the trainees.

To learn more and access these materials, Visit: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3666.pdf

DII is your partner in workplace safety. Our team of experts can work with you to understand how to protect your employees at all heights. Please contact your DII representative for more information. #FallPrevention #Guide #Training # PeerTrainers