Toolbox Talk Checklist

What do toolbox talks with a template look like?

For the safety instruction a template is usually used as a guideline for the personal instruction. It covers topics on occupational health and safety. Regular toolbox talks reduce incidents at the workplace by increasing the safety awareness of the employees. A document template also offers the advantage that employers can easily have the execution of the instruction confirmed.

This article deals with:

1. The content of toolbox talks

2. The procedure and the execution toolbox talks

3. A digital solution for a toolbox talk

Content of a template for toolbox talks

In order to counteract occupational accidents, employees should learn to integrate occupational safety into their daily work routine by means of the prescribed instructions. A risk assessment is used to identify health and safety hazards and take appropriate protective measures.

Regular safety training is necessary in the following cases:

• Before the company or an authorised person takes up an activity as initial training


• Once a year as a refresher and update of existing knowledge


• At shorter intervals, if required by operational needs and the development of hazards

In the best case, a template is used for the instruction on occupational health and safety. This provides a helpful orientation and security that nothing was forgotten during the instruction. It is important to keep the document template always up to date. Depending on the company and work area, different issues are important for toolbox talks. A template therefore only provides a structure that must be adapted to the respective conditions:

1. Document title: Here it is recorded what type of safety training is involved, e.g. initial training or annual training.


2. Personal details: name and position of the person to be instructed and of the person giving the instruction.


3. Basic information on occupational safety and health: This section describes the purpose of the training.


4. Summary of the content of the occupational safety instruction: The tasks of the instructed person and the explanations given in the context of occupational safety are recorded.


5. Confirmation: Both parties certify with date and signature that the safety training has taken place with a presentation.

The documentation of the occupational health and safety instructions should be kept for at least two years. In addition to the verifiability, a comprehensive overview of training and instruction is thus also created for entrepreneurs.

expiration and execution of a toolbox talk with template

In safety training, a template is a popular support. As a general rule, the safety measures decided upon, which are communicated at the toolbox talk, never replace the safety specifications. They have much more a supplementary function. In this respect, it is sensible to proceed in accordance with the "TOP principle".

Accordingly, organisational measures are only taken when technical actions have not averted a danger. And only at the end are personal steps taken. The prescribed structure is illustrated with practical examples, as follows:

• (T) Technical measures: The use of protective devices such as barriers or partitions is one of the technical measures.


• (O) Organisational measures: To prevent monotonous work processes through breaks and to prevent varied tasks are examples of organisational measures.


• (P) Personal measures: The use of personal protective equipment and instructions for medical examinations fall into this category.

The toolbox talk with a template is also a personal measure. This is carried out if the other protective measures are not sufficient to ensure safety and health protection at the workplace.

For this reason, the legislator requires that instruction be given, among other things, when first hiring, changing jobs and when introducing new work equipment. The instruction on occupational safety can also be offered online. This saves time and personnel.

Digital technology for safety training

Lumiform is specialized in inspection and quality applications. The mobile app enables paperless documentation via smartphone or tablet - online and offline. This makes it easy to streamline and automate occupational health and safety instruction with a template.

Lumiform makes it easier to meet the changing legal requirements for work instructions by using desktop software to update instructions immediately. The system guides the person responsible through all documentation processes. A clean, transparent documentation helps to avoid high fines.

The Lumiform app offers even more advantages that make the safety instruction with template more efficient and safe:

• The flexible form construction kit helps to convert any individual work instruction into a digital form within minutes.


• Get an overview of all the safety instructions that have been carried out and their time intervals.


• Save time by simplifying the analysis of all data and identifying areas requiring special attention more quickly.


• Look up reference information: The Lumiform app can be used as a visual aid or training aid by adding relevant information during the inspection. Information can be looked up using text, image or external link formats.
  
  
• Capture digital signatures: The fact that a security training with presentation has taken place can be confirmed by the digital signatures of all participants. This includes time and date stamps to prove and confirm the recorded information.

To make the start into digitisation easier, we have compiled ready-to-use templates for the safety instruction, which can be downloaded and adapted free of charge - without any programming knowledge.