# Toolbox meetings



## highpoint (Mar 3, 2009)

I'm sure there are a few threads on this already-

We are having these everyday now starting this week 15-30minutes.
What are some content that should be brought up? 
We will be bringing up safety of each site - use of equipment, other trades, site conditions .
I feel like im missing something 

Thanks


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Technical training
Sales Training
Customer Service (tell them about the customers that called to give compliments)
Personal Hygiene
Reminders on properly filling out paperwork
Suggestions from employees on ways to improve productivity
Equipment maintenance
Vehicle maintenance and organization
Proper use and tracking of inventory
Billable hour efficiency
Safety equipment inspections
Discuss new products and new processes in the trade
Code reviews


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## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

As plbgbiz suggests - all good topics.

You may find however that daily will get expensive. When I had multiple crews, we did them once a week for 15 minutes - Monday morning. Cost was a couple hundred even at that.

You need to keep them interested and focused too or it just turns into a chat fest on company time.

Anyhow, safety and safety related topics are always prudent these days as the ministry of labour is keen to fry you if there's an incident - big or small.


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

We had "tailgate" safety meeting every pay day.
I think everyday may prove to be a little much.

Keep a log of the topics you cover at each meeting.
That log saved me a HUGE fine from OSHA, when one of our dumb azz employees was caught by OSHA in a 7 foot hole with NO shoring.

The employee claimed he didn't know any better .
I pulled out our safety meeting log from the last pay day and showed that shoring was the last topic we discussed.
We still got a fine, but much smaller than it could have been.


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## UALocal1Plumber (May 13, 2009)

Toolbox talks are important, but more important is your daily 5 minute briefing when you start everyone off in the morning. You need to be there every day to remind them of the right way to do things, and also to hold them accountable for doing things the right way. 

For example, when you read your play of the day (assignment sheet), make sure to cover a safety and quality topic that will be relevant for that day. so for example, frank and joe will be demolishing a wall. So you say to them "you're going to be demolishing wall X. Grab leather gloves, full face respirators, ear plugs and a fan before going to work. Make sure to keep a broom with you and keep your walkways clear as you go."

Was that a toolbox talk? Did it "cost" you a dime? Not at all. It isn't formal training like a tool demonstration, or a tailgate talk, so it doesn't eat into your workday too badly. Between stretching and dispatching, the guys are walking out to their work areas by 710 or 715. 

How much does it cost you to get a single guy with a 3 stitch cut on his hand? A lot more than you think. The rest of his day is shot, and you'd better be paying his wage for that day, and maybe for the rest of the week. You'll be paying for the clinic, and increased comp fees. Your day is ruined, and the 2 sales calls you had scheduled are shot also. If you have a project manager, he's focused on the injury, and all the other guys on the site are jumpy as well, concerned for their partner and with their mind on other things.

Or what about an OSHA inspection? One of your guys has a nicked inspection cord and you're out 7G with a single summons. 

Trust me, your toolbox talks will never cost you a penny - but only if they're effective. Make sure to document the fact that you're giving a play of the day, and have your guys sign directly onto the toolbox talk to acknowledge that they were present. Ultimately you're looking to have zero injuries and no OSHA findings. That can only happen if you continually train your men every day, enforce the standards fairly, and hold men accountable to do the right thing even when you're not there.

Keith


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## Abel Plumber (Sep 3, 2011)

We have one a week and have to sign our names on that weeks safety sheet


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