Toolbox talk, Equipment, about 6 minutes
Hand and power tool safety
Date
Site or job
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Why this one
Tools cause a steady run of cuts, strikes and eye injuries because they're in every hand, every day. A cracked handle, a missing guard or the wrong tool for the job is how people get hurt on simple work.
Say this
- 1.Look at the tool before you use it. Cracked handle, loose head, frayed cord, missing guard or a bent bit means it stays out.
- 2.Use the right tool for the job. A screwdriver isn't a pry bar, and a wrench isn't a hammer.
- 3.Guards stay on. If one is off or taped back, don't use that tool and report it.
- 4.Wear the PPE the tool calls for. Eye protection first, then gloves, hearing protection and a dust mask as the task requires.
- 5.Unplug or disconnect power before changing a blade, bit or disc. Let it stop spinning first.
- 6.Keep cords out of the way and out of water. Use the cords and outlets rated for the tool, per the maker's manual.
- 7.Carry tools in a belt, bag or bucket, not in your hand when you climb. Pass tools up, don't throw them.
Ask the crew
- – What's the worst tool you've seen somebody still using, and what should have happened?
- – Which tools do we use here where the guard gets in the way, and what do we do about it?
- – Where do damaged tools go on this job, and who tags them?
Watch for today
- Tools with a taped cord, mushroomed heads or missing guards still in use.
- Cords across walkways or lying in standing water.
- Tools used as something else, like a screwdriver as a chisel.
Close with: Check it, guard it, use it for what it's made for.
Notes and questions raised
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A starting point. Adapt it to your job, your procedures and the rules that apply to you. portalbaseai.com/toolbox-talks