Utility tailgate briefing
Date
Time
Location
Crew lead
Work order or job number
Circuit or line
A starting point. Adapt it to your equipment, your procedures and the rules that apply to you.Free template from portalbaseai.com
Free template
A tailgate briefing form for the crew before the work.
Brief the job at the truck, before anyone climbs or opens anything. Everyone on the crew signs. Print the sheet or save it as a PDF.
Also calledJob briefing form, Tailgate safety meeting form, Line crew job brief, Utility job hazard briefing
Free to print, copy and change. It’s a starting point. Add the lines your equipment and your rules need.
How to use it
Three habits that make it worth filling out.
Step 1
Brief it where the work is
Stand at the pole, the vault or the truck, so the crew can see what you're talking about.
Step 2
Ask the crew what they see
The foreman states the plan. Then everyone says what could go wrong that the plan missed.
Step 3
Brief again when the job changes
A new task, a new crew member or a new hazard means a new briefing. Add it to the sheet.
Do this on a phone instead of paper.
Run the briefing on a phone, with each crew member signing on the screen. It works with no signal and the record is kept for you.
Get new free tools by email.
A new template, calculator or guide when we publish one. No spam, and you can leave any time.
Common questions
- What is a tailgate briefing?
- A short job briefing at the start of the work, often at the back of the truck. The crew covers the work, the hazards, the controls and the emergency plan, and everyone signs.
- Does this form set switching or clearance rules?
- No. It gives you a place to record what your procedures require for switching, grounding and clearances. The procedures and the people qualified to apply them make those calls.
- How often should we brief?
- At the start of each job and whenever the work, the crew or the conditions change. Your company's procedures and the current rules decide the rest.
Related and more free tools
Free tool
Bucket truck checklist
A pre-use check for the truck, boom, bucket and rubber goods
Free tool
Job safety analysis template
Break a job into steps, name the hazards, and set the controls
Toolbox talk
Electrical safety basics
Electrical safety basics toolbox talk. Cords, tools, overhead lines, GFCI and lockout. Treat every wire as live.
Glossary
Tailgate meeting
A tailgate meeting is a quick crew briefing held at the truck or the work spot before a job, covering the task, the hazards and the plan.
Glossary
Qualified person
A qualified person has recognized training, knowledge or experience in a subject and can solve problems related to it, such as design or evaluation.
Free tool
Forklift pre-use checklist
A daily check for forklifts and powered industrial trucks