Free list
Toolbox talk topics for construction crews
55 topics, grouped by hazard and by season. The 20 linked ones have a free talk ready to read, in English and Spanish side by side, with a sign-in sheet. For the rest, or anything specific to your site this week, write a talk in a minute.
Topics by season
Winter
Cold, wet and icy weather
- Cold stress
- Snow and ice on the job site
- Temporary heaters
- Housekeeping
- Ladder safety
Rain and storms
Wet ground, wet tools and wind
Topics by hazard
Chemicals
Concrete and steel
- Fall protection in steel erection
- Formwork and shoring
- Protruding rebar
Electrical
- Electrical safety and GFCIs
- Overhead power lines
- Lockout and tagging of circuits
- Working near live electrical parts
Excavation
- Trench safety
- Excavation inspections
- Trench boxes and shoring
Falls
- Aerial lifts
- Fall protection
- Floor holes and openings
- Ladder safety
- Personal fall arrest systems
- Scaffold safety
- Guardrail systems
- Roofing safety
- Snow and ice on the job site
- Stairways on the job site
Fire and hot work
- Arc welding safety
- Compressed gas cylinders
- Fire extinguishers
- Fuel and flammable liquids
- Hot work and fire watch
- Temporary heaters
General
- Housekeeping
- Confined spaces
- Demolition safety
- First aid and emergencies
- Signs, tags and barricades
- Stacking and storing materials
Health
- Heat illness
- Noise and hearing protection
- Silica dust
- Cold stress
- Drinking water and toilets
- Lead exposure
- Respirators
PPE
Tools and equipment
- Forklift safety
- Nail gun safety
- Power tool safety
- Struck-by hazards
- Crane swing radius
- Grinder safety
- Hand tool safety
- Powder-actuated tools
- Rigging and slings
- Table saw and circular saw safety
Vehicles and traffic
- Backing vehicles and spotters
- Flaggers and work zones
Topics without a link are on our list to write next. New talks are added twice a week.
How to pick this week's topic
- Match the work. Talk about what the crew is about to do: the trench they'll dig, the scaffold they'll build. OSHA's construction guidance pairs general training with “toolbox talks to cover hazards on each specific site.”
- Start with what can hurt someone badly. OSHA's job hazard analysis booklet puts first the jobs with the highest injury rates, the ones that could cause severe injuries even without a history of accidents, and the ones where one simple mistake could cause a severe injury.
- Use what happened. A near miss, an injury or an inspection finding on your site is the most convincing topic you'll get.
- Follow the season. Cold stress and ice in winter, heat in summer, trenches and electrical after rain.
- Ask the crew. End each talk by asking what next week's should be.
Running the talk
Keep it short, read it to the crew where the work happens, ask the questions at the end, and have everyone sign the sign-in sheet. For a mixed crew, use the English and Spanish version so everyone can follow along. OSHA's recommended practices for construction suggest weekly or daily toolbox talks.
Questions
How often should we hold toolbox talks?
Federal OSHA doesn't set a schedule, but its recommended practices for construction suggest weekly or daily toolbox talks, and the employer must instruct each employee in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)). Some states set one: in California, crews must hold toolbox or tailgate safety meetings at least every 10 working days (Title 8, §1509(e)).
How long should a toolbox talk be?
Short enough that the crew listens: most of our talks take about five minutes to read aloud, with a few questions at the end.
Can I get these in Spanish?
Yes. Every talk in our library has English and Spanish side by side, prints with a sign-in sheet, and can be downloaded in Spanish only.
What if my topic isn't here?
Write a talk on it with the toolbox talk generator: describe your crew's work this week and it writes a talk in English and Spanish from the OSHA rules that apply, with a sign-in sheet and phone sign-off.
Sources: OSHA 3886, Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction; OSHA 3071, Job Hazard Analysis; 29 CFR 1926.21.