June is the month when we celebrate Father’s Day, Flag Day, and summer solstice to mark the beginning of summer. The topic of summer safety provides multiple options for toolbox talks in the month of June. For starters, check out our Summer Safety page for a host of resources to pull from. But when it comes to more work-specific topics, here are four quick topics that you can craft multiple toolbox talks for the month of June.
National Safety Month
June is National Safety Month and this year marks the 25th anniversary of celebrating keeping people safe not only on the job but off the job too. If you’d like to observe National Safety Month, the NSC has suggested weekly topics to get the conversation going within your facility.
Week 1 – Prevent incidents before they start. Success in injury prevention often comes from having a good safety routine. In some professions, overlooking even the littlest thing can be catastrophic. Check out these 5 Types of Safety Checklists That Help Prevent Catastrophes, as they may help get the conversation going at your company.
Week 2 – Address ongoing COVID-19 safety concerns. There’s a lot to tackle where COVID-19 and the workplace is concerned. Learn more about these workplace safety issues caused by COVID-19.
Week 3 – It’s vital to feel safe on the job. It’s important for workers not to fear retaliation while conducting their regular duties. Here is what you need to know about work refusal, which could help you incorporate conversations around intervening when unsafe acts are witnessed, how to stop/refuse work and the responsibilities of every level on the job site.
Week 4 – Advance your safety journey. According to the NSC, safety is all about continuous improvement. While most safety professionals are continually striving for improvements within their programs, large-scale initiatives are typically reactive in nature. Knowing when to review your safety program is a good place to start.
Ergonomics While Driving
In the interest of saving your workers from musculoskeletal issues in the future, you should consider discussing ergonomic factors in a June toolbox talk. Whether or not your workers are frequently behind the wheel as part of their job, summer vacation often involves spending a lot of time in the car so you may want to consider delivering a talk about ergonomics in the car.
Low back pain, foot cramps, stiff neck and sore shoulders may be attributed to a long car ride—but what most people don’t realize is that they could also be early signs of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). A great toolbox topic that will be popular with your audience is outlining ergonomic considerations you can take in the car. Discussing safety off the job has proven to provide favorable results on the job. Be sure to include things like seat adjustment, posture, steering wheel use and rest breaks, they can go a long way to preventing MSD.
National Ride to Work Day
National Ride to Work Day happens on the third Monday in June, and it’s a day that’s all about motorcycle safety. Many people ride motorcycles outside of work so it’s a good topic to discuss during a toolbox talk, especially in June or other summer months. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,014 motorcyclists were involved in fatal traffic crashes in 2019. Both motorcyclists and other vehicle drivers need to take caution because “per vehicle miles traveled in 2019, motorcyclists were about 29 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were 4 times more likely to be injured.” We’ve prepared a toolbox talk that’s a great reminder for everyone to be mindful when sharing the road. From pre-trip inspections to anticipating others’ mistakes, this toolbox talk will be of great value to anyone on the road. You can get it for free here.
National Trailer Safety Week
The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) observes Trailer Safety Week to improve safety of the roadways through safe trailering practices. This year, it will be observed from June 6–12. If you don’t use trailers within your facility, you could do a general toolbox talk about sharing the roadway with them and the dangers that might be encountered. If you do use trailers, your speaking topics could include trailer components, hitching techniques/trailer separation, proper loading, maintenance, and reviewing the right vehicle and trailer combos. Loading dock safety can also provide a number of great speaking points in a toolbox talk. Often, human factors play a role in trailer incidents, and one of the best ways to mitigate the impact of human factors is regular discussions about the issue in order to keep it top of mind.
When your worksite doesn’t present immediate risks that require a safety discussion, these four June toolbox talk topics are relevant to any job or industry.