Toolbox talks made easy

Delivery tips and topics for every month of the year

Toolbox talks made easy

Toolbox talks may be the most common—yet challenging—safety training tool on jobsites. Toolbox talks need to be conducted regularly and educate workers on relevant safety practices to reduce injuries and improve a workplace safety culture.

Part of the challenge of regularly delivering toolbox talks is coming up with fresh topic ideas. Don’t fret, we’ve got resources to not only help with identifying the topic but to help you create and deliver it effectively.

Toolbox Talk Guide

Better Toolbox Talks and Safety Meetings

With this free toolbox talk guide, you’ll learn how to engage employees with safety meetings that work.

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12 months of Topic Inspiration

Newsworthy Topic Ideas for Safety Presentations in April

Digital displays are powerful tools for safety engagement, and making sure they are updated regularly is the key to maximizing their potential. The best display presentations are timely and relevant to the viewer’s current circumstances. That’s why, when determining the best information to include when refreshing your monthly digital display content, it can be helpful…

Eye-Opening Topic Suggestions for Digital Presentations in March

Safety is a necessary topic, but it isn’t always everyone’s favorite thing to talk about. Historically, safety has a reputation for being dry. Some might even call it boring and that can be a dangerous perspective. When it comes to reducing hazardous energy, it’s important to keep safety fresh in our minds, because as soon…

12 Months of Off-the-Job Safety Topics

Communication is a vital component of an effective workplace safety program. If you want to foster a culture of safety and prevent potentially serious injuries and fatalities, you need to find a way to engage your employees. And the best way to engage employees is to speak to them about things that matter to them.…

Different Ways to Communicate Safety in the Workplace This February

We often hear that there isn’t enough communication throughout the company and at the same time also hear that there are far too many emails. Too many emails make it hard for people to read or retain the information being sent. Signs or posters around the building can provide an attention-getting alternative but placement and…

3 Toolbox Talk Variations for Better Engagement

There’s no question that toolbox talks can be a valuable way to communicate with employees about workplace safety issues. These informal safety meetings offer supervisors an opportunity to remind workers about hazards, the importance of PPE and other EHS issues. But even well-planned meetings that include new toolbox topics for every month can get stale…

3 Sharp Topics for Improving Off-the-Job Safety in January

January is often a time when people are focused on going back to work after the holidays. But they should still be thinking about off-the-job safety too since the majority of incidents happen away from work when people tend to be less attentive to safety risks and hazards. January Blues January and February are the…

Take the Stress Out of December With These 24/7 Safety Topics

December is a time when many people prepare to celebrate the holidays. In the spirit of the season, we have 12 toolbox talks of holiday safety to help you with your safety talks for December. Our four winter and holiday safety toolbox talk topics also give a good mix of both on- and off-the-job safety…

Two Major Considerations for Off-The-Job Safety in November

November ushers in a rush of holiday preparations along with several seasonal risks. Relevant toolbox talks could include discussions on Thanksgiving, Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, the “Tie One On for Safety” campaign, disease prevention, and carbon monoxide poisoning. However, recognizing that workers may face additional challenges in their personal lives during this period, introducing two…

Fall Into Talking About These Off-the-Job Safety Topics in October

In autumn the days get colder and shorter, with nighttime arriving earlier. The leaves change color and before you know it, it’s the beginning of Spooky Season—when people start to get ready for Halloween. And all the changes in fall also bring about a heightened need to attend to specific safety issues. Our 6 Toolbox…

3 Off-the-Job Safety Issues You Need to Be Aware of in September

September is a time when people think of new beginnings because it often marks a time of change. Summer is over, the days are getting shorter, school is back in session and training often gears up at work.  Our September toolbox talks topic post featured National Preparedness Month, National Food Safety Education Month, National Concussion…

3 Basic Steps To Ease You Into Writing a Toolbox Talk From Scratch

Toolbox talks are the easiest way to bring safety hazards to the attention of a workplace and ensure employees know how to protect themselves against them. More specifically, a toolbox talk is a short 5–15 minute talk that focuses on a particular safety issue.  They are also a great tool for sustaining training over time…

Topics for August That Will Drive Off-the-Job Safety

In August, off-the-job safety topics are more important than ever to deliver in the workplace. By this time in the summer, complacency has set in for summer hazards and with back to school approaching, the mind is often focused elsewhere. August toolbox safety topics include staying hydrated, PPE in summer, national immunization awareness month, and…

Off-the-Job Safety Topics for July You Didn’t Think to Share With Employees

In July, off-the-job safety is more important than ever as more people are away from work and school in the summer. Our July toolbox talk topics post included an off-the-job section touching on firework safety, fire pit safety, DIY projects and swimming/water/boat safety. Our summer safety resources also provide a number of tips for off-the-job…

Two Off-the-Job Safety Topics That Could Save Lives in June

June workplace safety topics include ergonomics while driving, national ride to work day and national trailer safety week. June is also National Safety Month—but that shouldn’t only apply to the workplace. Talking about off-the-job safety is an important way to ensure employees are thinking about safety around the clock. By incorporating elements of off-the-job safety…

Off-the-Job Safety Topics With May in Mind

May tends to bring warmer springtime temperatures, which means more people will head outside in their downtime. We previously recommended delivering workplace toolbox talks on motorcycle safety since May is national bike month, as well as clean air month, mental health month, electrical safety month, and host to NAOSH Week. But what about the other…

How These Off-the-Job Safety Topics Will Make April Safer

With a heavy focus on distracted driving awareness month, workplace violence awareness month, worker’s memorial day, and world health day in April, off-the-job safety topics can get a little overshadowed this month. But since the things that happen to us off the job can impact our actions on the job, communication about them is vitally…

3 Ways to Use Digital Displays to Boost Your Company Morale

When it comes to improving employee morale, everyone has a role to play. Management may feel that the employees are responsible for their own happiness, but the “best places to work” lists will show you a number of companies that put an effort into making sure that their employees enjoy their work. As anyone satisfied…

March Forward Safely With These March-Specific Off-the-Job Safety Topics

Off-the-job events are directly linked to safety on the job—things that affect us outside of work don’t fall off our radar as soon as we punch in to be on duty for work. Talking about safety 24/7 is a great way to highlight risk outside of the workplace. March has a number of specific off-the-job…

Off-the-Job Safety Topics That Are Fundamental for February

Compare workplace injury rates with any injury or fatality statistic outside of work and it’s obvious why a safety professional would see the value in 24/7 safety. But it can be hard to justify to senior management why off-the-job safety needs on-the-job time for discussion. With that said, the connection is clear: what happens off…

Three Surprising Workplace Safety Lessons About Roadway Deaths

Trends in car design have led to the rapid development of new safety features. A quick look at new cars today compared to those of only a decade or two ago, and it’s easy to come to the conclusion that drivers are safer than ever before. And so many were surprised when roadway deaths in…

11 Construction Topics to Help Construct Your Own Toolbox Talks

It can be tricky to find readymade toolbox talks for the construction industry. Every construction site looks a little bit different, and as any construction safety pro will tell you, their hazards are constantly evolving. This makes the need for construction-related toolbox talks especially important, as they’re often a primary way to highlight safety situations…

The 12 Toolbox Talks of Holiday Safety

The holidays are a busy time for everyone. There’s something to be said about the right decorations to set the tone for the season. But unfortunately for some, the holidays are also a time when injuries and fatalities increase—and it could be because people are so focused on the season that they fail to see…

3 Ways to Include Human Factors in Toolbox Talks

Toolbox talks are a common method of raising safety awareness. Typically, they involve having short talks with small groups of workers about a hazard, EHS regulation or another safety issue that’s likely to be at play that day. But there’s one topic that’s frequently overlooked in toolbox talks: human factors. It makes just as much…

14 Useful Forklift Topics You Should Consider for Your Toolbox Talks

Toolbox talks are an essential component of a comprehensive forklift safety training program. But many supervisors and safety managers quickly run out of topics to talk about, especially if they’re holding safety meetings on a regular basis. To that end, here are 14 wide-ranging topics to consider discussing. Most run-of-the-mill toolbox talks will cover the…

How If-Then Statements Can Dramatically Improve Toolbox Talks

One of the most common challenges that safety professionals have to contend with when trying to implement any sort of change is the psychological phenomenon known as resistance. And even though resistance is a common, natural reaction to change, it doesn’t make employees’ unwillingness to entertain the idea of change any easier to deal with.  …

Difference Between a Toolbox Talk and a Safety Meeting Depends on Perspective

What’s the difference between a toolbox talk and a safety meeting? The short answer is easy—not much.   They both should be conducted on a regular basis, they educate workers on safety practices and they prevent complacency. They also contribute to a reduction in injuries, increase near-miss reporting and develop a strong culture of safety. In…

12 Months of Toolbox Talk Topics

Toolbox talks originated as a way to encourage workers to have regular safety meetings—and since they congregated around a toolbox every morning, it became a fitting name for these meetings (another variation is a tailgate meeting, because, you guessed it, they happen when workers gather around the back of a pickup truck). Toolbox talks not…

4 Summer Safety Toolbox Topics for June

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…

6 Speaking Topics That Make Toolbox Talks Easy in May

May is a month that brings a lot to celebrate and weather that is typically more enjoyable. You’ll note that May is host to Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day on the calendar. And when it comes to finding May-specific toolbox topics, there are a lot of things that aren’t on your typical…

6 Spring Safety Toolbox Topics for April

April is a time that most people associate with spring—and spring cleaning. Spring cleaning isn’t just limited to your home—whether you work in an office or on a construction site, cleaning and organization are vital to maintaining production. In addition to higher productivity, a clean workplace can also reduce injuries, lower absenteeism and promote better…

5 Toolbox Topics Meant for March

March is the time we start to think about spring. Either the weather is getting nicer, keeping us focused on even nicer days ahead, or the weather is still like winter and has us wishing for spring to hurry up and arrive. No matter the weather, with your mind elsewhere it can be hard to…

Putting LOTO in Your Toolbox Talks

Lockout/tagout procedures control hazardous energy by ensuring equipment is de-energized and isn’t turned on unexpectedly during maintenance, setup and repair operations. Training is particularly important in this area not only for the workers who are involved in the practice of locking out and tagging out (authorized employees) but for anyone in the workplace that uses…

3 Toolbox Topics to Overcome the February Funk

February may be the shortest month on the calendar but it often feels like the longest. The holidays are over, spring seems far away, and it’s dark, cold and damp outside. From a business perspective, if you’re not careful, those February frowns could increase the risk of injury in the workplace. February would be a…

6 Fresh Topics for January Toolbox Talks

This January, make the most of a fresh start to a new year. Toolbox talks are a great forum to discuss changes that will be made collectively among the workforce. The first thing most people will want to do is clear away last year’s distractions and focus on the goals for the year ahead. Work…

It’s Time to (Toolbox) Talk About Machine Guarding

According to OSHA, machine operators suffer approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, abrasions, and over 800 deaths per year. Sometimes the topics that seem like common knowledge aren’t talked about enough. Choosing a specific “problem” topic for your toolbox talks can go a long way in maintaining safety among workers. In the case of machine…

4 Winter and Holiday Safety Toolbox Talk Topics for December

The month of December brings a lot of things, most notably the holidays—there’s Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve and a number of parties to mark the occasions. But December also brings a long list of recurring incidents and injuries year after year. The good news is you can protect your workers by delivering some well-prepared…

Three Essential Topics for Forklift-Related Toolbox Talks

Forklifts are often the machinery of choice in sit-coms for comedic purposes (Michael Scott making a complete mess of the warehouse in The Office comes to mind.) The ease with which a forklift can jeopardize the safety of not only workers but also the area that it is operated in delivers the type of scenario…

5 November Toolbox Topic Ideas

There are a number of things in November to focus on for toolbox talk topics to help keep your employees safe. We often look to the calendar for inspiration but November doesn’t offer a lot of topics for safety talks from the national days alone. But the holiday calendar does remind us that Thanksgiving is…

6 Toolbox Topic Ideas Perfect for October

When you think of October, the fall weather, the changing colors of the leaves, and Halloween come to mind. But on the topic of safety, October holds a number of recognized national safety calendar events and they are a perfect basis for toolbox talk topics. Here are six great topics specifically for October. National Protect…

5 Timely Ideas for September Toolbox Talks

In September, companies often shift their mindset to conducting or renewing safety training to align with kids being back in school. Part of that training can be a resurgence of toolbox talks now that summer is over. If you’re still in the haze of summer vacation, here are five ideas for toolbox talks timed just…

5 Ideas To Transform Your Toolbox Talks With This Incredible (And Free) Guide

Toolbox talks are a cost-effective way to influence worker behavior and improve safety results. They work for any industry—and companies of all sizes—and they are a relatively straightforward and potentially transformative element of any safety program. The only trick with toolbox talks? They only work if you get them right.  As this detailed guide on…

4 Great Topics for Toolbox Talks in August

A toolbox talk is an easy way to conduct safety training. They can be delivered in less than 15 minutes, and a lot of ground can be covered by delivering several toolbox talks on different topics every month. As noted in our previous post on Hot Topics for Toolbox Talks in July, many people struggle…

3 Hot Topics for Toolbox Talks in July

A toolbox talk is an undervalued—and perhaps misunderstood—form of communication. They are a good way to start the day and get a pulse on what’s going on with your employees. If you’re not already delivering regularly scheduled safety toolbox talks, you can start by aiming for weekly or monthly talks.  Toolbox talks are short (maximum…

Advice to Improve Toolbox Talks

It can be challenging to deliver toolbox talks effectively and consistently. A recent article by Andrew Faulkner in Coatings Pro magazine shares advice to help supervisors and safety professionals overcome the hurdles that stand in the way of delivering a good toolbox talk. It provides fifteen tips, which are divided between the print and online…

One Secret to Good Toolbox Talks: Positivity

This is an excerpt from our free toolbox tips guide. Too many toolbox talks feel like a chore. At best they can be boring, and at worst they can come across as scolding workers. Who wants to pay attention to that? It can be hard to stay positive when you’re frustrated by poor safety performance.…

Effective Toolbox Talks About Driving Safety Have These Things in Common

Safety meetings are an opportunity for the manager or employer of a driving fleet to have all their workers in the same room at once, even if it’s only for a brief conversation before their shift begins. By conducting short and informal talks about driving safety, staff supervisors and safety professionals can strategically reinforce key…

Which Topics To Discuss in a Toolbox Talk

Anyone tasked with holding regular safety meetings has run into the problem of exhausting the usual topics. After going on and on about the same safety issues for months on end, they realize that workers have started to tune out. This is especially true for worksites that conduct several short toolbox talks per week. It’s…

Take Control of Your Toolbox Talks with This Free Guide

Toolbox talks. Safety startups. Tailgate meetings. Whatever you call them, short discussions with workers about safety are really important. It can also be really challenging to deliver them effectively and consistently. Fortunately, there’s a new free toolbox talk guide that aims to change that. It’s full of tips, guidelines and useful suggestions on how to…

What’s the Right Length of Time for Toolbox Talks?

Let’s say you can allot 1 hour per month on safety talks. Is it better to have one 60-minute talk or six 10-minute talks? With a 60-minute talk, you can prepare and deliver all of your relevant topics at one time. There’s plenty of time to provide relevant examples, pictures, and relatable stories. There’s enough…

5 Tips for an Effective Toolbox Talk

Toolbox talks are a great safety training tool that, if delivered properly, can be an ideal way to provide timely safety reminders to employees, improve safety awareness and contribute to an improved safety culture. From staying relevant to storytelling, here are 5 tips to ensure your regular meetings are effective: 1. Talk directly to your audience.…