ASA and ASA Safety Committee volunteers work with a common goal of helping members create a safer work environment. To further that goal, we have developed Toolbox Talks for industry employers and employees. Use the Toolbox Talk topics as a guide to help you kick off your all-staff meetings, or help you start discussions around creating a safer workplace. You can stick to the script or customize them to be more specific to your company or department.

Toolbox Talks have been shown to reduce Total Recordable Incident Rates (TRIR), as well as increase alertness, increase morale, help employees stay up to date on safety measures and regulations, improve worker conditions and reduce risk of injury or death. Research also shows the more frequent Toolbox Talks, the greater the reduction in injuries. Consider doing daily talks to provide the greatest statistical decrease in TRIR.

Read the "Using the Toolbox Talk Template" document to gain more insight on how to incorporate safety talks into your routines as well as your work culture. And as always, let us know what topics will help you make your workplace a safer place to be.

Arc Flash Electrical Safety: This Toolbox Talk helps employees protect themselves from arc flash by identifying critical facts regarding arc flash electrical safety procedures.

Attitudes and Behaviors that Contribute to Accidents:  Having an occasional bad day at the office can be forgiven, but just one careless error can be costly and can cost lives. This Toolbox Talk helps employers and others to identify the attitudes and behaviors in the workplace that cause accidents in the workplace.

Bloodborne Pathogens: This Toolbox Talk helps employers and workers lower the risk of spreading germs and bacteria and identify best practices when handling and disposing of contaminated items.

Driving Safely in Winter Weather: We all pride ourselves on getting the customer the products they need, on time, but when bad weather comes, acting responsibly is your first priority. This Toolbox Talk assists drivers with tips and techniques for navigating the unpredictability of snow and sleet and ways you can prepare in the event of an accident.

Effective Workplace Housekeeping: Help employers and workers to identify good housekeeping basics needed to provide a safe and clean workplace.

Emergency Preparedness Planning: An informational guide to help initiate a short safety talk at your company.

Eye Injuries and Protection: This Toolbox Talk reviews what contributes to eye injuries and tools and equipment that when use properly can prevent costly and painful injuries to the eyes.

Fire Drill Best Practices: This Toolbox Talk reviews how to safely and informatively conduct a fire drill and what agencies to contact before executing a drill.

Fire Prevention: This Toolbox Talk helps employers and workers identify the three elements required to have a fire occur and steps to control these elements.

Foot Protection: Standing on your feet can be painful when not wearing proper shoes.  This Toolbox Talk will help you choose the right equipment and tips on foot care, to help keep you on the job.

Guidelines for Dealing with Summer Heat: Heat illnesses can come when you aren't prepared, inform employers and workers of precautions to take when the heat index is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to calculate the heat index. It's not just the air temperature that you should be aware of, it's the humidity that plays an even greater role than we think.

Hand Safety: Aside from having proper eye care, protecting one's hands is also an important, yet often overlooked practices. This Toolbox Talk provides information about avoiding hand injury by keeping hands out of the "danger zone" while performing a work task.

Hazard Communication: The laws have changed, provide your workers with information about the chemicals they are working with or around, what hazards those chemicals pose and how they can protect themselves from those hazards. 

Incident Response: This toolbox talk includes actionable information on what to do after a safety incident, and what managers, supervisors, and employees should do in a post-emergency environment.

Lighting in the Workplace: It seems simple and it is, but proper lighting is critical to getting the job done right and safe. Help employers and employees ensure proper lighting in the workplace. (2011, September)

This Toolbox Talk helps employers and others to inform their employees how to make safety a priority in their everyday experience by obeying safety rules.

Portable Fire Extinguisher Types and Use: This Toolbox Talk helps employers meet their responsibility to educate employees on the types, labeling, and use of portable fire extinguishers.

Portable Fire Extinguisher Use: This Toolbox Talk helps employers to familiarize workers with the proper practices of using a fire extinguisher and the hazards associated with fighting small or developing fires.

Powered Industrial Truck Safety: This Toolbox Talk provides employers and workers with safety rules they should follow to stay safe on the job when operating powered industrial trucks.

Preventing Injuries from Slips, Trips and Falls: This Toolbox Talk helps employers and workers identify the hazards which result in slips, trips and fall injuries along with key steps to reduce the risks.

Safe Cell Phone Best Practices: This Toolbox Talk helps employers and workers to identify best practices for using cell phones and other hand held devices safely.

Safe Material Handling: This Toolbox Talk provides information about lifting and safe handling of materials to avoid injuries when engaged in these activities.