Tailgate/Toolbox Topics
Revised: Oct 2011
Division of Occupational Safety and Health
California Department of Industrial Relations
Setting Up a Tailgate/Toolbox Safety Meeting
Tailgate or Toolbox safety meetings are 10-15 minute onthe-job meetings held to keep employees alert to work
related accidents and illnesses. Tailgate/toolbox safety
meetings have proved their worth by alerting employees
to workplace hazards, and by preventing accidents,
illnesses and on-the-job injuries.
Why Have Them?
In both the tunneling and construction industries, tailgate
safety meetings are required by Title 8, Sections 8406
and 1509 of the California Code of Regulations.
While tunneling and construction are the only industries
that specifically require tailgate safety meetings, all
California employers must have a safety program that
includes employee training in safe work practices (3203).
Tailgate/toolbox safety meetings can be used to address
actual problems on the job or in the shop. The supervisor
leading the meeting can draw on the experience of
workers, and use that experience to remind all
employees especially newer ones of the dangers of
working with particular kinds of machinery, tools,
equipment and materials.
What to Talk About?
Talk about work practices, machinery, tools, equipment,
materials, attitudes, and anything else that may cause or
contribute to a work-related accident or illness. Keep the
topic relevant to the job or tasks that workers perform.
An excellent source for construction related topics is the
publication Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction
Industry. Supervisors can choose individual sections or
topics and relate them to their specific site requirements.
Use the table in the next page to record the trainings.
Choose a topic you think needs safety review. For
example, if you notice that spills arent being cleaned up
promptly, discuss it. If there has been an accident or a
near-accident on the job, talk about it. What happened?
Where did it happen? How can it be prevented from
happening again? Encourage employees to suggest
topics. They often know best - what and where the
dangers are.
How to Run a Good Meeting
1. Hold the meeting on the job, preferably where
everyone can sit and relax.
2. Hold meetings at the beginning of shift or after a break.
3. Choose the topic carefully. Topics should be about
health and safety problems on the job. Research the
problem before the meeting. For machinery, consult
the manufacturers operations manual. For handling
toxic substances, get a copy of the Material Safety
Data Sheet (MSDS). Your insurance carrier is another
good source of information. Cal/OSHA also provides
educational materials on worksite safety and health.
4. Dont choose too broad a topic.
5. Encourage employee participation.
6. Keep your meeting short - usually 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Use the table in the next page as both a field reference
and a resource for tailgate subjects. Supervisors
should chose topics that directly relate to their projects
and site tasks, and remember to:
Pick from the subjects listed on this table.
Read the material before discussing it.
Determine the amount of material to be presented.
Sample Topic for Meetings
Why are guards left off machines?
Guards are placed on machines to prevent workers from
contacting the moving parts. They are required by
Cal/OSHA regulations.
Many California workers are killed or injured every year
because guards are removed and not replaced.
Why are guards left off? Ask the group to give reasons.
Some common ones are:
I didnt have time to replace the guard.
I wanted to make sure the machine was working okay.
I just never got around to replacing the guard.
I put on a new drive and the old guard didnt fit.
I had to remove the guard to adjust the machine.
I couldnt work with the guard on. It slowed me down.
Listen Ive run these machines for years without guards
and Ive never been hurt.
These excuses have been given countless times. After the
accident has happened, the guard is replaced and strict
rules are enforced. Of course, its too late for the victim.
The purpose of meeting on this topic is to make sure rules
are enforced before an accident can happen.
Contacting Cal/OSHA Consultation Service
Consultation Programs:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/consultation.html
Publications:
Toll-free Number: 1-800-963-9424
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/puborder.asp
Onsite Assistance Program Area Offices:
Central Valley: 559-454-1295 San Diego/Imperial: 619-767-2060
No. California: 916 263-0704 San Bernardino: 909-383-4567
SF/Bay Area: 510-622-2891
San Fernando Valley: 818-901-5754
Santa Fe Springs/LA/Orange: 714-562-5525
Note: The information provided is not meant to be either a substitute
for or legal interpretation of the occupational safety and health
regulations. Readers are cautioned to refer directly to Title 8 of the
California Code of Regulations for detailed information regarding the
regulations scope, specifications, and exceptions and for other
requirements that may be applicable to their operations.
Additional Resources
Title 8, California Code of Regulation, Construction
Safety Orders, Section: 1509(e)
Supervisory employees shall conduct "toolbox" or "tailgate" safety
meetings, or equivalent, with their crews at least every 10 working days
to emphasize safety
Tailgate or Toolbox safety meetings are held to keep employees
informed of work-related accidents, illnesses and workplace
hazards. They allow supervisors to draw on the experience of
workers, and use that experience to remind all employees especially newer ones - on the dangers of particular
construction processes, tools
Review findings from safety inspections including corrective
actions.
Discuss accidents/near accidents including what/where it
happened, and prevention. Use equipment manuals and
MSD Sheets. Cal/OSHA Safety Orders (Title 8) can be
reviewed at:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/samples/search/query.htm
Use the table below as a guide to help you select subjects and track meeting dates. In addition, complete a
separate training record for each meeting that includes worker name, date, subject, and the trainers name.
Title
Date
Title
Access
Heat Illness Prevention
Administrative Requirements
Heavy Construction Equipment
Aerial Devices and Elevating Work Platform Equipment
Hot Pipes and Hot Surfaces
Air Compressors
Housekeeping/Site Cleaning
Airborne Contaminants and Dust
Injury and Illness Prevention Program
Asbestos
Ladders
Blasting (Abrasives/Sand)
Laser Equipment
Blasting (Explosives)
Lead
Carcinogens
Lighting
Code of Safe Practices
Lock-out/Block-out Procedures
Competent Person
Machine Guarding
Concrete Construction
Multi-employer Work Sites
Confined Spaces
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Corrosive Liquids
Pile Driving
Cranes
Pressurized Worksites
Demolition
Qualified Person
Dust, Fumes, Mists, Vapors, and Gases
Ramps and Runways
Electrical
Roofing Operations
Elevators, Lifts, and Hoists
Scaffolds
Emergency Medical Services
Silica Dust
Engine Exhaust Emission
Stairways
Erection and Construction
Toeboards
Ergonomics in Construction
Toilets/Washing Facilities/Sanitation
Excavation, Trenches, and Earthwork
Tools and Equipment
Explosion Hazards
Traffic Control
Fall Protection
Training
Fire Protection and Prevention
Tunnels and Tunneling
First Aid
Welding, Cutting and Other Hot Work
Flaggers
Wood Preservative Chemicals
Flammable and Combustible Liquids
Forklifts
Forms, Falsework, and Vertical Shoring
Guardrails
Hazard Communication Program (Haz-Com)
Date
