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FREE TALKS

Toolbox talk topics

Pick today's toolbox talk topic by hazard or by trade. Each talk is short, comes in English and Spanish, and cites the OSHA paragraph it is built from.

Every talk is free to read, print and share. If you want the list on paper, download it as a PDF. No email needed.

92 talks published. 241 more on the way. Don't see your topic? Request it. Need something shorter? See today's safety moment.

Download the topic list (PDF)See the posters

LIBRARY

Toolbox talk topics by hazard

Health and wellness

Coming soon: Carbon monoxide, Heat illness prevention, Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Radiation safety, Indoor air quality, Laser safety, Heat stroke, Lead exposure, Smoking and vaping on site, Hypothermia, Lead in renovation work, Wildfire smoke, Jobsite sanitation, Skin protection and dermatitis, Hearing conservation program, Sharps and needlestick safety, Frostbite, Abrasive blasting, Cadmium exposure, Hexavalent chromium, Mold safety, Noise on construction sites, Working around sewage, Welding fumes, Benzene exposure, Blood and body fluid cleanup, Silica dust controls for tools (Table 1), Formaldehyde exposure, Heart health on the job, Heat acclimatization, Noise-induced hearing loss, Eating right for physical work, Valley fever

Seasonal and holidays

Coming soon: Holiday travel safety, Winter slips and falls, Holiday lights and decorations, Snow removal and shoveling, Dressing for cold weather

Behavior and attitude

Coming soon: Struck-by hazards, Hazard recognition, Attitude and safety, Horseplay, Stop work authority, Distractions on the job, Safety for supervisors and foremen, Taking shortcuts, Caught-in and caught-between hazards, The fatal four, Cell phone use on site

Falls and heights

Coming soon: Step ladder safety, Walking and working surfaces, Fall prevention stand-down, Three points of contact, Rolling and baker scaffolds, Ladder inspection, Roofing safety, Stairway safety, Extension ladder setup, Floor holes and openings, Guardrail systems, Leading edge work, Personal fall arrest systems, Scaffold inspection, Skylight fall hazards, Residential construction fall protection, Wet floor safety

PPE

Coming soon: Choosing the right gloves, Foot protection, High-visibility clothing, PPE hazard assessment, Hard hat care and inspection, Welding PPE, Flame-resistant clothing, Fitting earplugs right, Eyewash stations, Respirator fit testing, Voluntary respirator use

Driving

Coming soon: Driving in rain and fog, Parking lot safety, Driver fatigue, Seat belt use, Railroad crossing and track safety

General safety

Coming soon: Warehouse safety, Mining safety basics, Restaurant kitchen safety, Manufacturing plant safety, Jobsite security and theft, Waste handling and recycling, Material storage and stacking, Burns and scalds, Knife safety in the kitchen, Accident prevention signs and tags, Walk-in coolers and freezers, Grain handling, Storage rack safety

People and the crew

Coming soon: Workplace violence prevention, Active shooter response, Working alone, Bullying and harassment on site, Sleep and shift work, Temporary workers, Opioid overdose response, Suicide prevention in construction, Young workers

Emergencies and weather

Coming soon: Hurricane preparedness, AED and CPR basics, Emergency action plans, Tornado preparedness, Flood safety, Earthquake preparedness, Exit routes, Emergency showers, Emergency contacts and site address

Fire

Coming soon: Fire watch, Flammable liquids, Fuel tanks and refueling, Combustible dust

Ergonomics and lifting

Coming soon: Strains and sprains, Stretch and flex, Repetitive motion injuries

Chemicals and exposures

Coming soon: Ammonia safety, Compressed gas cylinders, Chemical spill response, Cleaning chemicals, Hazardous waste handling, Ammonia refrigeration, Chemical burns and corrosives, HAZWOPER awareness, Isocyanates and spray foam, Solvent safety, Chemical labels and pictograms

Heavy equipment

Coming soon: Equipment pre-use inspection, Excavator safety, Spotters and backing vehicles, Skid steer safety, Dump truck safety, Equipment blind spots, Boom lift safety, Rollover protection (ROPS)

Cranes and rigging

Coming soon: Lifting operations planning, Working under suspended loads, Crane hand signals, Cranes near power lines, Sling inspection, Hoists and come-alongs, Crane operator qualification

Safety programs

Coming soon: Near miss reporting, Jobsite safety inspections, Safety committees, Visitor and subcontractor orientation, Safety incentives done right, Pre-task planning, Job hazard analysis (JHA), OSHA injury recordkeeping, The competent person, Worker rights under OSHA, Multi-employer worksites, What to expect in an OSHA inspection, Reporting injuries right away

Electrical

Coming soon: Qualified electrical workers, Arc flash, Electrical hazards, Overhead power lines, GFCI protection, Battery charging safety, Electrical PPE and insulated tools, Electrician jobsite safety, Portable generator safety, Temporary power on jobsites, Electrical panels and clearance

Tools

Coming soon: Grinder safety, Hand tool safety, Compressed air safety, Utility knife safety, Chainsaw safety, Power saw safety, Pressure washer safety, Nail gun safety, Jack safety, Powder-actuated tools

Vehicles and traffic

Coming soon: Work zone traffic safety, Pallet jack safety, Loading dock safety, Telehandler safety, Flagger safety, Dock boards and trailers, Forklift work platforms, Order picker safety, Forklift pre-shift inspection

Oil and gas

Landscaping

Coming soon: Tree trimming safety, Landscaping safety, Snakes and wildlife, Poisonous plants, String trimmers and blowers, Pesticide safety, Lawn mower safety, Lyme disease and tick bites

Healthcare

Coming soon: Dental office safety, Hazardous drugs and chemicals in healthcare, MRI safety, Workplace violence in healthcare, Safe patient handling, Slips and falls in healthcare, Tuberculosis exposure

Machines

Coming soon: Woodworking machinery, Working near robots and automation, Conveyor safety, Rotating equipment, Food processing plant safety, Mechanical power presses

Excavation and trenching

Coming soon: Underground utilities, Competent person for excavations, Utility locates and digging, Spoil piles and trench access, Trench protective systems

Hazardous energy

Coming soon: Stored energy, Group lockout, Verifying zero energy (try step)

Confined spaces

Coming soon: Permit-required confined spaces, Atmospheric testing, Confined space attendant duties

Construction work

Coming soon: Concrete and masonry safety, Working near water, Barricades and signs, HVAC technician safety, Personnel hoists and elevators, Painting and coatings safety, Concrete burns, Drywall and overhead work, Demolition safety, Plumbing trade safety, Concrete pump safety, Jobsite lighting, Framing and carpentry safety, Glass handling and glazing, Steel erection, Masonry wall bracing, Material hoists, Rebar impalement, Underground construction and tunnels

Running safety talks

Coming soon: What a toolbox talk is and how to run one

Not sure which kit you need? Use the free training requirements finder

BY TRADE

Toolbox talk topics by trade

Every trade has its own hazards. These are the published topics that fit each one best. The trade page has the full list.

Construction

All construction topics

General industry

All general industry topics

Warehousing

All warehousing topics

Manufacturing

All manufacturing topics

Landscaping

All landscaping topics

Healthcare

All healthcare topics

Restaurants

All restaurants topics

Oil and gas

All oil and gas topics

IN 5 MINUTES

How to run a talk in 5 minutes

  1. 01Pick a topic tied to today's work.
  2. 02Open with the starter question.
  3. 03Go over the key points with examples from your site.
  4. 04Ask the crew the questions and listen.
  5. 05Close with the takeaway and pass the sign-in sheet.

Full guide · Free sign-in sheet

PRICING

No subscription needed

Buy only the kit you need: talk kit $4.99, training kit with editable PowerPoint $9. Instant download.

See pricing

HOW TO CHOOSE

How to choose this week's topic

A good topic looks like the work the crew will do today. If they are going up on scaffolds, talk about falls. If it is hot out, talk about heat. If there was a near miss on site, talk about that.

To keep a rhythm, use a different topic each week. The 52-week calendar already orders them by time of year. Every talk has questions for the crew and a sign-in sheet to keep your record.

Talks help you train, but they do not replace the full training an OSHA standard requires.

QUESTIONS

Questions people ask

What is a toolbox talk?

A short safety meeting, about 5 to 10 minutes, that a foreman or safety lead gives the crew before work starts. It covers one topic tied to the work of the day.

Are these toolbox talks really free?

Yes. Every talk on this page is free to read, print and share under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. We only ask for credit with a link.

Do these talks meet OSHA training requirements?

Each talk cites the OSHA paragraphs it is built from. A talk helps you train, but it does not replace the full training a standard requires. OSHA does not approve or certify training materials.

What is in the paid kit?

The talk kit ($4.99) has the talk in English and Spanish, an editable mini-deck, a crew handout, a sign-in sheet and a quiz. The training kit ($9) adds the full editable PowerPoint, trainer notes, a 10-question quiz and a certificate.