Toolbox Talks - The What, The Why And The How

The toolbox talks are a recent development that has evolved from a long series of laws trying to regulate the health and safety of UK's workers.

Since the Factory Acts in the 19th century, Britain has been trying to improve the plight of its workers. Slowly, the working hours in factories were cut down to 14, then 12, then 10 per day, while the minimum age of employment of children was placed firmly at 9 years. It sounds appalling, but even these minimal steps were initially opposed by most employers. Greater demands would have led to total revolt and anarchy.

More recently, the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act has been a landmark ruling in terms of health and safety for workers in the UK. This is also accompanied by the 1990 Environmental Protection Act (or EPA) which aims to protect the environment in addition to factory workers.

The 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act aims, among other things, at "securing the health, safety and welfare of persons at work", "controlling the keeping and use and preventing the unlawful acquisition, possession and use of dangerous substances," and "controlling certain emissions into the atmosphere" (Direct quotes from the original Act)

Thanks to this Act, companies have now begun to see the advantages of making workers aware of the hazards they may incur, the safety measures required from their company, and how to deal with them. This is where the toolbox talk comes in.

Usually, the task of delivering the toolbox talk is given to a dedicated educator appointed by the company. Often, modular outlines for toolbox talks are made available or are created by the educator himself/herself, so that every day of discussion has a definite focus and a point to be driven clearly home.

Information offered during a toolbox talk can include -

• How to handle equipment - both work equipment and safety equipment

• Identifying potentially hazardous situations such as gas leaks, high levels of particulate matter, or extreme temperatures

• Information on fall safety

• How to handle hazardous situations on the site, even when one is not directly involved. On occasion, reporting to the on-site safety officer may lead to accidents - even fatal. Under these circumstances, workers are encouraged to think for themselves.

• Rights of workers in the fields of health and safety

Toolbox talks should ideally be short, interactive and to-the-point. The typical modus operandi used for them is one of questioning - asking questions to the workers, listening carefully to their answers, pointing out flaws in their answers and slowly letting them arrive at the best possible course of action on their own.