Having a hard time coming up with ideas for your monthly construction tailgate meetings?
You can use this handy chart of topics to plan your tailgate meeting agenda for the year. The list is by no means exhaustive, but it does cover the major areas that you should refresh your workers on annually.
Workplace hazards — This training should cover common types of hazards found in the construction industry, how to assess their severity and the different control methods employed to prevent incidents from occurring.
Managing worksite conditions, equipment — The dangers change from worksite to worksite depending on the job as well as the weather. Training should include general tool safety guidelines, including rotating machinery, air, electric and power tools. Also focus on potential slips, trips and falls.
Fall protection — Training should focus on fall-protection equipment used in construction, worker and employer responsibilities for working at heights, and common fall- protection inspection points.
Ladder and scaffold safety — Training should focus on the types of ladders and scaffolds that will be used in a job, correct set-up, usage and contraction, along with a description of scaffold tags.
Defensive driving — Your training should focus on state driving laws, defensive driving techniques, proper operations of equipment on worksites and on roads, and typical causes of motor vehicle accidents.
Powered mobile equipment — Training should cover all powered mobile equipment you’ll have on site, conducting pre-job walk-arounds of a machine and how to work safely around the various pieces of equipment.
Personal protective equipment — Focus on the use of PPE on the job, PPE that’s typical for the construction industry and when specialized PPE is needed.
Excavating and trenching — Any excavation has the potential to harm workers. Training should explain hazards, different soil types and their properties, and proper safety precautions.
Personal physical care and conduct— Work in construction requires health and stamina. Concentrate training on ways to care for your body to prevent injuries and the impacts of drugs and alcohol on your ability to work safely. Also cover expected professional behavior and conduct on the worksite.
Hazard communications— Training should focus on the Globally Harmonized System of hazardous materials labeling and the function of safety data sheets. Be aware that all signage changed last year.
Environmental safety — Training should introduce workers to the typical types of pollutants found in the construction industry, what to do in case of an accidental release of hazardous materials — and on the safe transportation of dangerous goods.
Emergency response — When an accident does occur, your employees, supervisors and managers should know how to respond. Your company’s emergency response plan should cover who to call, how to access first aid on the worksite and basic fire-fighting techniques.