Toolbox talk alcohol and drugs

This toolbox talk alcohol and drugs cover the effects of alcohol and drugs on your safety and others at work.

Alcohol

1. In a high-risk industry like ours, alcohol and work are not compatible.
2. Alcohol is a depressant drug, which depresses parts of the brain function. When working on-site, you require all of your brain functions to save you from injury.
3. If you’re found to be intoxicated with alcohol, you won’t be allowed on site. You may end up losing your job.
4. Don’t get drunk the night before and expect to work safely on site the next day. Alcohol takes time to work out of your system (1 pint of beer takes approximately 2 hours).
5. 50% of all drivers killed are over the legal limit.
6. If you drink, don’t drive.
7.  Some workplace fatal accidents are alcohol-related.
8. Keep your head clear – leave your drinking sessions to social events, where you can’t cause injury to yourself or others.
9. Get a bad reputation for drinking, and you may not get another job as you’ll be seen as a liability.

Drugs

1. You are far more likely to have an accident on site when you are under the influence of drugs.
2. Drugs prescribed by your doctor could make you unfit for work, as can illegal drugs.
3. You may feel you don’t have a drug problem – it’s got nothing to do with you.  But if you get hurt, it’s a bit late to wonder what the other person was on.
4. If you know somebody is on drugs, tell your supervisor – help to stamp it out.
5. Signs to look for, watery eyes, pinpoint or dilated pupils, running nose, constant sniffing, tight lips, sores, ulcers, trembling, fatigue and irritability. If you see it, report it.
6. All drugs can affect your ability to work safely.
7. Some effects of drugs: slow reaction times, clumsiness, poor decision-making and distorted vision.
8. Don’t take ‘E’s – ‘E’ stands for ‘Ex-employee’.
9.  If you get offered drugs, say no, you’d rather work safely!
10. Drugs and work don’t mix.  Don’t let it become a problem.

Note to supervisor:  Now inform your workforce of the company policy regarding alcohol and drug abuse.

Do you have any questions for me?

More toolbox talks

Download 70 toolbox talks FREE

What are toolbox talks

Toolbox talk alcohol and drugs

Effective Tool Box Talks and your Business

Tool box talks are short presentations covering specific health and safety topics. They help to break down often complicated concepts so that they can be easily understood.

While there are many aspects related to health and safety and many legal terms associated with it, you can help to cover your legal and moral obligations by using tool box talks.

There are several reasons why a tool box talk can be help your business:

Save time & resources

By using a tool box talk you can save yourself many hours of researching the material, time which could be used to concentrate on running your business. The expectations from local authorities and the government for health and safety is often too great a burden to accomplish without help. Tool box talks give you all the documents you need to hand ready for when you need them.

Legislation

Knowing health and safety law and having it readily available in your tool box talks is an added benefit to not only you, but your employees as well. If everyone knows the law they are more likely to adhere to it.

Tool box talks risk management

Avoiding undue risk is the best form of preventing accidents occurring in the first place. By educating employees on the nature of accident control you minimise the chance of anything

The impression you leave on an individual or organisation can be long lasting and profound and therefore you want them to feel safe and at ease whenever they come into contact with your company.

Cover your legal and moral obligations and protect yourself and others in the business with toolbox talks.

Toolbox Talks are a great way to convey often complicated messages in a brief and easy to understand format.

Download 70 free toolbox talks today

Effective Tool Box Talks

TT1 – Abrasive Wheels
This talk will cover hazards and using portable and bench-mounted abrasive wheels.

TT2 – Accident Prevention & Control
Covers the cause, costs, and prevention of accidents.

TT3 – Accident Reporting & Investigation
Health and safety law requires that the following types of accidents be reported to the HSE:

• Fatalities and major accidents
• Injuries resulting in more than 7 days off work or inability to carry on with normal work
• Dangerous occurrences

TT4 – Alcohol and Drugs
This talk will cover the effects of alcohol and drugs on your safety and others.

TT5 – Asbestos
This talk will cover where you will find asbestos, how it can affect you and hazardous work.

TT6 – Benefits of Safety
This talk will cover how everyone benefits from working on a safe site and the costs of not doing so.

TT7 – Buried Services
This talk will cover gas, water mains, sewers and colour coding for buried services.

TT8 – Cartridge-Operated Tools
This talk will cover before use, safe use, hazards and after use of tools.

TT9 – Chainsaws
This talk will cover preparation for use, refuelling and safe use of chainsaws.

TT10 – Control of Dust & Fumes
This talk will cover some sources and dangers of dust and fumes, as well as examples of precautions that can be taken.

TT11 – Control of Noise
This talk will cover hazards, controlling noise and ear protection.

TT11 – COSHH
This talk will cover risk assessment, hazards, control measures and safe use of substances.                                                                                                        

TT13 – Electricity on Site
This talk will cover underground cables and overhead power lines.

TT14 – Excavations
This talk will cover precautions and accidents.                                                                                       

TT15 – Fire Prevention & Control
This talk will cover fire prevention, precautions, types of extinguishers and actions on fire.

TT16 – First Aid
This talk will cover the following: before first aid, when first aid is required, and basic first aid.

TT17 – General Safety Legislation
This talk will cover details of legislation introduced to protect your health and safety whilst at work.

TT18 – General Site Health & Safety
This talk will cover responsibilities under health and safety legislation and on-site safety.

TT19 – Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
This talk will cover legal responsibilities and penalties under the Act.

TT20 – Health on Site
This talk will cover types of health issues affecting construction workers and the preventative measures.

TT21 – HFLs & Petroleum Based Adhesives
This talk will cover the hazards, storage and use of these products.

TT22 – Hoists and Hoist Towers
This talk will cover safe working practices when using hoists.

TT23 – Hydro Demolition
This talk will cover the dangers associated with hydro demolition and how they can be overcome.

TT24 – Ladders
This talk will cover before-use checks, use of ladders and hazards.

TT25 – Lead Hazards
This talk will cover the effects of lead on the body, the methods of controlling exposure and sources of exposure.

TT26 – Legal Duties of Employees
This talk will cover the legal duties of employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and regulations.

TT27 – Lifting Accessories
This talk will cover slings, chains, shackles, hooks and eyebolts.

TT28 – Lifting Equipment & Operations
This talk will cover the procedures to follow to ensure that lifting operations are carried out in a safe manner.

TT29 – LPG & Other Compressed Gases
This talk will cover hazards, use, storage and transport.

TT30 – Manual Handling
This talk will cover considerations and good techniques for manual handling.

TT31 – Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
This talk will cover the hazards and safe operating methods for MEWPs.

TT32 – Mobile Plant
This talk will cover the dangers associated with mobile plant and how they can be overcome.

TT33 – Mobile Scaffold Towers
This talk will cover erection, use, stability and hazards.

TT34 – Needle-stick Injuries
This talk will cover the actions you should take if you discover a needle and if you prick your skin with it.

TT35 – Personal Hygiene
This talk will cover the price that you may have to pay for poor standards of personal hygiene and what you can do to prevent it.

TT36 – Personal Protective Equipment
This talk will cover the measures necessary to ensure that the use of PPE is effective.

TT37 – Piling
This talk will cover The dangers and precautions to be taken.

TT38 – Plant & Equipment
This talk will cover safe operating procedures for plants and equipment; please note that lifting equipment, woodworking machines, MEWP and electrical hand tools are covered in other toolbox talks

TT39 – Pollution Control
This talk will cover sources of pollution and ways in which operatives can ensure that they don’t contribute to the pollution of the environment.

TT40 – Portable, Hand-held Tools
This talk will cover before-use checks, the use of electric tools and hazards.

TT41 – Powers of the HSE
This talk will cover what you should be aware of and what to do if an inspector visits your place of work.

TT42 – Protection of Eyes
This talk will cover hazards and wearing eye protection.

TT43 – Protection of Skin
This talk will cover hazards to the skin and precautions to protect the skin.

TT44 – Risk Assessment & Method Statements
This talk will cover what risk assessments and method statements mean to you.

TT45 – Road & Street Safety
This talk will cover the precautions necessary to protect operatives and road users.

TT46 – Safe Stacking of Materials
This talk will cover general points and stacking of bricks, timber, pipes and prefabricated panels.

TT47 – Safe Working at Height
The talk covers the hazards of working on roofs and safety when working at height.

TT48 – Safety in Demolition
This talk will cover before and during the demolition, as well as hazards on the demolition site

TT49 – Safety Inspections & Consultation
This talk will cover the benefits of safety inspections and consultation.

TT50 – Safety Nets & Suspension Equipment
This talk will cover items to be considered before, during and after using safety nets and suspension equipment.

TT51 – Safety with Steelwork
This talk will cover the hazards associated with the erection of steelwork and the precautions to be taken.

TT52 – Security on Site
This talk will cover the hazards to unauthorised visitors and ways of preventing unauthorised access.   

TT53 – Signallers and Slingers
This talk will cover lifting gear, before lifting, during lifting and potential hazards

TT54 – Site Transport
This talk will cover the dangers associated with site transport and how they can be overcome.

TT55 – Slips, Trips and Falls
This talk will cover the causes and prevention of slips, trips and falls.

TT56 – Sun Safety
This talk will cover the facts and statistics about skin cancer, who is at risk and how to protect yourself.

TT57 – System Scaffolds
This talk covers safety features, which are specific system scaffolds. In addition to other safety features that are common to all scaffolds,

TT58 – Trackside Safety
This talk will cover some hazards and precautions associated with working on railways.

TT59 – Trestles and Stepladders
This talk will cover folding adjustable trestles and stepladders.

TT60 – Tube & Fittings Scaffolding
This talk will cover access, loading, hazards, inspection and security.

TT61 – Vehicle Fuels
This talk will cover the hazards created by different fuels and the precautions necessary.

TT62 – Vibration
This talk will cover the sources, effects and methods of overcoming excessive vibration.

TT63 – Waste Management
This talk will cover the risks to health and safety resulting from poor housekeeping.

TT64 – Water Jetting
This talk will cover the dangers associated with water jetting and how they can be overcome.

TT65 – Weil’s Disease
This talk will cover the effects and symptoms of Weil’s disease, the measures you should take to avoid it, and who may be at risk.

TT66 – Welfare Arrangements
This talk will cover the factors determining whether site welfare facilities are adequate.

TT67 – Woodworking Machines
This talk will cover the safety precautions in the use of hand-held circular saws and floor-mounted woodworking machines.

TT68 – Working in Confined Spaces
This talk will cover hazards, such as before entry, work in confined spaces, and emergency procedures.

TT69 – Working over Water
This talk will cover the prevention of drowning and rescue from the water.

TT70 – Young People on Site
This talk will cover why young people are vulnerable and what we should all be doing to safeguard their health and safety on site.

Download 70 free toolbox talks today

What are Toolbox talks and why do I have to do them?

Introduction

The definition of a Toolbox Talk – An informal meeting that focuses on Health & Safety topics related to a specific job that is on site, such as workplace hazards and safe work practices. These meetings are normally less than 10 minutes (kept short) and are normally conducted at the job site prior to the job or shift starting.

Why do i have to do them? – Toolbox talks are a quick way for you to communicate to all workers on a particular site, safety work practices that are applicable to them.

Where can you get them – You can download 70 toolbox talks free using this link

Importance of toolbox talks in the workplace

Toolbox talks are focused discussions about safety topics that provide valuable insights and practical guidance that can help prevent accidents and injuries on site.

Toolbox talks can significantly enhance the safety culture onsite when conducted regularly.

Understanding the purpose of toolbox talks

The primary purpose of toolbox talks is to enhance workplace safety through education and communication. The talks are designed to inform workers about potential hazards they may encounter while performing their duties.

Organisations can create a shared understanding of risks and the importance of adhering to safety protocols by engaging the site teams in conversations about safety. This collaborative approach helps to foster a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility, leading to a more informed and vigilant workforce.

Key elements of a toolbox talk

The topics discussed directly relate to the tasks and hazards at the worksite. For example, if drainage trenches are to be excavated on site, the site supervisor can talk about the dangers, hazards, good practice and working close to deep excavations, to keep people safe.

Save time and download 70 toolbox talks

How to conduct a tool box talk

Conducting a tool box talk requires careful planning and execution to maximise its effectiveness.

Gather necessary materials to support the discussion, such as handouts, visual aids, or tools illustrating the subject matter. Being well-prepared allows the supervisor to engage with the audience confidently.

Next, choose an appropriate setting and time for the tool box talk. Selecting a location free from distractions is essential, allowing participants to focus on the discussion.

Creating a comfortable environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences will lead to a more productive conversation.

The supervisor should encourage open communication and interaction among participants during the talk. Start with a brief introduction of the topic, followed by an engaging discussion inviting workers’ input and questions.

Use real-life examples to illustrate points and encourage employees to share their experiences related to the topic.

Tips for creating engaging and interactive tool box talks

Creating engaging and interactive tool box talks is essential for maximising their effectiveness. One key tip is to incorporate multimedia elements into the discussions. Using videos, slideshows, or infographics

Incorporate real-life case studies, sharing stories of actual incidents, whether from your own experiences or from industry examples,

Consider incorporating hands-on activities or demonstrations into tool box talks. Engaging employees in practical exercises, such as proper lifting techniques or the correct way to use safety equipment, can reinforce learning and enhance retention.

Conclusion

Harnessing the power of tool box talks for a safer and more productive worksite

In conclusion, tool box talks are an invaluable tool for enhancing safety and productivity on any worksite.

By fostering open communication and engaging employees in discussions about potential hazards and best practices, organisations can create a culture of safety that resonates throughout the workforce.

Download your FREE 70 tool box talks today