Week 1 Toolbox Talk 2025 Work Injury Decision Tree and Accident Reporting
We always try to avoid accidents but from time to time they do happen. In the event you are injured on the job it is your responsibility to report it to your supervisor/manager immediately. It does not mean you will need medical attention, but it is important to report so an incident report can be taken, and proper medical attention can take place if needed. VSC policy advises that all incidents regardless of how minor or major are reported to your supervisor/manager.
It is also important when an injury happens you use the Work Injury Decision Tree unless it is a life threating emergency. When using the decision tree you are speaking with Doctors/Nurses who will help you and will advise if further treatment is needed.
Once a report is completed and medical services have been acquired if applicable be prepared to work with Management and Safety to investigate the root cause of the accident so appropriate measures can be taken i.e. (Policies/Safety Alerts/ Re-Training.
Remember VSC will work hard to achieve any restricted duties given by the doctor are followed to help keep you working and earing your paycheck. If you should have any questions at any time, please contact your Manager or Risk Safety Representative.
Week 2 Toolbox Talk 2025 Working around Electricity
The electric current in any commercial building or home has enough power to cause death. People are injured when they become part of the electrical circuit. The most common causes of electrical injuries come from direct or indirect contact with an electric current through power cords and plugs.
Direct Contact: Touching a live wire: When electricity travels through our bodies, it can interfere with the normal electrical signals between the brain and our muscles (e.g., heart may stop beating properly, breathing may stop, or muscles may spasm). Muscle contractions can cause a person to fall from a ladder, scaffold or aerial bucket. The fall can cause serious injuries or even death.
Indirect Contact: When electricity arcs through the air to a person who is grounded:
- Arc flashes result in intense heat causing burns, intense light which can cause blindness, or ignition of other materials.
- Arc blasts cause the same conditions as arc flashes but are more intense and can include a strong pressure wave. These pressure waves can damage machinery, throw a person, collapse a lung or rupture ear drums.
- Thermal burns include flash burns from heat generated by an electric arc and flame burns from materials that catch on fire from heating or ignition by electrical currents. High voltage contact burns can burn internal tissues while leaving only very small injuries on the outside of the skin.
Basic Electrical Reminders
- Inspect power cords and plugs daily. Discard if worn or damaged. Pull the plug, not the cord: Do not disconnect power supply by pulling or jerking the cord from the outlet. Pulling the cord causes wear and may cause a shock.
- Never break off the third prong on a plug.
- Replace any cords that are not in accordance with VSC policy i.e. (missing ground prong, unauthorized plugs)
- Ensure all cords are properly rated for construction, check with manufacturer instructions
- Ensure all equipment and electrical cords are connected properly to a GFCI as per VSC policy.
Week 3 Toolbox Talk 2025 Silica Dust and being pro-active
VSC employees at some point in their career will work around or with Silica. Exposure to crystalline silica often occurs as part of common workplace operations involving cutting, sawing, drilling, grinding/sanding and crushing of natural and engineered stone products such as granite and slate in the quarrying of these materials. Over-exposure can lead to serious, sometimes fatal illnesses.
What is Silicosis- Silicosis is a serious lung disease caused by over-exposure to minute, typically invisible crystalline silica particles. Over-exposure may be in the form of short duration – high concentration exposures or long-term –lower concentration exposures. These minute, typically invisible particles cause permanent scarring in the lung tissues which progresses over time.
What can you do to limit exposure to Silica and the Health effects:
- Use of wet machining, grinding/sanding, cutting and drilling processes which use water to suppress and collect particles. VSC provides the proper equipment
- Use dust collection systems when wet operations are not available with a HEPA filter.
- General Contractors must also follow the proper procedures to reduce exposure
- Use of HEPA filter vacuums, or wet cleanup methods in-place of dry sweeping.
- Never use compressed air or other practices which cause particles to become airborne for cleanup, including cleaning your body.
- Follow Table 1 from OSHA that describes when and how to address these methods
- If on the job and procedures are not being followed, you must call your Supervisor/Safety Representative and remove yourself from the area immediately.
Week 4 Toolbox Talks 2025 Line of Fire
When you work in an environment where hazards regularly occur, that is referred to as working in the “line of fire.” Every job is different, and many will require you to work in different scenarios that may put you in harm’s way. When you are working on a construction site, there are many items and situations around you that haver the potential to cause harm. Working in the line of fire means that you need to be extremely careful and remain constantly alert.
Released energy incidents
- Released energy incidents refer to situations when someone is burned or scalded while working. The causes of these types of injuries can vary, including:
- Hot steam releasing from a pipe causing burns
- Flames shooting from a malfunctioning engine causing burns
Caught-in or between incidents
- Caught-in and caught-between incidents are some of the most common incidents that can happen while on a worksite. Some examples of the causes of these injuries are:
- Getting caught between machinery and a wall
- Putting hands, feet, or other body parts too close to moving gears
Struck-by incidents
Getting struck by heavy equipment, falling objects, or swinging materials can cause a struck-by incident on a construction site. This is one reason that it is important to block off work areas where these incidents are most common.
BE VIGULANT AND PAY ATTENTION TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS WHILE ON THE JOB