If you’re in the construction industry and you’re making a New Year’s resolution to improve on-the-job safety in 2014, you might want to check out the Center for Construction Research and Training's (CPWR) new library of 52 toolbox talks on common construction hazards, which provides a short safety lesson for every week of the year. 

Takes only minutes

“Construction safety trainers need ready-to-use materials to educate workers about these all too familiar dangers,” said CPWR Executive Director Pete Stafford. “For topics from aerial lifts to wet concrete, we have combined a clear and simple graphic on one side of the page with a brief, interactive talk on the other that takes only minutes to deliver.”

He added that his organizaton has worked closely with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to ensure that the toolbox talks incorporates effective elements like case studies based on real-life incidents, discussion questions, and site-specific actions. 

Double-duty

Each toolbox talk is designed to be printed as a two-sided document, so that a foreman or discussion leader can hold the graphic up for the crew or class to see while he or she uses the text to ask questions and read out the facts. Afterward, the graphic can do double-duty as a poster in the trailer or training center. 

All are available for free download at www.cpwr.com.

The CPWR researches emerging issues in construction safety and health and designs training resources and provides technical services to apply those findings at the work site.