Teach From The Toolbox
Tool box talks are often used as just brief “reminders” to do the right thing or, sometimes, even worse: just another “tick-box” mechanism for “passing responsibility”.
For many, as long as you have told them to wear PPE, or keep their fingers away from the blade, and they sign a sheet to say they “heard” you say so: then it is all on them!
Sound at all familiar?
To be fair, this attitude might be a natural product of the term, “tool-box talks”. It implies just a “chat” about some basics and sounds quite informal. That is not, however, the way legislation, accrediting bodies, or even the HSE, actually views them.
For that reason, the title is a bit of a misnomer, and perhaps there is sufficient argument to change what we call them, but it’s catchy, thoroughly established, and liked: so we just have to accept the title, if not the prevailing attitude toward them.
TBTs perform a significant role within an effective safety management system. A TBT should, therefore, be a “teaching experience” – not just a “telling session”.
That does not mean, however, that you should be introducing “new stuff” to the event. They should be revisions & reminders of material covered previously in actual training sessions. Just because you are covering familiar material, though, does not mean that you are not “teaching”, after all, revision is an important part of teaching.
Teaching is an attitude as much as a skill. So, if you have the attitude that you want to “teach” and not just “tell” it will affect, for the better, the way your “talks” are designed and delivered.
To achieve this – to move your TBT from just recital to something practical – I recommend my FEAST method when preparing them:
Teach don’t Tell!
A TBT should be a teaching experience, not a telling session.
Telling is not teaching!
- Revise previously covered material.
- Use questions to test knowledge and assess understanding.
- Don’t rush it, do it right!
Quality not Quantity
Quality is superior to quantity: the principle that a few things covered well is better than a lot covered badly is to be considered as gospel!
Whenever information or instruction is to be given, don’t skimp on the portions, provide sustenance, not scraps!
Tool-Box- or Tick-Box?
The provision of adequate information & instruction is a legal requirement, but it should not just be covered to be compliant.
If what you provide is not understood, it will not be of value.
TBTs are most effective when brief & simple. They should be clear & concise but also precise & practical.
Prepare the FEAST
Feasting does not necessarily demand quantity. A “fill”, for sure, but this is not always about vast amounts. The word “feast” comes from the Latin “festa” which means a “celebration” (and nothing to do with Uncle Festa!).
So, when preparing your TBT, prepare to give them something to celebrate about, not cringe over.
Here are five steps to preparing your Toolbox Talk FEAST:
- F – Foundation: planning & preparation
- E – Explanation: why, where & when
- A – Action: practical steps for application
- S – Summary: review in short…
- T – Test: five facts for fun
Let us now consider each point in detail.
Context is King
Explaining the why, where & when is crucial for the information to be understood: it gives context & reason for application.
- The “why” should provide motive.
- The “when” is a prescription of need.
- The “where” must be site specific.
- Foundation: planning and preparation is the secret to success in most endeavours. For TBTs to be successful they too need strong foundations.
Those foundations are to be laid in two areas: the pre-training of the material and the preparation for the delivery.
As said, TBTs are not for imparting new knowledge: learning how to use equipment or perform an activity is squarely in the realm of an actual “training” session, not the purview of a “tool box-talk”. Therefore, the operative must be trained in the equipment or activity and have “learned” something before a “revision” takes place or “reminded” of something important. It is not a revision or a reminder if it is new: that is a revelation!
Once the foundational skills and knowledge are in place, the role of the TBT is then to revise the basics and refresh that knowledge before an immediate undertaking – before they “crack on” as it were.
The second point, the delivery, should also be prepared.
Reading this could be part of that preparation. Knowing what to cover and how you intend to do so is crucial so as to avoid the TBT sounding like some last minute, off-the-cuff, throw-in that would undermine the whole process and reduce the chances of it being taken seriously.
Quality is superior to quantity: the principle that a few things covered well is better than a lot covered badly is to be considered as gospel!
Again, avoid turning your TBT into a full-blown training session: the whole context and scenario for delivering them is not conducive to achieving that anyway. You won’t have the time, the resources or the attention of the team to achieve that.
Prepare for Success
Competence-Compliance-Condition: 3Cs for preparation
Teaching is affected by the quality of preparation behind it.
Remember, TBTs are not “training” in the sense that something new is to be taught. TBTs are revisions: reminders of previously covered material.
As part of the teaching process, they are for “follow ups” not for “foundations down”.
Safety TBTs work best when they are delivered over three established foundations:
- Individual Competency
- System Compliance
- Appropriate Condition
Competence: of the individual. The personnel must have the necessary skills, experience & knowledge to carry out their task safely & effectively. Previous training with experiential practice covering the base skills, should have been established first.
- Explanation: briefly explain what you are going to cover, why they need to hear it, when and where it needs to be applied.
Explaining these details are fundamental to the information being understood: it gives context and specific reason for application.
The “why” is the introduction. Make an effort to identify the relevant hazards – what can hurt and how!
This is the hook to grab their attention; to get them to focus. Most need a good reason to take something seriously, and that can take the form of a statistic, an example, or a short experience.
The “when” should emphasise the prescription of the need and any necessary arrangements required for application.
The “where” must be site-specific. Be clear about exactly where on site the action must be taken to ensure safety.
Compliance: of the safe scheme of works. Your safety systems should be tailored to your service, in-line with internal policy & procedure & compliant to latest external legislation.
Condition: of plant, equipment & environment. All apparatus, tools & equipment should be subject to an inspection & maintenance regime & registered in safe working order. The materials to be used as well as the environment in which you must operate should also be assessed as safe for working.
- Action: here is the “how:” the practical application of what needs to be done to be safe (specific to those identified hazards).
Keep these points brief, clear, and precise. If possible, demonstrate what is to be done and how.
Occasionally, there might be a lot to cover, so look to “serialise” the action-points if reasonable to do so. TBTs should be frequent events – certainly more frequent than the actual training sessions – perhaps even daily, so you can afford to cover some points now, and some later.
If, however, the points are brief & simple, then do not feel you must skip crucial points just to keep it “short”: never skip what is necessary to be safe! Covering too much in too short a time, however, is a recipe for confusion.
To help decide what must be left in and what can safely be left for the next one, make sure you know your team. Be aware of their weaknesses; the most common failings or errors that crop up; such as the short cuts often taken. Thus, you can tailor the delivery to suit their propensities and proclivities.
Tailor Your Focus
Make sure you know your team.
Be aware of their weaknesses; the most common failings or errors that crop up or the short cuts taken.
Thus, you can tailor the delivery to suit their propensities and proclivities.
- Summary: round off the session by selecting a few key points to highlight. Provide some motivation for application, too.
Do not reiterate all of the same material. While repetition is an excellent memory aid, regurgitation is just verbal-vomit. Pick a few important points—perhaps the bits that are often forgotten—or focus on common short-cuts taken—and emphasise those.
Selection of what is critical is key. Remember: if everything is highlighted, nothing is highlighted!
Know What you Need Now
Never skip what is necessary to safe, but if there is a lot to cover, look to “serialise” the content.
TBTs should be frequent events – perhaps even daily – so you can afford to cover what is crucial now & keep what is left for later.
- Test: do not overdo this! Again, the same principles for Summary apply here; careful selection is the key. Choose a few points – perhaps three to five of the most important ones – and form a few questions.
Make sure you only ask what is relevant to what has been covered, but you could certainly grade your questions to be really effective.
Have a few easy ones – “list 5 things that you should do before…” and then some harder ones – “how would you assess whether…” for example. This technique will test the depth of knowledge among your crew, separating simple recognition form actual understanding.
Finally, resist the temptation to tell them the answer if you are met with blank expressions and confused faces. Always make sure you have a few follow-up questions to draw out the answers, just in case.
Remember: nothing new! Just revise knowledge and remind them to apply what has been previously taught.
Feast or Famine?
Never starve your staff of good teaching: your provision of accurate information and effective instruction is a basic, fundamental necessity for being safe. Remember: it should be a cause for celebration not a cause of concussion!
TBTs should not be just be a serving of scraps or left overs: prepare something of sustenance and treat them to a small FEAST.
“Just ‘telling’ is not teaching! Do not just hit them with information, help them with insight. Educating your staff should be a cause for celebration, not a cause of concussion”