Engulfment toolbox talk
Read it out at the pre-start or a toolbox meeting, talk through the questions, and have everyone sign on. It's built from our engulfment page and the 84 SafetyDocs templates that cover it.
- Site
- Date
- Presented by
What it is
Being buried or drowned by free-flowing solids or liquids, such as grain, sand, soil, sludge or water, in a confined space, tank or excavation.
Controls to check, most effective first
- Avoid entering silos, bins, tanks or hoppers; clear blockages from outside using poles, air lances or vibrators.
- Isolate and lock out conveyors, augers and inlets so no material can flow in or be drawn out during entry.
- Shore, bench or batter excavation walls, and keep spoil and plant back from the edge to prevent collapse.
- Never walk on bridged or crusted material, and do not work below material hung up on walls.
- Use a harness and lifeline attached to a fixed anchor, with a standby person and tested rescue equipment.
Questions for the crew
- Where could engulfment come up on this job today?
- The most effective control is: “Avoid entering silos, bins, tanks or hoppers; clear blockages from outside using poles, air lances or vibrators”. Can we do that here? If not, why not?
- Which controls for engulfment are missing or not working on this site?
- When would you stop work because of engulfment, and who would you tell?
- How do we report a hazard, a near miss or an incident on this job?
Sign-on record
Everyone who attended signs below. Keep it with your toolbox talk records.
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
A starting point for a talk, not a SWMS or a risk assessment. Add what's particular to your site and crew.