Projectiles 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 projectiles page and the 201 SafetyDocs templates that cover it.
- Site
- Date
- Presented by
What it is
Nails, staples, fragments and particles fired or thrown from nail guns, staplers and cutting or grinding tools that can strike and injure people.
Controls to check, most effective first
- Keep guards fitted and correctly adjusted on grinders, saws and cutting tools, and use discs rated for the tool's speed.
- Use nail guns with sequential (single-shot) triggers rather than contact triggers where possible.
- Set up screens or exclusion zones so other workers are not in the line of fire of flying particles.
- Check what is behind the work surface before nailing or drilling, and never point nail guns at people.
- Wear impact-rated safety glasses or goggles, with a face shield over them for grinding and cutting.
Questions for the crew
- Where could projectiles come up on this job today?
- The most effective control is: “Keep guards fitted and correctly adjusted on grinders, saws and cutting tools, and use discs rated for the tool's speed”. Can we do that here? If not, why not?
- Which controls for projectiles are missing or not working on this site?
- When would you stop work because of projectiles, 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.