Free library
Toolbox talks for UK sites
Shaun Holmes
I've spent over 20 years in UK construction, and a toolbox talk only works if someone can read it out before the kettle boils. These are short briefings for a supervisor. Each one has the points, a few questions, and a sign-off sheet you can print on A4.
This talk supplements the site's own risk assessment and method. It does not replace them, and it is not a substitute for competent health and safety advice.
The construction talks use HSE's own pages, read on 19 October 2026. I have not added a fine, a weight limit, or a time limit that those pages do not state. The last talk is about using AI tools on site, and it points at the guides already on this site.
About 5 minutes
Working at height
Avoid the climb, prevent the fall, and do not treat a ladder as the automatic answer.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Manual handling
There is no single safe weight. Change the lift before you show someone how to bend.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Silica dust
The dust you cannot see is the dust that matters. Water or extraction first. A mask on its own is the last line.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Slips, trips and falls
Most trips are things left in the walkway. The fix is usually to move the thing, not to write a longer rule.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Power tools and hand-arm vibration
Tingling is an early sign, not a badge. The best control is a way of doing the job that does not need the vibrating tool.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Asbestos awareness
If you think you have found it, stop. Awareness training does not give you permission to work on it.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Using AI tools safely on site
A chat tool can tidy words. It cannot decide the method, and it must not see a customer's private details.
Read the talk
A blank quote and a blank invoice, free to copy, are in the templates.
Free every week
A new free toolbox talk and one useful AI tip every week. One email. Unsubscribe any time. The pages and the downloads stay free either way.
Free tools for a day rate, a tax estimate, a CIS deduction, and materials are on the tools page.