PPE toolbox talk
PPE is the last line, not the first. The useful version of this talk connects each piece of kit to the hazard it is there for, and finds out what people are not wearing and why.
Run the talk
- Hard hats are for impact and for what comes down from above — which on this site means anywhere below the crew working overhead.
- If people are working above other people, the protection is not just the hat. Toe boards, screens or nets keep the material from falling in the first place.
- PPE that does not fit does not protect. Say so and get it swapped, today.
- Damaged kit gets replaced, not taped. Who do you tell?
- PPE is the control we use when we cannot design the hazard out. If there is a way to design it out on this job, say that too.
Ask the crew
- What hazard is each piece of kit you are wearing actually protecting you from?
- Is anyone wearing something that does not fit properly?
- Who is working above someone else today, and what is stopping their material from landing on a colleague?
Check before you leave the huddle
- Confirm head protection is worn wherever there is overhead work or falling-object risk.
- Check for toe boards, screens or nets where work is happening above others.
- Pull any damaged or badly fitting equipment out of use and replace it.
The requirements behind it
From SiteSafetyDocs clause bank 2026.08.28-ai3. The talking points above are prompts for a conversation; the rows below are the requirements. Each row condenses the cited provisions — follow the citation for the exact regulatory text. Rows marked practice are recognised good practice, not a CFR duty.
| Clause | Requirement | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| CTL-PPE-001 | Employees exposed to possible danger of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock and burns shall be protected by protective helmets. | 29 CFR 1926.100(a) |
| CTL-PPE-002 | Where there is a potential for objects falling to a lower level, each exposed employee shall wear a hard hat, and the employer shall erect toeboards, screens, or guardrail systems to prevent objects from falling, or erect canopy structures and keep potential fall objects far enough from the edge, or barricade the area to which objects could fall and prohibit employees from entering it. | 29 CFR 1926.501(c); 29 CFR 1926.502(j) |
| CTL-PPE-003 | Personal protective equipment shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed, and shall be selected to ensure that it properly fits each affected employee. | 29 CFR 1926.95(c)(2) |
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