As the critical final step of project planning, the pre-job briefing ensures every member of your work crew understands the scope of work and the specific safety measures and controls as they apply to the task at hand. Conduct the pre-job briefing just prior to starting work, and be sure to share all the details you’ve gathered from the facility’s hazard assessment, jobsite walk down, job hazard analysis and work permits.
Open dialogue is the key
Make this last meeting a dialogue among the participants — not just a monologue delivered by the supervisor. Intelligent, open conversation among team members will disclose assumptions, error traps and misunderstandings that could lead to an accident.
Plan your pre-job briefing around the following four questions, which are summarized in the SAFE acronym:
- What are the critical steps of the work to be performed?
- How could a mistake be made at each critical step?
- What is the worst thing that could go wrong?
- What safety measures or barriers are in place to prevent it?
Ask workers who have special knowledge — the safety lead, engineers, electricians, riggers, for example — to review facets of the work related to their specialty. If possible, include a walk down of the jobsite to identify systems and hazards. Consider possible hazards from other work being done in the area, and take necessary precautions. If weather conditions such as thunderstorms or high winds could pose hazards, review appropriate responses and contingency plans.
Involve all team members in the dialogue by asking questions related to their respective roles in the work scope, including emergency response actions, PPE requirements and the limitations of their PPE. Minds tend to wander during these discussions and this will help keep their attention trained on you.
If inexperienced workers are assigned, or contractors new to the jobsite are involved, spend extra time on relevant areas of concern such as job hazards, work-area configuration and emergency responses.
Steer clear of common briefing errors
Avoid pitfalls that can weaken your presentation and lose your audience:
- Conducting the meeting as a monologue rather than a dialogue
- Using generalities rather than specifics to discuss the work task.
- Omitting discussion of error traps and possible consequences.
- Failure to tailor standard safety measures to specific demands of the task.
- Failure to insist on all participants’ attendance of the briefing.
- Covering a lengthy generic checklist rather than focusing on critical steps.
- Conducting the briefing in a noisy, distracting location.
Close strongly with a direct question and stern reminder
Close the meeting with one final question that requires each worker to affirm his or her understanding of and readiness for the job:
- “Do you understand the tasks and have the knowledge and proper tools you need to do the job safely?”
Once you’ve gotten an explicit verbal response from each, send them off with a stern reminder:
- “If at any time you observe a hazard or have a question regarding the task, STOP — and get the help and tools to do the job safely.”
Remember, the pre-job briefing is the final step of proper project planning — and your last chance to ensure your crew is properly prepared for injury-free performance.
David Jackson is the safety director for NAES Corp. specializing in safe power plant operations. He oversees the safety of over 120 plants across all generating technologies. Jackson has more than 30 years of experience in workplace safety and holds certifications as an industrial hygienist and safety professional.
For more information, visit www.naes.com or call (425) 961-4700.
