This construction safety talk discusses ways workers can avoid accidents by not "asking for trouble". It provides examples of risky behaviors like carrying too many tools up a ladder, jumping from equipment, or not wearing safety belts or eye protection for certain tasks. The talk encourages workers to think through their actions and get help if they are unsure how to safely complete a job. It also suggests reviewing past accidents to discuss how safety could have been improved to prevent injuries. The goal is for the crew to agree that some accidents result from taking unnecessary chances and to think proactively about safety.

1. Construction Safety Talks
Asking For Some Things To Know Before You Give Your Talk.
Trouble As supervisor, you know that accidents can occur because we
(Taking have not thought things through before starting to work.
Chances)
Think about whether your crew asks the question "Am I asking for
No. 22 trouble?" when they:
• climb a ladder while trying to carry a lot of tools by hand.
• jump out of a truck or from a piece of heavy equipment.
How This Talk
Applies To My • operate heavy equipment or travel in vehicles without
Crew:
wearing safety belts.
• forget to wear eye protection when chipping, grinding or
cutting.
• try to lift something by themselves when they should ask for
help or use mechanical equipment.
You can think of other examples of accidents from your
experiences. Remind your crew to use common sense and the
benefit of their training to make decisions that result in safe
completion of their work. Tell them that if they ever feel they don't
have the necessary information to make the right decision, they
should ask for help.
Try This For Show And Tell!
Review some recent accidents and discuss how they could have
been avoided. Get the crew to agree that at least some were the
result of taking chances. Consider using accidents from another
job or trade to avoid ridiculing one of your workers.
© 2003 Liberty Mutual Group – All Rights Reserved 1

2. Questions You Can Use To Get Them Talking:
• How are workers asking for trouble on this job?
• What can each of us do to prevent trouble from happening?
• Has anyone ever had an accident - or know of one involving someone who was
just asking for trouble?
Attended By:
The illustrations, instructions and principles contained in the material are general in scope and, to the best of our knowledge, current at
the time of publication. No attempt has been made to interpret any referenced codes, standards or regulations. Please refer to the
appropriate code, standard or regulation making authority for interpretation or clarification.
© 2003 Liberty Mutual Group – All Rights Reserved 2