Toolbox talks were originally seen as an informal way of reinforcing actual training.  The idea was that each employee would have a training programme agreed and they would take time out  from the day job to attend thorough training and instruction on for example how to use a new piece of kit. The training session would include what the new kit did and why they had changed  it from  the old  kit. There world be a description of how to use it and what trouble shooting they needed to apply. Most important when to stop using it can bring an expert to fix it. Then they would be assessed to see if the training had sunk in. All of this would be recorded in the employee’s training file. Toolbox talks were intended to support this. They’d be lead  whether the employee’s immediate supervisor or by the employees themselves. The feedback was less about what was said than about  how engaged the employees were in the process, because after all they had been trained to do the job in question, hadn’t they?

I am saying all of this as it seems that people seem to be acting as if toolbox talks are a substitute for formal training hence the need to record them.  We also get people asking for  copies of other people’s toolbox talks on various topics, which is a bit worrying as I always thought that they were very job specific.  

Originally Posted by: liamarchie

I want to adopt a more modern approach of obtaining the signatures, im thinking via tablets left out for staff to use when convenient or something like this. We currently use Adobe Sign for desk based staff which is great, but those staff such as cleaners for example do not have pc access.

you can use fill and sign to send to their mobile email account, i use it for signing for PPE.

Other option is a photo of them if you are with them as proof.  I wouldnt say TB's carry a lot of weight with the HSE as they are easily made up

Then you drift to the other extreme where the desire for individual signatures mean the TBT comes after the employees X so may not necessarily have been delivered, received or understood.

As to tick boxes on electronic forms - prove it was me that clicked "accept" two years down the line. Log-ins can be hacked, DSE left unlocked, the unscrupulous can forge records.

We keep such matters simple - the person delivering the talk marks down the names of those present and signs to say they delivered the message on a particular day.

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit

We keep such matters simple - the person delivering the talk marks down the names of those present and signs to say they delivered the message on a particular day.

Absolutely.  if the presenter makes the record and its then filed, it pretty much covers the issue of language, attendees who fail to sign or added signatures for absentees.  Being proportionate, many TBTs are only 5-10 minutes so why spend what could be hours geting a mark to say they attended.   For those who feel that a TBT is of no real value should it be checked or challenged at a later date, then follow those instincts and don't bother with making any records - again keeps it simple.