Toolbox Talk: Stop-Work Authority

Anyone can stop unsafe work. Stop, make it safe, tell someone and restart only when it's fixed.

Prints on one Letter-size page with a sign-in sheet.

First Day Training · Toolbox TalkTime: 5 to 10 minutes

Stop-Work Authority

Date
Job site / location
Talk leader

Why it matters

The person closest to a hazard often sees it first. Stop-work authority gives everyone the power and the duty to speak up.

Talking points

  • Everyone has it: any worker can stop a job they believe is unsafe, whatever their role.
  • Stop and secure: stop the work, make the area safe and keep others away.
  • Tell the supervisor: explain what you saw. Say what, where and why you're worried.
  • Fix before restart: work restarts only when the hazard is controlled and the right people agree.
  • No retaliation: it's illegal to punish workers for raising safety concerns or reporting hazards. Report retaliation to your safety manager or OSHA.
  • Thank people: recognize the person who stopped the job, and learn from it.

Ask the crew

  1. When would you stop a job? What would it look like?
  2. Who do you tell, and how?
  3. What gets in the way of speaking up?

Before we start work today: Remind the crew that anyone can stop work, and say how to do it today.

Who attended

Source: OSHA: Whistleblower protection. General safety information only, not legal advice; follow your employer’s program, the manufacturer’s instructions and current regulations. Keep signed sheets with your safety records. FirstDayTraining.com · Todd Allyn Media Inc.

Learn more: Safety Culture & Stop-Work Authority · Whistleblower Protection · Imminent Danger

Standards & references

Last updated: