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Tailgate Meeting Template and Safety Form PDF

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Tailgate meeting template

~10,000 employees

~500 employees

~25,000 employees

~20 employees

~50 employees

~1,500 employees

~20 employees

What is a tailgate safety meeting form?

A tailgate meeting is an informal safety meeting which is typically conducted on a work site prior to work or a specific shift commencing. The 'tailgate' in the tailgate meeting comes from the common practice of meeting around the tailgate of a pickup truck. These type of safety meetings are called tailgate meetings in the Americas, where the word tailgate is commonly used.

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Why do Construction and Industrial Sites Need Tailgate Meetings?

On construction and industrial sites all over the world, these same type of safety meetings take place too, but they are typically called toolbox talks in most other parts of the world. Tailgate meetings are usually conducted by a supervisor or safety manager and can cover and surface any type of hazard or process that the meeting presenter deems applicable and useful.

Documenting these tailgate meetings can be a hassle when the wrong forms are used, and that's where a reliable tailgate meeting form comes in. The topics discussed in the said meeting can be thoroughly documented and actioned upon by the designated people, which can make any site so much better. Also, it would be a breeze to record the attendance of the people involved with a tailgate meeting form.

What Should Be Included in a Tailgate Meeting Form?

A Tailgate Meeting Form records pre-work safety conversations to guarantee hazard awareness and compliance. Here are the elements included in the tailgate form:

Basics
List the company name, project/location, date, time, and meeting leader's name/signature. Include space for signatures among attendees.

Summary of the Conversation
State the safety issue (e.g., fall protection, PPE) and highlight important risks, controls, and safe work practices. Record any necessary PPE and equipment/tool inspections.

Compliance Requirements
Describe any legal citations (OSHA, company policies) and emergency protocols (first aid, evacuation).

List of Attendees
Add a signature area for employees to indicate knowledge and record any questions or issues brought up.

Actions to Follow Up
If relevant, record next meeting subjects or corrective actions as well as the people who needs to be followed-up.

Who Benefits from a Reliable Tailgate Meeting Form?

A good tailgate meeting form benefits all of the people directly involved in the tailgate meeting, reduces safety hazards, and also benefits many others at an organisation who's performance and livelihoods are tied to safety performance. Here is a list of people that can benefit from a well-executed tailgate meeting:

Field Staff
The tailgate meeting form provides frontline workers with clear safety guidelines prior to each shift, thus reminding them of risks, personal protective gear, and other important daily procedures. These short, daily safety discussions prevent accidents by reminding workers about risks in the course of day-to-day operations.

Supervisors and Safety Staff
Site managers can use tailgate meetings to stay in control of their site safety, and keep safety front of mind for their teams. Safety Managers love tailgate meetings, as they are a powerful and constant tool for building a safety culture, and a forum for discussing safety issues regularly.

Organisational Leadership
Higher safety cultures, reduced insurance costs, and reduced workplace accidents all benefit companies. Regular use of tailgate forms shows dedication to OSHA and other regulations, thus lowering a company's risk profile.

Good safety practices also help construction and industrial companies win new work, so being able to demonstrate a commitment to safety through tailgate meetings and other processes can actually help company's win more work.

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This tailgate form was generated with Dashpivot software

Unlike a paper form or PDF, a supervisor or safety manager can easily open this template on a mobile or tablet device, fill it in, and then get attendees to quickly sign off digitally.

  • Access, edit and complete tailgate meetings from any device - mobile, tablet or computer.
  • Print, download or send your tailgate records as perfectly formatted PDF documents with your company logo.
  • Store your meeting minutes securely online, where they can be searched and found in seconds for safety audits and compliance.

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