QUESTION

When are Pre-Job Briefings required?

1. Assignments change, new personnel come on board, change in the facility or work area.
2. Work activities resume after inactivity, change in work scope research, and development, new personnel come on board.
3. A change in work scope, research and development, assignments change or new personnel are involved, work activities are resumed after an extended period of inactivity.
4. Work activities are resumed after a period of inactivity, assignments change, change in facility or work area.

ANSWER

3. A change in work scope, research and development, assignments change or new personnel are involved, work activities are resumed after an extended period of inactivity.

WHY IS IT RIGHT

What is a pre-job brief?

A Pre-Job Brief is a formal discussion among all individuals involved in performing a task. The level of detail covered in the brief may vary depending on the complexity of the job. Typically, the person in charge of the job will lead the discussion and many times a checklist will be used to ensure that key safety aspects get covered. A pre-job brief normally covers the work activity in a step-by-step detail. Job hazards are identified and a plan is put in place to avoid or mitigate them. When the brief is complete, the workers understand the safety issues and their specific role in the work process.

Job Briefings and Best Practices: The “269” Standard

The “269” standard requires that before each job, the person in charge conducts a job briefing with all workers that covers, at a minimum:

• Hazards associated with the work
• Procedures to be used
• Any special precautions
• Control of energy sources
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) required

WHY IS EVERYTHING ELSE WRONG

Purpose of the Pre-Job Brief

The purpose of the pre-Job briefing is to ensure that the supervisor and workers understand the scope of the work to be performed by discussing the tasks involved. This will provide an understanding of the hazards and related safety, security, environmental controls, and stimulate critical thinking and discussion. As the leader, the supervisor should clearly define personnel roles and responsibilities, precautions, limitations, stop/pause work procedures, critical steps and contingencies. Together, the supervisor and workers evaluate the work and resources. To meet the purpose, workers need to understand what is expected to be accomplished and what is to be avoided. The effectiveness depends on the preparation of the supervisor and the conduct of the briefing.

Pre-job briefs are required for all moderate and high hazard/complex work activities. Pre-job briefs should be conducted preferably right before work starts, and as frequently as necessary when:

• Assignments have changed or new personnel are involved which may be an individual, specific pre-job briefing,
• A change in work scope, research and development boundary/limits, and/or in facility or work area conditions has occurred that may affect safety, security, or the environment, or
• Work activities are resumed after an extended period of inactivity.

Dialogue – The Key

The answer is rolled up in the “How” to accomplish the goals of Pre-Job Briefings.

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?

Step outside the proverbial box

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.

Expectations from a Pre–Job Briefings

1. Discussion of hazards associated with the job

• Be reminded where hazard management plans are kept on the site.
• Supervisor completes a briefing checklist.
• Be told the Minimum Approach Distances (MAD) for unprotected parts of the body.
• Discuss “Extended Reach”.
• The presence of any hazardous substances highlighted, especially in power generation facilities.
• Other dangers, such as:
  • high air pressure;
  • high water pressure;
  • pressurized chemical injection systems;
  • steam pressure;
  • heat.

2. Review of hazard management plans

• What is to be done and in what sequence.
• How it is to be done and by whom.
• Possible hazards and how they are to be addressed.
• The status of energy sources.
• Personal protective equipment requirements.
• All changes in procedure and scope of the work.

3. How to deal with significant changes

• Different kinds of tasks on the same shift.
• New personnel or spectators.
• Changing weather.
• Significant delays (e.g., interrupting work for a trouble call, then resuming).
• Changing scope of work.
• Unexpected complications, hazards, malfunctions, or distractions.

4. To be brief or not to be

• Short briefings are needed for:
• daily updates;
• routine work;
• employees’ training and experience are adequate to recognize and avoid hazards.
• Extensive briefings are needed for:
• complicated or hazardous work;
• employees who might not have the experience to recognize and avoid hazards.

5. Remember these meetings are for you and your safety

• Get involved in the briefing, don’t just listen.
• Make suggestions about how to stay safe.
• Raise health and safety concerns.

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.

Don’t just read from text, one must lead it

Ask questions, don’t just tell them

Never tell them something they can tell you. Always ask open ended questions. This keeps them involved. Don’t tell them what to do with poor statements like this:

• You need your hard hat and glasses for this job.
• I want everyone to work safely today.
• Let’s get the line grounded.