Pre-Job Briefings

Protection from hazards always begins with paying attention to the 6 Ps: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. 

One of the most important tools for planning a job correctly and thoroughly includes using a pre-job briefing, more commonly called a PJB. In some industries such as construction, this may be known as a tailgate or tailboard; in others, it is simply called a safety briefing. Regardless of its name, the primary aim remains to record and address the hazards present at the job site associated with the work group’s tasks. 

NFPA 70E REQUIREMENTS

Per NFPA 70E^®, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace^®, Article 110.3(I), a Job Briefing shall be conducted:

Before starting each job that involves exposure to electrical hazards, the employee in charge shall complete a job safety plan and conduct a job briefing with the employees involved.

Editor’s note: 70E^® and Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace^® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA.

NFPA 70E even goes so far as to include a sample Job Briefing Checklist under Informative Annex I (Figure 1). Although this specific form is not required to be used, a similar form should be created to aid the employee in identifying and mitigating potential hazards. 

OSHA REQUIREMENTS

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), under 29 CFR 1910.269, Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Standard, has also instituted a requirement for conducting a Job Briefing. OSHA 1910.269(c)(1)(i):

In assigning an employee or a group of employees to perform a job, the employer shall provide the employee in charge of the job with all available information that relates to the determination of existing characteristics and conditions.

Under 1910.269(c)(1)(ii): 

The employer shall ensure that the employee in charge conducts a job briefing that meets paragraphs (c)(2), (c)(3), and (c)(4) of this section with the employees involved before they start each job.

OSHA also requires that the briefing cover “hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions, energy-source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements.”

Additional documented briefings may be required during the day should the task, workplace location, or risks involved change during the task performance. The more hazards that are present, the more detailed the briefing should be. Additionally, a more extensive briefing may need to be conducted to best communicate the hazards to inexperienced employees. 

The only time OSHA states that a briefing DOES NOT need to be conducted, per 1910.269(C)(5), is if the employee will be working alone: 

However, the employer shall ensure that the tasks to be performed are planned as if a briefing were required. 

This sentence can be interpreted to mean that the employee should do it anyway to help them identify the hazards.

OSHA’s website, under etools, suggests that a checklist be used to facilitate the briefing: 

Keeping a written record of job briefings is not specifically covered by the standard, but it is a best practice to do so. A written checklist can include the hazards, procedures, precautions, and PPE requirements associated with a job, as well as a column for employee signatures indicating they are knowledgeable about job hazards and safety procedures. Such documentation can help ensure that proper briefings are held at the right times (for example, at the beginning of a shift) and that everyone has been informed. For an example checklist, see the “Job Briefing and Planning Checklist” in Annex I of the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2004 Edition.

As noted, even OSHA refers back to the sample briefing in the NFPA 70E.

WHAT DOES A GOOD JOB BRIEFING INCLUDE?

I have seen many versions and styles of briefings in the construction and electrical worlds. Many come from utilities, large manufacturers, and other testing companies. All of them are designed to do one thing, and they do it fairly well: They aid the task performer(s) in identifying and minimizing risks associated with the hazards of doing the task. 

Some briefings focus strongly on physical hazards, others focus on task-specific procedures, and some help identify human error traps. Many other associated tools and gadgets, such as the Energy Wheel, can be used to help identify and document hazards. Since a PJB is designed to be a simple-to-use tool for the task performer, it is hard to develop a form that encapsulates all of those potential needs. The employer should be able to identify which hazards are greatest or most pressing that must be addressed within the workforce and develop a briefing form to adequately identify those hazards.

One item of concern that should be addressed on every briefing form is the need to identify the means of preventing the inadvertent or unexpected release of electrical energy. Since energy release is the most prevalent hazard within the testing industry, it is also a good idea to identify how it will be controlled. Whether it is controlled via individual lock out/tag out, switching and tagging, live-line clearances, or the use of grounding, the means of controlling it should be indicated on the briefing checklist. Additionally, it is wise to allow the task performer the space within the form to indicate lock, tag, or ground locations. This helps ensure their removal when the work is completed.

WHO SHOULD USE THE JOB BRIEFING?

Listing the shock and flash boundaries on the form is also advised. This will make it easier to advise any potential visitors to the work location of the various approach distances and to keep unqualified individuals out of those zones. Additionally, the PPE level and any additional PPE required to complete the task should be indicated on the form.

The person who fills out the briefing form should review all hazards with the performer(s) of the task and any other work groups that may be affected by the work and give them ample opportunity to ask questions. Briefings should be a give-and-take discussion, not a dictation. The review should be conducted with ALL personnel who may be affected by task performance, including other contractors, or anyone else whose work may impact the task. 

Once the review is complete, all persons attending the review should confirm their attendance on the form. It may be as simple as printing their name on the form itself, or there may be a separate sign-in sheet. 

As stated previously, should the task or the job location significantly change, a new briefing or review and amendment of the old form may be necessary. If a visitor arrives on-site, they must be immediately stopped from encroaching upon the work area and the briefing should be discussed with them so they can be apprised of the potential hazards on the job site.

IDENTIFYING AND MITIGATING HAZARDS

Identifying and mitigating potential job hazards is important in preventing possible injuries or accidents. It is up to the employer to provide an adequate means of identifying and addressing those hazards. A pre-job briefing form is required in most cases and is an easy and effective means of identification. The employer should ensure it is adequate for the tasks the employees will be performing, and the employee should use the provided form to aid in preventing potential injuries. If an employee has suggestions on improving the form, they should voice those suggestions to the employer. After all, it is the employee’s form to use.

REFERENCES

1. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 70E–2024®, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®, Informative Annex I. 
   
2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.269, Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Standard.
   
3. Matthew R. Hallowell, PhD. “The Energy Wheel — The Art & Science of Energy-Based Hazard Recognition,” Professional Safety PSJ, December 2021. 

Paul Chamberlain has been the Safety Manager for Asplundh Electrical Testing, LLC since 2009. He has been in the safety field since 1998, working for various companies and in various industries. Chamberlain received a BS from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.