Struck-By Hazards Toolbox Talk

Project: ____________ · Date: ____________ · Led by: ____________

Struck-by is the number one cause of injuries on construction sites, and one of the Fatal Four killers. It comes in four flavors: struck by a vehicle, a falling object, a flying object, or a swinging load — and every trade on this site is exposed to at least two of them today.

Why it matters

Struck-by injuries happen at the speed of a dropped hammer or a backing truck — there's no reaction time. The protection is all in positioning: where you stand, where you stage, and what's overhead.

Key points — cover all of these

1. Never position yourself between moving equipment and a fixed object — that corner is where people get crushed.
2. Make eye contact with the operator before approaching any machine. If you can't see their eyes, they can't see you.
3. Stay out from under suspended loads and boom swing radius — walk around, never under.
4. Secure tools and materials at height: tether tools, toe boards on platforms, nothing loose on ledges or scaffold rails.
5. Wear your hi-vis where vehicles operate, and know today's traffic routes and spotter assignments.
6. Flying-object zones — cutting, grinding, chipping, nailing — need eye protection for you and distance or screens for everyone nearby.

Ask the crew

The answers are the point — this is where today's real hazards surface.

• Where do people and machines share space on this site today — and is that on purpose or by accident?
• What's being lifted overhead today, and where is its swing path?
• What loose material is sitting at height right now that could come down in a gust or a bump?

The one thing today

Before you walk near any machine today, get the operator's eyes first.

Reference: OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subparts O (vehicles) and N (cranes/hoists)

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