Toolbox talk builder

Draft a toolbox talk record: the topic, the points covered, what workers said, how their views were taken into account, actions, the outcome and an attendance sheet to sign.

Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.

The talk

Victoria and Western Australia have their own Acts; the tool switches to them.

Consultation record

Health and safety representative

Toolbox talk: Manual handling

Check before you use it

  • Record what workers said. Giving them a real chance to have their say is part of consultation, not optional.
  • Tell workers the outcome in a timely way (s 48(1)(d) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)).
  • Keep the signed record with your WHS records.
  • Replace every [bracketed] item and delete defaults that don’t fit your workplace.
  • Check the current law and guidance from SafeWork NSW before relying on the document.
Business (PCBU)[Business name]
Site or team[Site or team]
Date[Date]
Duration15 minutes
Presented by[Name and position]
TopicManual handling
JurisdictionNew South Wales

A record of consulting workers under ss 47–48 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW). No law requires toolbox talks or sets how often to hold them; they are one way to consult and to give workers information. This is a draft prepared from the details entered. It does not by itself show that your obligations are met: check it against your workplace, consult the people who will use it, and update it when things change.

What the talk was about

Identifying hazards or assessing risks. This is a matter you must consult workers on (s 49(a) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)).

1. Information shared

  • Which tasks on site involve heavy, awkward or repetitive lifting
  • Mechanical aids available and where they are kept
  • Two-person lifts: when and how
  • Report early signs of strain or pain

2. Workers’ views and issues raised

  • [What workers said, including any concerns]

3. How the views were taken into account

[What was decided or changed in response, or why not]

4. Actions

  • [Action, who and by when]

5. Outcome given to workers

[How and when workers were told the outcome]

Health and safety representative

The workers at this talk have no health and safety representative.

Attendance

1. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
2. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
3. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
4. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
5. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
6. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
7. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________
8. Name ____________________Signature ____________ Date ________

Sign-off

Presented byName ____________ Signature ____________ Date ________

Draft prepared with a free tool. Tailor it before use. General information, not legal advice.

Highlighted text in [brackets] still needs your input. Nothing you type is saved or sent. General information, not legal advice.

How this works

The record is laid out around what consultation requires under s 48 of the WHS Act (Western Australia uses the same number): information shared, workers’ views, how they were taken into account, and the outcome. It notes whether the matter is one the Act says you must consult on (s 49), or s 35(1) in Victoria.

Pick a starting topic to pre-fill the key points, then edit them for your site. Gaps, such as an HSR who wasn’t involved, are listed beside the document.

Not included: training records for licences or competencies, and the detailed hazard information for the topic.

Legal basis

Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.

Questions

Are toolbox talks a legal requirement?

No law requires toolbox talks or says how often to hold them. What the law requires is consultation with workers on health and safety matters that affect them (ss 47–49 of the WHS Act, the same numbers in WA; s 35 of Victoria’s OHS Act 2004). A toolbox talk is a common way to do that, and a signed record is useful evidence that you did.

What makes a toolbox talk count as consultation?

Sharing the relevant information, giving workers a reasonable opportunity to raise issues and have their say, taking their views into account, and (under the model laws and WA) telling them the outcome. If workers have a health and safety representative, the representative must be involved.

When must I consult?

When identifying hazards and assessing risks, deciding how to control them, deciding whether welfare facilities are adequate, proposing changes that may affect health or safety, and setting procedures for consultation, resolving issues, monitoring and training.

How many people can I record?

Choose up to 30 attendance rows. Print a copy for people to sign on the day, or record names in your own system.

Related tools

All tools
CheckerNotifiable incident checkerCheck whether a workplace death, injury, illness or dangerous incident must be reported to the WHS regulator, how fast, who to call and what records to keep.Open checker CheckerPsychosocial risk self-assessmentRate the 14 common psychosocial hazards to build a ranked risk register, with the psychosocial regulations that apply in your state or territory.Open checker CalculatorWorkplace amenities calculatorWork out the toilets, urinals, washbasins and drinking water points a workplace should have from its headcount, under the code of practice for your state.Open calculator

Questions the calculator can’t answer?

Workfloor answers pay, award, leave and termination questions for your team, with the Fair Work Act section or award clause behind each answer.

See plans