Every crew · 5 minutes
Heat illness can come on fast: in a cab with weak A/C, at the pit, or around hot asphalt and engines. Workers who are new, or back after a week or more away, are most at risk in their first days.
Vocational Trucks of America · Free toolbox talk
Heat stress toolbox talk
Every crew · 5 minutes · About 5 minutes · vocationaltrucksofamerica.com/talks
Read this to your crew
Water. Drink about one cup every 15 to 20 minutes when you’re working in the heat, even if you’re not thirsty.
Rest and shade. Take breaks in the shade or a cool cab, and don’t skip them on the hottest days.
Ease in. New workers and anyone back from time away should build up their time in the heat over the first week.
Know heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, cramps and weakness. Move the person somewhere cool, loosen their clothing, give cool water and tell a supervisor.
Know heat stroke: confusion, slurred speech, fainting, seizures or a very high body temperature. This is a medical emergency. Call 911, and cool the person right away with water, ice and moving air. Stay with them until help arrives.
Watch each other. People with heat illness often don’t notice it themselves.
As of October 2026 there is no final federal OSHA heat standard. OSHA proposed one in 2024 and can cite employers for heat hazards under the General Duty Clause, and several states, including California and Washington, have their own heat illness rules.
General safety information for crew meetings, not legal advice. It doesn’t replace your company’s safety program, required training or site rules. Rules checked October 2026.
Prints on two pages: the talk, then a crew sign-in sheet. See the 52-week schedule.
| # | Name (print) | Signature | Company or crew |
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | |||
| 7 | |||
| 8 | |||
| 9 | |||
| 10 | |||
| 11 | |||
| 12 | |||
| 13 | |||
| 14 | |||
| 15 |
Keep the talks going
See all toolbox talks, the sign-in sheet and the 52-week schedule →