Safety talks by month
January safety topics for plants and warehouses
January talks are about cold, ice and short daylight. Entrances ice over, the dock is dark for the first hours of the shift, and heaters and engines run with the doors shut. These eight talks cover what changes in a plant or warehouse this month. Each one names the hazard, gives you words to say and a question for the crew, and links the rule or source behind it.
Last reviewed:
Print 30 toolbox talks, one page each
For plants and warehouses, with a sign-in sheet. Free after one short form.
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January dates and observances
Only observances confirmed on the organiser's own page are listed, each with its owner and a link. Where a date moves from year to year, the year is given. Check the source before you print a calendar.
We did not find a national workplace safety observance for January that we could confirm on the organiser's own page, so none is listed. The date that matters is a deadline.
Where the dates fall in January
Annual injury summary (OSHA Form 300A)
Reviewed and certified in January, posted by February 1
Days it can fall onDate set by the organiser each year
Annual injury summary (OSHA Form 300A)
When: Reviewed and certified in January, posted by February 1
Who runs it: OSHA
At the end of each calendar year the employer reviews the injury log, certifies the summary and posts it. January is the working month for that.
Source for Annual injury summary (OSHA Form 300A) (opens in a new tab)
8 safety talks for January
Each talk gives the hazard, words a supervisor can say at the start of a shift, one question to put to the crew, and the rule or guidance it rests on. Say it in your own words and wait for an answer to the question.
1. Spot cold stress early
The hazard: Dock, yard and freezer work in January can bring on trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. OSHA describes hypothermia as body temperature falling below 95°F.
What to say: Shivering you cannot stop is not something to push through. Come inside, get warm and tell me. Watch the person working next to you as well.
Ask the crew: Where on this site do you get coldest, and how long are you out there at a stretch?
Source: OSHA, Winter Weather: Cold Stress (opens in a new tab)
2. Ice at the doors and in the yard
The hazard: Snow and ice build up overnight at entrances, dock plates and yard walkways. OSHA's winter guidance says to clear walking surfaces and spread deicer as quickly as possible after a storm.
What to say: Wear boots with good rubber treads, take short steps and slow down outside. If you find ice that has not been treated, tell me before the next person finds it.
Ask the crew: Which door or walkway ices up first here?
3. Meltwater inside the dock doors
The hazard: Snow comes in on boots, pallets and truck tires and melts on smooth concrete. OSHA requires workroom floors to be kept clean and, to the extent feasible, dry.
What to say: The wet patch inside the dock door is ours. Mop it or put a mat on it when you see it. Do not leave it for the next shift.
Ask the crew: Where does water pool inside after a snowy delivery?
4. Carbon monoxide with the doors shut
The hazard: Engines and fuel-burning heaters make carbon monoxide, and in January the doors that would vent it are closed. OSHA says it has no color, odor or taste, and that large amounts can overcome you in minutes without warning.
What to say: Tightness across the chest or nausea near a running engine is a reason to stop. Move the person to fresh air in an open area and call for help.
Ask the crew: Which engines or heaters run indoors here in winter?
Source: OSHA Fact Sheet, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (opens in a new tab)
5. Snow on the roof is a planned job
The hazard: After heavy snow, someone always offers to go up and shovel. OSHA's winter guidance says to evaluate the hazard first and use methods that keep workers off the roof where possible.
What to say: Nobody goes on the roof to clear snow or free a drain on their own call. A competent person plans it, and we work from the ground where we can.
Ask the crew: Who would you call first if snow were building up over the dock?
6. Stranded in a vehicle
The hazard: Drivers, yard staff and anyone commuting can get stuck in snow. OSHA's advice is to stay in the vehicle rather than set out on foot.
What to say: If you are stranded, stay with the vehicle and call for help. Run the engine for about 10 minutes each hour for heat. Tell me your route before you leave in bad weather.
Ask the crew: What do you keep in your vehicle in winter?
7. Exits blocked by snow and winter stock
The hazard: Plowed snow gets piled against exit doors, and pallets of salt end up in exit aisles. OSHA says no materials or equipment may be placed in an exit route, permanently or temporarily.
What to say: Walk your exit today and push the door open. If snow, a pallet or a cart is in the way, it moves now.
Ask the crew: Which exit door here have you never opened?
8. Lift trucks in the dark hours
The hazard: Trailers and yard lanes are dim at both ends of the day. Where general lighting is less than 2 lumens per square foot, OSHA requires auxiliary directional lighting on the truck.
What to say: Check your truck lights at the start of the shift. If a trailer or a corner of the yard is too dark to see a person, stop and tell me.
Ask the crew: Where is it hardest to see pedestrians before sunrise?
A week-by-week plan for January
One way to spread the talks over the month. It is an example order, so move a talk when your own shutdown, weather or shift pattern says it belongs in a different week.
| Week | Talks | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | First full week back, and the first hard cold for many crews. | |
| Week 2 | Snow has started to pile up indoors and against doors. | |
| Week 3 | The doors have been shut for weeks and mornings are still dark. | |
| Week 4 | Ahead of the heavy snow, while the injury summary is being signed for February 1. |
Safety topics for every month
The year by month, with the hazards each month's talks are built around. For talks sorted by length and by workplace, go to the safety topics library.
The year in safety talks
Guides that go with these talks
FAQ
January safety topics, answered
Cold stress, ice at entrances, meltwater on floors, carbon monoxide from engines and heaters, blocked exits and lift truck lighting. Those are the hazards that change in January in a plant or warehouse.
The annual summary of injuries and illnesses, Form 300A, must be posted from February 1 to April 30 under 29 CFR 1904.32. January is when it is reviewed and certified.
Yes, if anyone works the dock, the yard, a freezer or an unheated warehouse. OSHA's cold stress page covers trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. Give the talk to the people who work nearest the doors.
Print 30 toolbox talks, one page each
For plants and warehouses, with a sign-in sheet. Free after one short form.
Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.
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