Earthquake Preparedness Toolbox Talk

Earthquakes can happen with little or no warning and can turn normal jobsite hazards into serious emergencies. Shaking can knock over stored materials, damage scaffolds, shift equipment, break utilities, collapse trenches, crack slabs, and send debris falling from roofs, walls, and unfinished structures.

This talk focuses on how the crew should prepare for earthquake hazards, what to do during shaking, how to evacuate or shelter safely, and what to check before anyone returns to work.

Why This Matters

• Loose materials, tools, forms, pipe, panels, and equipment can fall or slide during shaking.
• Unfinished structures, scaffolds, ladders, trenches, and temporary supports may become unstable.
• Earthquakes can damage gas lines, electrical systems, water lines, temporary power, and fire protection systems.
• Workers may be spread out across roofs, lifts, excavations, floors, and equipment areas when shaking starts.
• A clear response plan helps prevent panic, unsafe re-entry, and secondary injuries after the shaking stops.

Common Hazards

• Falling tools, materials, glass, masonry, ceiling components, temporary walls, or overhead loads.
• Scaffolds, ladders, lifts, shoring, formwork, and temporary bracing shifting or failing.
• Trench walls, slopes, stockpiles, or excavations collapsing after ground movement.
• Damaged gas, electrical, water, sewer, fire sprinkler, or temporary utility lines.
• Blocked exits, stairways, gates, roads, or emergency access routes caused by debris or shifted equipment.
• Workers rushing outside during shaking and getting hit by falling materials from buildings, cranes, or structures.
• An aftershock occurring while crews are inspecting damage, moving debris, or trying to restart work.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Review the site emergency plan, evacuation routes, muster point, and headcount process.
• Identify safer areas away from glass, overhead work, exterior walls, stacked materials, cranes, power lines, and heavy equipment.
• Secure materials, cylinders, tools, ladders, temporary walls, gang boxes, shelving, and equipment that could fall or shift.
• Check that emergency access routes, exits, stairways, gates, and muster areas are clear.
• Confirm how the crew will communicate if radios, phones, alarms, or power stop working.

During Work

• If shaking starts, stop work and protect yourself from falling or flying objects.
• Do not run through active work areas, near exterior walls, under loads, or past stored materials during shaking.
• Move away from glass, edges, scaffolds, lifts, cranes, power lines, fuel areas, and unstable materials if you can do so safely.
• If inside, drop low, cover your head and neck, and stay away from windows, shelves, and overhead hazards.
• If outside, move to an open area away from structures, equipment, utilities, and material stacks when safe.
• After shaking stops, follow the evacuation plan and report to the muster point for headcount.
• Do not re-enter buildings, excavations, scaffolds, lifts, trenches, or damaged areas until they are inspected and cleared.

Crew Talking Points

• Where is the safest place to move from today’s work area if shaking starts?
• What materials, tools, cylinders, ladders, or equipment need to be secured before work begins?
• Where is the muster point and who is responsible for headcount?
• What utilities, trenches, scaffolds, lifts, or temporary supports could be affected by ground movement?
• How will we communicate if phones, radios, alarms, or power are not working?
• Speak up if you see unsecured materials, blocked exits, unstable supports, or an area that may be unsafe during or after an earthquake.

Stop Work If

• Shaking is felt or an earthquake alert is issued.
• There are aftershocks, visible cracks, leaning walls, damaged supports, falling debris, or unstable materials.
• Gas, electrical, water, sewer, fire protection, or temporary utility systems may be damaged.
• Exits, stairways, gates, access roads, or emergency routes are blocked or unsafe.
• Scaffolds, lifts, trenches, formwork, shoring, cranes, or structural areas have not been inspected after the event.

Final Reminder

During an earthquake, protect yourself first. After the shaking stops, evacuate carefully, account for the crew, watch for aftershocks, and do not restart work until the site is cleared.