Scout's Toolbox Talks

Don’t take chances with broken gear. If your PPE is damaged, it’s not just less effective — it can actually increase your risk by giving you a false sense of safety.

Why It Matters:

Using damaged PPE can lead to serious injury or death, especially when dealing with high-risk hazards like electrical, chemical, or impact threats. Taking the time to tag out faulty gear keeps the whole crew safer.

Key Points:

• PPE must be removed from service immediately if damaged or defective.
• Use “Do Not Use” tags or designated bins to separate damaged gear from the rest.
• Never try to repair PPE with duct tape, glue, or makeshift fixes unless specifically authorized and safe.
• Supervisors should be alerted when replacement PPE is needed — delays can be costly.
• Employers are responsible for providing adequate, working PPE — but workers are responsible for speaking up when something isn’t safe.

✅ Don’t work with compromised protection. Tag it, report it, and replace it.

Ask the Crew:

• Do we know our process for reporting or replacing damaged PPE?
• Is there any gear in use today that should be removed from service?

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