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Tailgate safety meeting
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Free template from Lirevon: lirevon.com/templates/tailgate-safety-sheet
Free template
Tree crew tailgate safety meeting sheet
A short safety talk at the truck before the first cut, written down the same way every day. Tick the hazards and gear, name who does what, write the emergency plan, and have every crew member sign in. Print it, save a PDF or download a CSV.
- Free, no sign-up
- Prints clean
- Download CSV or TXT
- Saved on your device only
What this template is
A tailgate meeting, also called a job briefing, is a short talk at the truck before work starts. The crew lead walks through the job, the hazards, who does what and what to do if someone gets hurt. Then everyone signs in.
This sheet keeps the talk the same every day and gives you a signed record. It is a planning aid, not a full safety program. Short explanation, not legal advice: check the OSHA rules that apply to your work and talk with your insurance carrier or a safety professional.
What is on it
| Part | What you fill in |
|---|---|
| Job and crew lead | Company name; Office phone; Date; Start time; Job address (read this to 911 if needed); Crew lead running the meeting; Weather |
| The job today | Work plan, in order |
| Hazards talked about | Hazards on this job; Other hazards and how we handle them |
| Gear and PPE | Checked before work |
| Roles and signals | Climber or bucket operator; Ground crew; Drop zone and traffic spotter; Signals the crew agreed on |
| Emergency plan | Nearest emergency room and address; Who has first aid or CPR training; Aerial rescue: who and with what gear; Meeting point; Phone signal on site |
| Crew sign-in | Crew names, one per line |
How to use it
- Fill in the job, weather and work plan the night before, or at the truck on a phone.
- Hold the meeting before the first cut. Walk the drop zone together and look up for hung limbs and lines.
- Tick the hazards and the gear checks out loud, so every person hears them.
- Name the climber, the ground crew and the spotter. Agree on the calls you use before each cut.
- Write the job address and the nearest emergency room. Then print the sheet and have every person sign, or download the CSV for the job file.
How the download works
Download CSV makes a spreadsheet file with three columns (section, field, value), one row per field. Tick boxes show as Yes or No. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Download TXT makes a plain text copy you can paste into an email or a text. Both files are made inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is sent to us.
Questions people ask
What is a tailgate safety meeting?
It is a short job briefing at the truck before work starts. The crew lead goes over the work plan, the hazards, the gear, who does what and what to do in an emergency. Then the crew signs in.
How long should the meeting take?
Long enough to cover every hazard on that job and no longer. A simple trim may take a few minutes. A removal over a house near lines takes more. Do not skip it to save time.
Does OSHA require a job briefing for tree work?
Short explanation, not legal advice: OSHA's rule for line-clearance tree trimming (29 CFR 1910.269) requires a job briefing before each job for covered work. For other tree work, a daily briefing is still a common practice. Check osha.gov or ask a safety professional about your work.
What PPE should a tree crew wear?
The usual list is a helmet, eye and hearing protection, chainsaw chaps or trousers, gloves and boots, and high-visibility vests near traffic. The tree care industry safety standard is ANSI Z133. Check it and the OSHA rules for your work.
How close can my crew work to power lines?
Short explanation, not legal advice: under OSHA rules, workers who are not line-clearance qualified stay at least 10 feet from overhead lines up to 50 kV, and farther for higher voltages. When in doubt, stop and call the utility.
Should everyone sign the sheet?
Yes. A signed sheet shows that each person heard the briefing that day. Keep it with the job ticket for that job.
What goes in the emergency plan?
The job address to read to 911, the nearest emergency room, who has first aid training, who does an aerial rescue and with what gear, a meeting point, and where to call from if there is no signal.
Where is the sheet saved?
In your browser on this device only. Nothing is sent to us. Print it for signatures, or download the CSV or TXT for your records.
Free tools that go with this template
- Guide: job site safety: safer tree jobs, from setup to cleanup.
- Insurance certificate checklist: what to have ready when a customer asks for proof of insurance.
- Workers comp estimator: turn your quoted rate into a yearly and per crew-day cost.
- Storm response checklist: what to do before, during and after a storm.
- Hiring cost calculator: what a new crew member really costs in a year.
More free templates
From Lirevon
Paperwork keeps the job tidy. Answering wins the job.
A safe crew should not also have to answer the phone from a bucket. The Never-Miss-A-Job System texts back every missed call within 30 seconds and answers with an AI receptionist, so the crew keeps both hands on the work. Start with a free audit.