Safety Stand-Down Procedures

A safety stand-down is a planned pause in work for all site personnel to focus on a specific safety issue.
Stand-downs are typically called after a serious incident, near miss, or when a significant hazard trend is identified.
All work stops during a stand-down — every worker, supervisor, and manager on site participates.
The purpose is to reset safety awareness, share lessons learned, and recommit to safe working practices.
Stand-downs are led by senior site management to demonstrate visible leadership commitment to safety.
Content should focus on the specific issue, what went wrong, and what must change going forward.
Interactive discussion is more effective than a lecture — workers should be encouraged to share concerns.
Stand-downs should result in specific, measurable actions that are tracked to completion.
The timing and duration should be planned to minimise disruption while maximising participation and impact.
Recording attendance and outcomes demonstrates that the stand-down was conducted and lessons were communicated.

Reset safety culture	After a serious incident, a stand-down resets the team's focus on safety and prevents normalisation of risk.
Share lessons learned	Stand-downs ensure every worker hears the same safety message and understands what must change.
Demonstrate leadership	Visible commitment from senior management during a stand-down reinforces that safety is the top priority.

Do

Don't

Call a stand-down promptly after a serious incident or when a significant safety trend is identified
Stop all work across the site so every person can participate fully in the stand-down
Have senior site management lead the stand-down to demonstrate visible safety leadership
Focus on the specific issue, what happened, and what changes are required going forward
Encourage open discussion and invite workers to share their concerns and observations
Translate the stand-down message for non-English speakers so everyone understands the content
Agree specific follow-up actions with named owners and target completion dates
Record attendance, key discussion points, and agreed actions for the project safety record
Follow up on stand-down actions at subsequent toolbox talks and safety meetings
Use the stand-down positively — it is an opportunity to improve, not a punishment

DON'T delay a stand-down after a serious incident — the message is most powerful when immediate
DON'T allow any work to continue while the safety stand-down is taking place on site
DON'T deliver the stand-down as a lecture — encourage two-way discussion and feedback
DON'T blame individuals during the stand-down — focus on systemic issues and improvements
DON'T treat the stand-down as a box-ticking exercise with no follow-up actions
DON'T exclude subcontractors or visiting workers — the stand-down applies to everyone on site
DON'T rush the stand-down because of programme pressure — give it the time it deserves
DON'T hold the stand-down in a location where workers cannot hear or participate properly
DON'T forget to follow up on actions agreed during the stand-down before the next one
DON'T use stand-downs so frequently that they lose their impact and significance

See also: Lessons Learned and Safety Alerts | Behavioural Safety Awareness

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Toolbox Talk Record