What is the purpose of a job briefing?

• A. Schedule lunch break
• B. Communicate tasks, hazards, and control measures before work begins
• C. Assign blame
• D. Review past incidents only

Answer: (B)

A job briefing is about planning safety and work steps before starting. It brings the crew together to clearly outline what will be done, who is responsible for each task, and what hazards may be present in the current conditions. The key is to spell out the control measures that will keep everyone safe: de-energizing or isolating equipment when required, lockout/tagout procedures, the required PPE, fall protection, grounding, insulating tools, safe working clearances, and the agreed-upon communication plan. By reviewing these points upfront, everyone understands the sequence, knows how to respond to issues, and can ask questions to remove any ambiguities. This proactive discussion focuses on removing risk before work begins, rather than reacting after something goes wrong.

Scheduling a lunch break isn’t the goal of the briefing, and assigning blame or only reviewing past incidents misses the immediate safety planning needed for the current job.