Every briefing signed, and every signature provable.
DABs, Toolbox Talks, RAMS and Point Of Work Briefings, delivered on site and captured as structured records. No sign-in sheets, no missing signatures, no scrambling before an audit.
Controlled centrally. Delivered on site.
Write the talk once, push it to the sites that need it, deliver it however suits, and get the same clean data back from every one.
Build the template once, control it forever
Every briefing runs from a central template. Write it once, and it's the version every site uses. Update it, and the change lands everywhere, so no supervisor is briefing off last year's wording.
- One library for DABs, toolbox talks, RAMS and POWBs
- Update centrally, every site picks up the current version
- Assign templates to the sites they actually apply to
- RAMS held as controlled documents, versioned and never overwritten
Deliver it on whatever screen you've got
Big site with a decent welfare cabin? Project the briefing on the wall from the web app. Out at the workface? The supervisor runs it from their own device, showing the workforce or reading it out. Same briefing either way.
- Project from the web app onto a wall or screen
- Supervisor delivers from their device at the workface
- Operatives read along on their own phone, in their own language
- Works offline, syncs when back in coverage
Scan, confirm, signed
No sign-in sheet going round a muddy site, and no queue for a shared tablet. The supervisor displays the QR code, operatives scan it with their own Employee & Operative Passport, and confirm they've read and understood. The stored signature is applied automatically.
- Operatives scan with their own phone, no shared devices
- Read and confirm understanding in their own language
- Stored signature applied on confirmation
- Timestamped against the operative, the site and the briefing version
Scanned, read, understood, and signed, in the operative's own language.
The same clean data back from every site
Because every site briefs from the same template, every site returns the same fields. That's what turns a pile of briefings into something you can actually compare, report on, and hand to an auditor.
- Consistent fields captured across every site and shift
- Live view of who's signed what, on which site, right now
- Outstanding briefings flagged before work starts
- Versioned report snapshots per site and period
Know who hasn't been briefed, before they start work
Every briefing is stored as a structured record in your own database. The dashboard shows you where the gaps are while you can still close them, and the reports prove the rest.
The operatives who aren't briefed, surfaced
The dashboard doesn't bury you in green ticks. It shows you who is outstanding: who hasn't signed, what they're missing, and which site they're on. That's the list you can act on this morning, while there's still time to get them briefed.
- Outstanding operatives listed, not hidden in a report
- See exactly which briefing each one is missing
- Chase it while there's still time to brief them
- Live across every site you run
Spot the templates going stale
Briefing content ages. Crate shows you which templates are approaching expiry and which ones nobody is using, so your library stays current instead of quietly filling up with talks that haven't been delivered in a year.
- Templates approaching expiry, flagged before they lapse
- Unused templates surfaced, so you can retire or refresh them
- Usage visible across every site
- Keeps the library lean and the content current
Your data, in your database, out on demand
Every signed briefing is stored as a structured record in your own database, not locked away in ours. When you need it, pull it out as a .csv for analysis, or a branded .pdf for detailed reporting and audit.
- Records held in the customer's own database
- Export to .csv for analysis and data work
- Branded .pdf for detailed reporting and audit
- Timestamped against operative, site and briefing version
DAB, Toolbox Talk, RAMS, POWB
Four briefings, four different jobs. They overlap enough to get confused, and confusing them is how signatures go missing. Here's what each one actually is.
DAB
Daily Activity BriefingThe start-of-shift briefing. It sets out the day's planned activities, the current site conditions, the hazards that come with them, and anything that has changed since the last shift.
TBT
Toolbox TalkA short, focused talk on a single safety topic, manual handling, working at height, hand-arm vibration. It deepens knowledge on a theme rather than covering today's work.
RAMS
Risk Assessment & Method StatementThe controlled document defining how a specific task is done safely: the hazards, the controls, and the step-by-step safe system of work. Operatives sign to confirm they understand it before starting.
POWB
Point of Work BriefingDelivered at the workface, immediately before the task begins. It briefs the crew on the exact work in front of them and references the RAMS that governs it.
DAB vs Toolbox Talk vs RAMS vs POWB
The same information, side by side.
| Briefing | What it is | How often | What it focuses on |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAB | Start-of-shift briefing on the day's plan and risks | Every shift | Today's activities, conditions and changes |
| Toolbox Talk | Short talk on a single safety topic | Typically weekly | One theme, for example manual handling |
| RAMS | Controlled document: risk assessment plus safe method of work | Per task or activity | How a specific task is carried out safely |
| POWB | Briefing at the workface, immediately before the task | Per task, at the point of work | The exact work about to begin |
Put simply: RAMS defines how a task is done safely, the POWB briefs the crew on that task at the workface, the Toolbox Talk builds knowledge on a recurring theme, and the DAB ties the whole shift together at the start of the day.
Briefings, answered
The questions site teams actually ask, about the briefings themselves and about running them in Crate.
What's the difference between a DAB and a toolbox talk?
A DAB is the start-of-shift briefing about that specific day: the planned activities, site conditions, hazards and anything that's changed. A toolbox talk is a short session on a single safety topic, usually delivered weekly. The DAB is about today; the toolbox talk is about a theme.
What's the difference between RAMS and a POWB?
RAMS is the controlled document defining how a task is carried out safely, the risk assessment and the method statement. A point of work briefing takes that task to the workface and briefs the crew on it immediately before they start, covering what's actually in front of them right now.
How often does each briefing need to be signed?
DAB: once per operative, per site, per day. Toolbox talk: once per operative every seven days, checked across all sites. RAMS: once per active RAMS, per site, no re-signing for every briefing that references it. POWB: at least one per operative, per site, per day. Crate applies these rules automatically.
Are site briefings a legal requirement?
No single regulation names the DAB or the toolbox talk specifically. But CDM 2015 and general health and safety duties require contractors to plan work, communicate risk and maintain safe systems of work. Briefings are the standard, expected way of meeting that, and an inspector will ask to see the records.
How do operatives sign a briefing in Crate?
The supervisor displays a QR code. Operatives scan it with the Employee & Operative Passport on their own phone, read the briefing in their own language, and confirm they've understood. Their stored signature is applied automatically. No shared tablet, no sign-in sheet going round site.
Can the briefing be shown on a screen?
Yes. On larger sites with decent welfare facilities you can project it on the wall straight from the web app. At the workface, the supervisor runs it from their own device, showing the workforce or reading it out. Same briefing, same record, either way.
Does it work if there's no signal on site?
Yes. Briefings and sign-offs are captured offline and sync automatically once the device is back in coverage, so basements, tunnels and remote sites are no problem.
Can operatives read briefings in their own language?
Yes. Operatives read along and confirm understanding through the passport in their preferred language, so a briefing actually lands with the whole workforce rather than just the part of it that follows English.
How do I update a briefing across every site at once?
Briefings run from a central template library. Update the template once and every site picks up the current version, so no supervisor is briefing off outdated wording. RAMS are handled differently: as controlled documents, a change means issuing a new version and re-briefing, and nothing is overwritten.
How do I know who hasn't been briefed?
The dashboard lists the operatives who are outstanding: who hasn't signed, what they're missing and which site they're on. It surfaces the gaps rather than burying them, so you can get people briefed while there's still time.
Can I see which templates are going out of date?
Yes. Crate flags templates approaching expiry and surfaces the ones nobody is using, so your library stays current instead of filling up with talks that haven't been delivered in a year.
Where are the records stored, and can I export them?
Records are stored in your own database. You can export them as a .csv for analysis, or as a branded .pdf for detailed reporting and audit.
Do you have free briefing templates?
Yes. You can get free DAB, toolbox talk, RAMS sign-off and point of work briefing templates, ready to print or fill in on screen. Grab all four here.