Job Hazard Analysis (JHA / JSA)
A Job Hazard Analysis (also called a Job Safety Analysis, Activity Hazard Analysis or pre-task plan) is a simple way to think through a job before you do it: what are the steps, what can go wrong, and how do we prevent it?
- Construction
- General Industry
Photo: crew reviewing a filled-out JHA form on a tailgate
The four steps
- Break the job into steps. Keep it simple, usually 3 to 10 steps. Example for setting a trench box: unload box, rig box, lower box, backfill around it.
- Identify the hazards in each step. Ask: Can something fall, strike, crush, cut, shock, burn, or be breathed in? Could someone fall? Is anything moving?
- Choose controls. Use the hierarchy of controls: eliminate the hazard if you can, then engineering controls, then work practices, then PPE.
- Review and use it. Go over the JHA with everyone doing the job, and update it when conditions change.
Example
| Step | Hazards | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Cut concrete block with a cut-off saw | Silica dust, noise, kickback, flying debris | Wet cutting with water feed, hearing protection, face shield over safety glasses, two hands on saw, keep blade guard in place |
| Carry block to scaffold | Back strain, trips | Use a forklift or hoist, keep walkway clear, team lift heavy units |
| Lay block on scaffold | Falls, overloaded planks | Fully planked scaffold with guardrails, competent person inspection, don’t exceed rated load |
Tip: The most important question on any JHA is “What has changed?” New crew members, weather, a different machine or a new location can create hazards that weren’t there yesterday.
Good JHA habits
- Do it at the work location, not in the office.
- Involve the people doing the work. They know the job best.
- Be specific: “wear a harness tied off to the beam clamp” beats “be careful.”
- Stop and redo the JHA if the job changes.
- Don’t copy yesterday’s form without reading it.
- Don’t sign a JHA you didn’t read or don’t understand.
Video: filling out a JHA in five minutes
Standards & references
- OSHA Publication 3071: Job Hazard Analysis
- 29 CFR 1926.20: General safety and health provisions
Last updated: