Job Hazard Analysis (JHA): Conducting and Documenting Hazard Assessments
Overview
Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is a systematic process for identifying hazards associated with specific job tasks and determining controls to eliminate or reduce risks. By breaking jobs into steps, analyzing potential hazards, and implementing preventive measures, JHAs provide a roadmap for working safely.
Why This Is Important
Many workplace injuries occur because hazards weren’t identified or controlled before work began. JHAs prevent incidents by forcing systematic thinking about what can go wrong and how to prevent it. They also engage workers in safety planning, leveraging their knowledge and increasing buy-in for control measures.
Best Practices & Safety Tips
- Involve employees who perform the work—they have the best understanding of actual tasks and potential hazards
- Break the job into sequential steps, being specific but not overly detailed (typically 5-10 major steps)
- For each step, identify all potential hazards including struck-by, caught-in, electrical, chemical, ergonomic, and fall hazards
- Determine controls using the hierarchy of controls: eliminate hazards first, then engineer controls, admin controls, and finally PPE
- Write clear, actionable control measures that specify exactly what must be done to work safely
- Review JHAs with all workers before starting the job and keep copies accessible at the worksite
- Update JHAs whenever processes change, incidents occur, or workers identify new hazards
- Document the JHA in writing including date, participants, job description, steps, hazards, and controls
- Use JHAs as training tools for new employees or workers transitioning to different tasks
- Conduct periodic observations to verify that control measures are actually being followed during work
Discussion Questions
- What jobs in your area would benefit most from a formal Job Hazard Analysis?
- How do you break a complex job into individual steps for hazard analysis?
- What’s the difference between identifying a hazard and determining an effective control?
- Why is it important to involve workers who do the job when creating a JHA?
- When should a JHA be reviewed and updated?
Takeaway
Job Hazard Analysis transforms safety from reactive to proactive by systematically identifying and controlling hazards before work begins. When you participate in creating JHAs, you contribute valuable knowledge that protects yourself and your coworkers—thorough hazard analysis prevents injuries that JHAs were designed to identify.