1. Purpose
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defines how [Organisation Name] conducts, records, and maintains Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs). We use this process to spot workplace hazards in specific job steps and put controls in place before work starts, preventing injuries and illnesses.
Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our US PPE Policy & Hazard Assessment Template, Stress & Mental Health at Work Template and Hazard Communication Program Template.
2. Scope
This procedure applies to all operational activities, supervisors, and personnel across all facilities and work sites managed by [Organisation Name].
3. Regulatory Context
Under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act, employers must furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Formal JHAs establish a documented record of systematic hazard identification and control evaluations. Specific safety standards also require documented risk and personal protective equipment (PPE) assessments before starting a task. If local or state-plan safety regulations impose extra requirements beyond federal baselines, adopt those local mandates.
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4. Responsibilities
- JHA Lead ([Job Title]): Manages the JHA schedule, prioritizes tasks, approves completed JHAs, and holds overall authority over this procedure.
- Supervisors: Conduct JHAs alongside workers in their operational areas, implement required controls, and enforce compliance with approved JHAs.
- Workers: Participate directly in task observations, report hazards and near-misses, suggest safe work methods, and follow established safety controls on every task.
- Document Administrator ([Job Title]): Maintains the JHA repository, tracks mandatory review schedules, and links completed JHA sign-offs to worker training files.
5. Procedure
5.1 Job Selection and Prioritisation
Prioritize assessments based on risk level. The master inventory of tasks requiring analysis lives at [System/Location]. Evaluate tasks in the following order:
- High-Incident Tasks: Operations with a history of injuries, illnesses, or near-misses at [Organisation Name] or across the broader industry.
- High-Severity Potential Tasks: Tasks where a single failure could cause catastrophic injury or death. Examples include work at height, lockout/tagout operations, confined space entry, powered industrial equipment usage, and hot work.
- New or Modified Operations: Tasks involving new machinery, altered chemical processes, updated methods, or relocated operational lines. Complete the analysis before starting initial operations.
- Complex or Infrequent Tasks: Procedures performed rarely or involving intricate sequences where steps and potential hazards are unfamiliar to personnel.
5.2 Breaking Tasks into Sequential Steps
- Watch a qualified worker perform the job under normal operating conditions. Desk-based assessments without direct observation are prohibited.
- List the primary operational steps in chronological order. Start each step description with an action verb (e.g., “Position access ladder,” “Isolate supply valve”).
- Keep the breakdown to 6 to 10 core steps. If a job requires more steps, divide the process into separate assessments.
- Maintain a consistent level of detail across all steps. Broad generalizations hide hazards; detailed steps expose them.
- Review the drafted sequence with the observed worker to confirm accuracy before analyzing hazards.
5.3 Hazard Identification
For each documented step, evaluate potential failure modes, consequences, likelihood, and environmental variables. Record all credible hazards on the standard worksheet using the following categories:
- Struck-By / Caught-In / Caught-Between: Moving mechanical parts, pinch points, unguarded rotating shafts, falling materials, or flying debris.
- Falls and Motion Hazards: Working from elevated surfaces, ladder usage, unstable footing, floor openings, or slippery walkways.
- Energy Hazards: Contact with electrical conductors, pressure releases, mechanical springs, thermal extremes (hot/cold surfaces), or unexpected equipment startup.
- Hazardous Substances: Exposure to chemicals, dusts, fumes, or vapors. Review Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for all relevant chemicals.
- Ergonomics and Work Environment: Heavy or awkward lifting, highly repetitive motions, extreme noise, ambient thermal stress, inadequate lighting, or lone worker conditions.
5.4 Hierarchy of Controls
Select mitigation measures by working downward through the hierarchy of controls. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is your last line of defense. Use it only to supplement higher-level controls or when no other option exists.
| Control Level | Order of Preference | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 1 | Completely remove the hazard (e.g., redesign the process to conduct work at ground level). |
| Substitution | 2 | Replace the material, process, or tool with a safer alternative (e.g., switch to a non-toxic solvent). |
| Engineering Controls | 3 | Install physical barriers or mechanical safeguards to isolate workers from hazards (e.g., machine guards, local exhaust ventilation). |
| Administrative Controls | 4 | Change work practices, procedures, or schedules (e.g., job rotation, written operating procedures, safety permits). |
| Personal Protective Equipment | 5 | Mandate specific protective gear (e.g., eye protection, cut-resistant gloves, respirators) and establish provisions for issuing and replacing it. |
5.5 Documenting and Training
- Complete the standard JHA worksheet stored at [System/Location]. Link every step directly to identified hazards and required control measures.
- Fill out all header fields: job title, work location, mandatory PPE, analyst name, consulted workers, completion date, and approval by [Job Title].
- Use the approved JHA as a primary training document. Personnel assigned to the task must review the JHA, complete task-specific instruction, and provide written or electronic acknowledgment.
- Keep accessible physical or digital copies of the active JHA at the point of work execution.
6. Records and Review
6.1 Records Retention
Archive approved JHAs, revision histories, and worker training sign-off sheets in [System/Location]. Retain them for [Retention Period].
6.2 Review Schedule
Formally review and update JHAs under the following conditions:
- On a routine schedule every [Frequency, e.g., 12 months].
- Following any occupational injury, illness, or near-miss associated with the task.
- Whenever changes occur to operating equipment, materials, standards, or work methods.
***
Document Owner: [Job Title] Approval Authority: [Job Title] Next Review Date: [Date]
FAQs on a job hazard analysis
What is a job hazard analysis?
A job hazard analysis defines how your organisation conducts, records, and maintains Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs). We use this process to spot workplace hazards in specific job steps and put controls in place before work starts, preventing injuries and illnesses.
Having it written down means the same rules apply to everyone, so managers are not making judgement calls case by case under pressure.
What does a job hazard analysis include?
This template covers regulatory context and procedure.
Every section is written to be filled in. The bracketed placeholders mark the decisions that are yours to make, such as timescales, approval owners and retention periods.
How to implement a job hazard analysis with Whale
Copy this template into Whale and work through the bracketed placeholders so it reflects how your organisation actually operates.
Assign it to the teams it applies to so it sits where people work rather than in a shared drive, and set a review date so it gets revisited on schedule instead of quietly going out of date.
Use our templates to fast-track your documentation
Customize this template and 100s of others for free in Whale, the fastest way to get your team aligned.