Job safety analysis review

In this post I cover- What is a JSA or JHA. The benefits of a JSA. 5 Steps to creating a JSA. What jobs to create a JSA for.

What is a JSA?-

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is a step by step procedure that walks through the hazards of a specific job task.

It takes into consideration each hazard associated with the task and what steps the employees can take to avoid that hazard.

For example the PPE (personal protective equipment) or procedures that can be used to lower the risk associated with that specific job task.

A JSA may also be referred to as a JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) depending on region or industry, but they really accomplish the same thing.

Benefits-

Some of the benefits of JSA’s include-

• They are a regular reminder of the steps and hazards associated with a specific job.
• They open up an opportunity to engage about safety and should increase safety culture.
• They are a great way to identify new hazards or hazards that had not been identified previously.
• They provide a visual teaching aid to new employees that includes step by step instructions.
• They create a baseline to use while auditing, and provide proof that employees understand the correct way to do a job.

5 Steps to create a JSA-

1. Select the job that you would like to analyze. In the next section are some tips to use while selecting these jobs.
2. Break the selected job down into steps (Example). Keep the steps as basic as possible, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help.
3. Identify the hazards associated with each step.
4. Determine what the preventative measures are for each step and how to implement those measures.
5. IMPORTANT! Inform your employees! Review the JSA with your employees and make sure they understand the JSA. Certify the employees in the JSA so that you have record both for your use and for the employees.

What Jobs Should Have a JSA?-

Look for jobs with a high severity or a high frequency of incidents so that you can pick that jobs that will have the most immediate and significant impact. Take into consideration your incident rates, incident severity, and near miss rates.

Another good starting point is any job that has the potential for a severe injury. Take a look at OSHA’s top 10 incidents for some ideas if you need inspiration.

Take a look at new jobs or tasks that could have unexpected hazards associated with them. This is a great way to become familiar with the job and start identifying new risks and hazards. The JSA will also allow you to put preventative measures in place to prevent an incident from occurring.

Pay attention to any jobs that have recently changed (locations, conditions, etc.). The JSA will help you communicate any new hazards and preventative measures to the employees who were previously familiar with the old task.

Don’t forget to create JSA’s for jobs that are performed infrequently. These types of jobs tend to carry higher levels of risk just because the employee is not very familiar with hazards surrounding it.

For more information on JSA’s contact us today!

Don’t forget to check out the BasicSafe JSA tool to help you manage everything associated with JSA’s!

JSA Example