What you need before you start
Before completing a JHA, gather a few pieces of information: the specific job task or work activity you are analyzing, the location where the work will be performed, any previous incident or near-miss records related to this task, and ideally, the workers who regularly perform this task. Worker input consistently produces more accurate and complete JHAs than documentation written exclusively by supervisors.
Step 1 — Select the task
Not all tasks need a separate JHA immediately. Prioritize tasks using these criteria:
- High-consequence tasks — where a mistake could result in a fatality or serious injury (confined space entry, work at height above 6 feet, LOTO operations, hot work)
- High-frequency tasks — tasks performed daily that have accumulated a pattern of near misses or first aid incidents
- New tasks — tasks your crew hasn't performed before or performed infrequently
- Client-required tasks — tasks where a general contractor or client requires a task-specific JHA as a pre-qualification condition
Over time, you should develop a JHA library covering all your common job types. Start with the highest-risk tasks and work down.
Step 2 — Break the task into steps
Walk through the task mentally or physically and break it into distinct steps. Each step should represent a single, observable action — not a broad phase. Aim for 5–12 steps for most tasks; more than 15 steps often indicates the task needs to be divided into two separate JHAs.
Example task: Installing a structural steel beam using a crane
- Pre-task toolbox talk and JHA review with rigging crew
- Inspect crane, rigging hardware, and slings before use
- Establish exclusion zone below and around the lift area
- Rig the beam — attach slings, check balance point, confirm load weight
- Lift and position the beam using tag lines for control
- Guide beam into position and land on support columns
- Secure beam with temporary bolts before releasing rigging
- Final inspection and documentation sign-off
Step 3 — Identify hazards at each step
For each step, ask: what could go wrong here that could injure a worker or damage property? Consider the OSHA "Fatal Four" hazard categories first — falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution — as these account for the majority of construction fatalities. Then consider:
- Ergonomic hazards — awkward postures, repetitive motion, heavy lifting
- Chemical hazards — exposure to dusts, fumes, solvents, or other hazardous substances
- Environmental hazards — weather, temperature extremes, noise, poor lighting
- Equipment-related hazards — pinch points, moving parts, unsecured loads
Step 4 — Determine preventive measures
For each hazard, document the control measures that will be implemented. Apply OSHA's hierarchy of controls:
- Elimination — physically remove the hazard (can the task be redesigned to avoid the hazard entirely?)
- Substitution — replace a hazardous material or process with a less hazardous one
- Engineering controls — physical safeguards (guardrails, machine guards, ventilation systems)
- Administrative controls — safe work procedures, training, job rotation, warning signs
- PPE — personal protective equipment as a last line of defense (hard hat, fall harness, safety glasses, gloves)
The most effective JHAs use the highest-order controls possible. PPE-only controls should be accompanied by a documented reason why higher-order controls are not feasible.
Step 5 — Review with the crew and collect signatures
Review the completed JHA with all crew members before work begins. Signatures confirm that each worker has reviewed the hazards and controls and understands what is expected of them. This is not a bureaucratic formality — it is a safety briefing that engages workers directly with the hazards they will face.
Retain signed JHAs as training records. In the event of an OSHA inspection or an incident investigation, signed JHAs demonstrate that hazards were identified, controls were documented, and workers were briefed.
Daily JHAs vs standing JHAs
A standing JHA covers a general task type — for example, "roofing operations" or "electrical panel installation." A daily JHA is task-specific and day-specific, reflecting the actual conditions on that particular workday: who is on site, what the weather is doing, what equipment is available, and what specific subtasks are planned.
Best practice in construction and field operations is to maintain standing JHAs for common task types and complete a short daily JHA at the start of each shift to address the day's specific conditions and variations.
Complete your JHA with Assessment First
Assessment First's JHA generator guides you through each step, auto-suggests hazards for your industry, and produces a professional OSHA-referenced document ready for crew sign-off. Your first JHA is Current access terms are shown before registration.