Job safety analysis

A job safety analysis (JSA) is a practical safety procedure that focuses on job tasks. The JSA enables workers to identify hazards associated with a job and develop safe work practices and procedures that will reduce or eliminate those risks. The act of creating a JSA encourages workers to be alert and work safely; it is a valuable tool for training new workers to perform a task safely and effectively.

There are three stages in performing a job safety analysis:

1. Identify the job steps.
2. Identify the potential hazards associated with each of the steps.
3. Determine preventive measures for each of the hazards.

Stage 1: Identify the job steps
Once a job has been chosen for a job safety analysis, it should then be broken down into a series of smaller steps. Each step is a part of the job that is necessary, and steps should be listed in the same order that they are performed on the job.

One way to identify the steps of a job is to observe an experienced worker perform that job in the same environment. Another is to gather input from other workers who have performed that same job.

This sequence of steps will become the basis of a safe work plan. It is important not to oversimplify, but at the same time you should not be too specific or you will end up with too many steps to the job. A rule of thumb is that most jobs can be broken into ten steps or less. If a job cannot be limited to ten steps, it may be necessary to break it down into more than one job, each with its own JSA.

Stage 2: Identify the potential job hazards
Once you have recorded the basic job steps, you must next identify any hazards associated with each step. You can determine the hazards using observation and your personal experience; therefore, this stage requires a walk-through survey of the work area. In addition to noting the basic layout of the workplace and reviewing any history of occupational illnesses or injuries, things to look for during the walk-through survey include:

• sources of electricity
• sources of load noise
• sources of motion, such as machines or processes where movement may exist that could result in an impact between personnel and equipment
• sources of high temperatures that could result in burns, eye injuries, or fire
• types of chemicals used in the workplace
• sources of harmful dusts
• sources of light radiation such as welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, heat treating, high-intensity lights, etc.
• the potential for falling or dropping objects
• sharp objects that could poke, cut, stab, or puncture
• bio hazards such as blood or other potentially infected material

Use the preceding information to develop a list of potential hazards in the following basic hazard categories:

• impact
• penetration
• compression (roll-over)
• chemical
• heat/cold
• harmful dust
• light (optical) radiation, and
• biological

Your goal is to determine the worst-case scenario, consider potential consequences and identify how these consequences may change over time.

Stage 3: Determine the preventive measures for each of the hazards
When Stage 2 is complete, the employer should organize and analyze the data so that it may be efficiently used in determining the proper types of controls or preventive measures that are required to reduce or eliminate the potential hazards.

PPE is the last line of defense in protecting workers from hazards in the workplace. Before requiring workers to wear PPE to protect them from a specific hazard, the worker and employer must try to eliminate the hazard or reduce it as much as possible.

The following controls (in order from most to least effective) must be considered first:

1. Elimination
   Can the hazard be eliminated from the workplace completely?
   Example: perform a critical lift at night when other workers are not present.
2. Substitution
   Can the hazard be eliminated from the workplace completely?
   Example: replace a noisy machine with a quiet one; use safer chemicals.
3. Engineering
   Can the physical work environment be changed to control the risk?
   Example: Enclose a piece of equipment to contain contaminants or isolate the noise source.
4. Administrative
   Can changes be made to the work activities to make them safer?
   Example: reduce the time workers are exposed to a hazard by rotating them to another task.
5. PPE
   When can PPE be used to protect workers?

If elimination, substitution, engineering, and administrative controls do not effectively control the hazard, PPE may be necessary, either alone or in addition to other measures, to help protect workers. Remember, PPE is the last line of defence and is not the most effective safety measure because it places only a barrier between the worker and the hazard. The hazard still exists; so if the right PPE is not worn properly or when it is needed, or the PPE fails (for example, gloves leak), the worker is not protected.

Be as specific as you can with the recommended procedures. Use statements that describe both what action is to be taken and how it is to be performed—for example, “Stand to the right side of the service box.”

Examine the sample JSA in Figure 1 to see what job steps are necessary to replace a fluorescent light ballast, the associated hazards, and what preventive measures need to be taken. Note that the preventive measures are positioned to match the possible hazard and job steps.

Figure 1 — Sample job safety analysis document

A job safety analysis can help reduce accidents and injuries in the workplace, but only if the information is passed on to all of the workers who will be performing the job. After the JSA is complete, the workers who will perform the task should discuss the hazards and controls listed. Workers should ensure that all safety equipment and PPE that are required by the JSA are available.

Remember: it is important to ensure that all the basic steps that have been noted are in the correct order and suitable preventive measures are in place. The job foreman or supervisor will ensure that workers understand what they are required to do and the reasons for the preventive measures.

Each JSA will need to be reviewed and updated whenever new equipment, materials, or processes are introduced, and after coffee or lunch breaks. Even if no changes have been made, new hazards may be discovered that were previously overlooked. If an injury or illness occurs, the JSA should be reviewed immediately and reassessed to prevent further accidents.