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Job hazard analysis (JHA) and job safety analysis (JSA) template
A JHA form that breaks the job into steps, lists what can go wrong at each one and records how the crew will control it. It follows OSHA's job hazard analysis guide, flags a fall of 6 feet or more, a trench of 5 feet or more and power lines, and collects the crew's sign-on at the pre-task briefing. On a USACE or NAVFAC job it adds the risk assessment codes an Activity Hazard Analysis needs. Try the form below, see every question or open a completed example.
For foremen, superintendents and safety managers on US construction, utility and maintenance jobs, and for crews in Australia and New Zealand who call it a JSA.
Working somewhere else? In the UK and Ireland this is a RAMS, for high risk construction work in Australia a SWMS, and in Canada an FLHA.
- Job steps, each with its hazards, what can go wrong and the controls
- Warnings for falls of 6 feet or more, trenches of 5 feet or more and power lines
- Kind of control for each step, with a warning when PPE is the only one
- Competent person, crew training and PPE
- Pre-task briefing with crew sign-on, review and approval
- AHA mode with risk assessment codes for EM 385-1-1 contracts
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What is a job hazard analysis (JHA), and what should a JHA template include?
A job hazard analysis, also called a job safety analysis (JSA), breaks a job into its steps, identifies the hazards at each step and records the controls that will eliminate or reduce them. OSHA describes it as a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur. A JHA template should hold the job, the crew and competent person, each step with its hazards and controls, the PPE, the emergency plan, the crew's sign-on and a review date.
Last updated . Facts checked by the SiteSurvey team on 25 October 2026 against OSHA 3071, Job Hazard Analysis (2002), OSHA, Identifying hazard control options: job hazard analysis worksheet, OSH Act section 5, duties (the General Duty Clause), 29 CFR 1926.32(f), competent person, 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2), safety training and education, 29 CFR 1926.95, criteria for personal protective equipment (Subpart E), 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), unprotected sides and edges, 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1), protection in excavations, USACE EM 385-1-1, Safety and Occupational Health Requirements (15 March 2024), paragraph 2-6 and FAR 52.236-13, Accident Prevention.
How to make this record useful
Job step, what can go wrong and the controls
Step 2 of the Cedar Ridge Elementary water service JHA, saw cut and excavate: caught-in, struck-by, trench, silica and noise are ticked. The trench is over 5 feet, so the cave-in note shows; the controls name wet cutting, no entry until the trench box is set, spoil kept back from the edge and a spotter on the swing radius, and the kinds ticked are engineering, administrative and PPE. The review page counts nothing to resolve once the four workers have signed on and the safety manager has reviewed it.
Fictional example. Record the actual evidence and approved arrangements for your job.
A common recording mistake
Writing "be careful" or "wear PPE" as the control. Say what is physically done on this job, by whom, and tick the kind of control, so a step that relies on PPE alone shows up. Do not copy last month’s JHA without walking the site.
What happens next
Brief the crew from the form at the pre-task meeting and collect their sign-on before work starts. Review the JHA when the job, crew or conditions change, after any injury, illness or near miss, and keep the earlier revision.
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Every question in the JHA / JSA template
A job hazard analysis, also called a job safety analysis: each step of the job with its hazards and controls, PPE, permits, emergency plan, crew sign-on and review. Written for US work to OSHA guidance, with an Activity Hazard Analysis mode for USACE EM 385-1-1 contracts. 7 sections and 89 questions. Follow-up questions and guidance appear only when an answer calls for them, so the person on site never sees the ones that do not apply.
Make it your own: every question is editable
This is a starting point, not a fixed form. Once it is in your SiteSurvey account you can reword any question, add or remove questions, sections and answer options, and add your own logo, so it fits the way your team works and the jobs you do.
Details you only enter once
Add this form to a project in SiteSurvey and it fills in what the project already knows, so nobody on site retypes it and every form on the job uses the same names. Anything filled in can still be changed.
- Owner or general contractor: the project's customer
- Project: the project name
- Jobsite: the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Jobsite address: the site address, from the space or the project
The job
- JHA number*Short answer
- RevisionShort answer
- Date prepared*Date
- Company (employer)*Short answer
- Owner or general contractorShort answerFills in from the project's customer
- ProjectShort answerFills in from the project name
- Jobsite*Short answerFills in from the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Jobsite addressShort answerFills in from the site address, from the space or the project
- Work location on the jobsite (GPS)Short answer
Mark the work area so the crew and the reviewer can find it.
- Job or task being analyzed*Short answer
- Scope of the workNotes
What the crew will and will not do.
- Start date*Date
- Crew foreman*Short answer
- Foreman phoneShort answer
- Competent person for this workShort answer
- Competent person for what?Short answer
For example fall protection, excavations or scaffolds.
- GuidanceCompetent person. OSHA defines a competent person as one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them (29 CFR 1926.32(f)).
- Why is this job being analyzed?Tick all that apply
- High injury or illness rate
- Could cause a severe injury or illness
- One simple human error could cause injury
- New job, or the job or process has changed
- Complex job that needs written instructions
- Required by the owner or contract
- GuidanceWhat a JHA is. OSHA describes a job hazard analysis as a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur, looking at the relationship between the worker, the task, the tools and the work environment (OSHA 3071). No OSHA standard requires a document called a JHA or JSA, though some, such as the general industry PPE hazard assessment, require an assessment that a JHA can cover. Every employer must keep the workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm (General Duty Clause, OSH Act section 5(a)(1)). A JHA, also called a JSA, is a common way to show how you plan to do that.
- Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?Yes or No
- Contract numberShort answerShown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes
- Definable feature of workShort answerShown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes
- CheckActivity Hazard Analysis. Federal contracts that follow USACE EM 385-1-1 call this document an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA). One is prepared before each activity, task or definable feature of work, with a risk assessment code for each step and overall, and the work must not begin until it has been accepted. A JHA or JSA is accepted in its place if it collects the same information. Every worker reviews it and signs before starting. Use the risk assessment code on page 3 and the acceptance on page 7.Shown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes
Crew and training
- CrewRepeat for each worker. Each one asks:
- Name*Short answer
- Trade or companyShort answer
- Training and certifications for this jobTick all that apply
- OSHA 10-hour construction
- OSHA 30-hour construction
- Fall protection
- Scaffold user or erector
- Aerial lift / MEWP
- Forklift (powered industrial truck)
- Excavation competent person
- Confined space entry
- Qualified rigger or signal person
- Crane operator certification
- First aid / CPR
- Hazard communication (SDS)
- Respirator fit test and medical clearance
- Lockout / tagout
- Manufacturer training for the equipment
- Earliest expiry date of the cards needed for this jobDate
- WarningA card or certification needed for this job expires before the start date. Check it before this worker starts.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- ExpiredWorked out by the form
- Workers on the crewWorked out by the form
- Cards expiring before the startWorked out by the form
- GuidanceTraining. The employer must instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to the work environment, to control or eliminate hazards (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)).
- Who else could be affected by the work?Tick all that apply
- Other trades on site
- Building occupants or owner staff
- Visitors and delivery drivers
- The public
Job steps, hazards and controls
- GuidanceOne entry per step, in the order the work is done, from setting up to cleaning up. OSHA 3071 suggests keeping each step short: what is done, not how in every detail. For each step ask what can go wrong, what the consequences would be, how it could happen and how likely it is.
- Job stepsRepeat for each step. Each one asks:
- Step: what is done*Short answer
- Hazards at this stepTick all that apply
- Falls (6 feet or more, edges, openings, ladders)
- Struck-by (vehicles, equipment, falling or flying objects)
- Caught-in or between (trenches, machinery, pinch points)
- Electrical (power lines, energized parts, tools)
- Trench or excavation
- Overhead power lines
- Confined space
- Hot work and fire
- Hazardous chemicals
- Silica or other dust
- Noise
- Heat or cold
- Lifting, ergonomics and repetitive work
- Slips and trips
- Hand and power tools
- Cranes, rigging and hoisting
- Mobile equipment and traffic
- Lockout / tagout of equipment
- Weather
- Public or building occupants nearby
- What can go wrong, and how?*Notes
- Photos of the work area or hazardPhotos
- Could a worker fall 6 feet or more to a lower level?Yes or NoShown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Falls (6 feet or more, edges, openings, ladders)”
- Warning29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1). Each employee on a walking or working surface with an unprotected side or edge 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems or personal fall arrest systems. Record which one below, and the rescue plan on page 5.Shown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Falls (6 feet or more, edges, openings, ladders)” and “Could a worker fall 6 feet or more to a lower level?” is Yes
- Working height at this step (ft)Number
Measure it from a photo with a known reference, or enter it from a tape or drawing.
Shown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Falls (6 feet or more, edges, openings, ladders)” - Is the trench or excavation 5 feet deep or more?Yes or NoShown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Trench or excavation”
- Warning29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1). Each employee in an excavation must be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system, such as sloping, shoring or a trench box, unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock or is less than 5 feet deep and a competent person finds no indication of a potential cave-in.Shown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Trench or excavation” and “Is the trench or excavation 5 feet deep or more?” is Yes
- Have underground utilities been located (811 call made and marks checked)?Yes or NoShown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Trench or excavation”
- WarningDo not dig until the underground utilities have been located and marked.Shown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Trench or excavation” and “Have underground utilities been located (811 call made and marks checked)?” is No
- Could any equipment, load or person get closer than 20 feet to an overhead power line?Yes or NoShown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Overhead power lines”
- WarningPower lines. For cranes and derricks, 29 CFR 1926.1408 requires that if the equipment, load line or load could get closer than 20 feet to a power line, the line is de-energized and grounded, or a 20 foot clearance is kept, or the Table A distance for the voltage is kept (10 feet up to 50 kV). For other work, 1926.416 requires the employer to find out where energized lines are and to protect employees by de-energizing and grounding or guarding them. Record the option chosen below.Shown when “Hazards at this step” includes “Overhead power lines” and “Could any equipment, load or person get closer than 20 feet to an overhead power line?” is Yes
- Kinds of control used at this stepTick all that apply
OSHA 3071 ranks engineering controls first, then administrative controls, then PPE. EM 385-1-1 puts eliminating or substituting the hazard before all three.
- Eliminate the hazard (change the job so it is not there)
- Substitute something less hazardous
- Engineering control (guardrail, guarding, ventilation, shoring, barricade)
- Administrative or work practice control (procedure, permit, training, spotter, rotation)
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Controls: how the hazard is eliminated or controlled*Notes
Say exactly what is done on this job, not "be careful".
- PPE onlyWorked out by the form
- CheckOnly PPE is ticked. PPE is the last line of protection. Look again for a way to eliminate, substitute or engineer out the hazard, or record why that is not feasible.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- Who makes sure the controls are in place?Short answer
- Probability (EM 385-1-1)Choose one
- Frequent
- Likely
- Occasional
- Seldom
- Unlikely
Shown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes - Severity (EM 385-1-1)Choose one
- Catastrophic
- Critical
- Moderate
- Negligible
Shown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes - Risk assessment codeWorked out by the formShown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes and “Probability (EM 385-1-1)” is answered and “Severity (EM 385-1-1)” is answered
- RAC rankWorked out by the form
- No controlsWorked out by the form
- Fall of 6 feet or moreWorked out by the form
- Steps recordedWorked out by the form
- Steps with a fall of 6 feet or moreWorked out by the form
- Steps relying on PPE aloneWorked out by the formShown only when the answers above make it relevant
- Highest RACWorked out by the form
- Overall risk assessment code (highest step)Worked out by the formShown only when the answers above make it relevant
- GuidanceRisk assessment code. EM 385-1-1 rates the risk left after the controls by probability and severity: E is extremely high, H high, M medium and L low. Each step gets a code, and the overall code must not be lower than the highest step. The codes here follow the matrix printed in the 2014 edition (Figure 1-2); check the matrix your contract uses.Shown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes
- Walk Cam: jobsite walk-aroundWalk Cam video with voice-to-text
Optional. Film a guided walk-through on the SiteSurvey app.
PPE, equipment and permits
- PPE required for this jobTick all that apply
- Hard hat
- Safety glasses
- Face shield or goggles
- Hearing protection
- High-visibility vest
- Work gloves
- Cut-resistant gloves
- Safety-toe boots
- Respirator
- Personal fall arrest system (harness and lanyard)
- Arc-rated clothing
- Welding PPE
- Has the PPE been inspected and does it fit the workers using it?Yes or No
- Guidance29 CFR 1926.95(a). Protective equipment must be provided, used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment. It does not replace the controls on page 3.
- Tools and equipmentNotes
Include inspections due, such as daily lift or crane checks.
- Will any hazardous chemicals be used?Yes or No
- Which products?Short answerShown when “Will any hazardous chemicals be used?” is Yes
- Have the safety data sheets been reviewed with the crew?Yes or NoShown when “Will any hazardous chemicals be used?” is Yes
- CheckReview the safety data sheet with the crew before the product is used.Shown when “Have the safety data sheets been reviewed with the crew?” is No
- Permits neededTick all that apply
- None
- Hot work permit
- Confined space entry permit
- Energized electrical work permit
- Lockout / tagout
- Excavation or dig permit (811 call made)
- Critical lift plan
- Owner or facility work permit
- Permit numbersShort answerShown only when the answers above make it relevant
Emergency plan
- Person trained in first aid on site*Short answer
- Where is the first aid kit?Short answer
- Nearest hospital or clinicShort answer
- Emergency numberShort answer
- Muster pointShort answer
- Muster point (GPS)Short answer
- Nearest fire extinguisherShort answer
- Rescue plan for a fallen or suspended workerNotes
How a worker is brought down, by whom and with what equipment.
Shown only when the answers above make it relevant - WarningA step has a fall of 6 feet or more but there is no rescue plan.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- GuidancePrompt rescue. Where personal fall arrest systems are used, the employer must provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or assure that employees are able to rescue themselves (29 CFR 1926.502(d)(20)).
Pre-task briefing and sign-on
- Briefed by*Short answer
- Date*Date
- Has the crew been told they can stop work if conditions change or something is unsafe?Yes or No
- CheckTell the crew who to tell and what to do if the job cannot be done as written: stop, make it safe and get the foreman before carrying on.Shown when “Has the crew been told they can stop work if conditions change or something is unsafe?” is No
- Does anyone need the briefing in another language?Yes or No
- Which language, and who interpreted?Short answerShown when “Does anyone need the briefing in another language?” is Yes
- Hazards or ideas the crew raisedNotes
- GuidanceOSHA 3071 says to involve your employees: they know the job best, and their input helps make sure the analysis finds what it should.
- Crew sign-onRepeat for each worker. Each one asks:
- Name*Short answer
- Company or tradeShort answer
- SignatureSignature
- Workers signed onWorked out by the form
- CheckFewer workers have signed on than are on the crew. Brief the rest before they start.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Review and approval
- Points to resolve before work startsWorked out by the form
- GuidanceCounted: no steps recorded; a step with no controls written; fewer sign-ons than crew; a card expiring before the start; a fall of 6 feet or more with no rescue plan; no reviewer; on a federal contract, an AHA not yet accepted.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- GuidanceNothing counted above. The JHA is ready for the work to start, once conditions on site match it.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- Prepared by*Short answer
- SignatureSignature
- Has a superintendent or safety professional reviewed this JHA?Yes or No
- Reviewed byShort answerShown when “Has a superintendent or safety professional reviewed this JHA?” is Yes
- Date reviewedDateShown when “Has a superintendent or safety professional reviewed this JHA?” is Yes
- Reviewer signatureSignatureShown when “Has a superintendent or safety professional reviewed this JHA?” is Yes
- Has the AHA been reviewed and accepted by the acceptance authority?Yes or NoShown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes
- Date acceptedDateShown when “Is this work on a USACE, NAVFAC or other Department of Defense contract that uses EM 385-1-1?” is Yes and “Has the AHA been reviewed and accepted by the acceptance authority?” is Yes
- Review this JHA ifTick all that apply
- An injury, illness or near miss happens on the job
- The job, equipment or materials change
- A new hazard is found
- New workers join the crew
- Site conditions change
- The job goes on beyond the planned dates
- GuidanceOSHA 3071 says to review the job hazard analysis periodically, and whenever an injury or illness occurs, to find out whether the controls need changing.
See it filled in
A completed JHA / JSA report, made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit: every answer, the photos, the guidance that applied and the sign-off, ready to send as a PDF.
JHA / JSA FAQs
What is the difference between a JHA and a JSA?
None in practice. Job hazard analysis is the term OSHA uses in its guide, OSHA 3071, and OSHA's own worksheet says a JHA is sometimes referred to as a job safety analysis. Some companies use JSA, and in Australia and New Zealand JSA is the usual name. Both break the job into steps, list the hazards at each step and set the controls, so this one template serves for either.
Sources: OSHA 3071, Job Hazard Analysis (2002) and OSHA, Identifying hazard control options: job hazard analysis worksheet.
Does OSHA require a JHA?
No OSHA standard requires a document called a JHA or JSA, though OSHA's worksheet notes that some standards, such as the general industry PPE hazard assessment, require an assessment a JHA can satisfy. The broader duty is the General Duty Clause, section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act: each employer must provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. A JHA is a practical way to show you have looked for those hazards, and many owners and general contractors require one before work starts.
Sources: OSH Act section 5, duties (the General Duty Clause), OSHA, Identifying hazard control options: job hazard analysis worksheet and 29 CFR 1910.132(d), PPE hazard assessment (general industry).
Which jobs should get a JHA first?
OSHA 3071 says to give priority to jobs with the highest injury or illness rates, jobs that could cause severe or disabling injuries even with no history of accidents, jobs where one simple human error could lead to a severe accident, jobs that are new or have changed, and jobs complex enough to need written instructions. The form asks which of these applies, so the reason for the analysis is on the record.
How do you write a job hazard analysis?
Involve the crew, because they know the job best. List the steps in the order they are done, from setting up to cleaning up, and keep each one short. For every step ask what can go wrong, what the consequences would be, how it could happen and how likely it is. Then set the controls: OSHA 3071 ranks engineering controls first, then administrative controls such as procedures, permits and training, then PPE. Brief the crew, have them sign on, and review the JHA when the job changes or after an injury or illness.
What does the template check for falls, trenches and power lines?
If a step can involve a fall of 6 feet or more to a lower level, the form shows 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), which requires guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems, and asks for a rescue plan. If a trench is 5 feet deep or more, it shows 1926.652(a)(1): a protective system such as sloping, shoring or a trench box is needed unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock. Near overhead lines it shows the crane clearance options in 1926.1408. These are prompts for the person writing the JHA, not a full list of the standards that apply.
Sources: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), unprotected sides and edges and 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1), protection in excavations.
Who should be the competent person on the JHA?
OSHA defines a competent person as one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them (29 CFR 1926.32(f)). Several standards, such as excavations and scaffolds, require one. The form names the competent person and what they are competent for, and records each crew member's training, since 1926.21(b)(2) requires every employee to be instructed in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions.
Sources: 29 CFR 1926.32(f), competent person and 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2), safety training and education.
Can I use this as an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) for USACE or NAVFAC work?
Yes. On Department of Defense construction contracts, FAR clause 52.236-13 requires compliance with the Army Corps of Engineers manual EM 385-1-1, and that manual calls the document an Activity Hazard Analysis. The 2024 edition requires an AHA before each activity, task or definable feature of work, with a risk assessment code (extremely high, high, medium or low) for each step and an overall code no lower than the highest step, and work must not begin until the AHA has been accepted. It also says a JSA or JHA is an acceptable substitute as long as it collects the same data. Answer yes to the federal contract question and the form adds the contract number, the definable feature of work, probability and severity for each step, the overall code and the acceptance.
Sources: USACE EM 385-1-1, Safety and Occupational Health Requirements (15 March 2024), paragraph 2-6 and FAR 52.236-13, Accident Prevention.
Does the crew sign the JHA, and can it be done offline?
Yes. The pre-task briefing page records who briefed the crew and when, whether anyone needed another language, and that the crew know they can stop work; each worker then signs on the phone or tablet, and the form warns when fewer have signed than are on the crew. EM 385-1-1 also requires every worker to sign the AHA before starting. In the SiteSurvey app the form works offline and syncs later, and the finished JHA goes out as a PDF or a link.
Source: USACE EM 385-1-1, Safety and Occupational Health Requirements (15 March 2024), paragraph 2-6.
Related
Related templates
Templates that go with the JHA / JSA form
Construction site safety walk: perimeter, work at height, welfare, housekeeping, plant, hazards and actions.
Hazards, who might be harmed, controls and risk scores, with a briefing record and review date.
Risk assessment for a task at height: can it be avoided, how falls are prevented, access equipment, fragile surfaces, falling objects, rescue and scored hazards.
Risk assessment for someone working alone: the work and place, violence, health, high risk tasks, check-in arrangements, what happens if contact is lost and scored hazards.
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