Overwhelmed by JHA’s, JSA’s and Other Safety Analysis Forms – 03/08/2021

Safety E-QuickTips

U.S. Compliance Systems, Inc.

Monday March 8, 2021

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Overwhelmed by JHA’s, JSA’s and Other Safety Analysis Forms

Today more than ever companies are being asked to complete a safety hazard analysis prior to performing their work.Some are finding them a little overwhelming, but they shouldn’t be.

These forms are nothing more than a review of work being performed, hazards that employees may be exposed to and how to protect employees from those hazards.

What makes them difficult is that there are several formats to choose from; some contain a little more information and they go by different names. Here are a few of the names you may have seen:

• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
• Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
• Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA)
• Job Task Hazard Analysis (JTSA)

But in the end, they all do basically the same thing – they provide employers and employees a more complete awareness of the hazards associated with the specific tasks being performed and how to protect employees from those hazards.

And that is a good thing.

So, don’t allow yourself to feel to overwhelmed when asked to complete one of these forms. Just take a look at each section, like “Description of Task” or “Potential Hazard/Accident “ and simply list each item.

It’s really not that hard.

Now, to get the real value out of these forms, here are a few things you can do.

• Have a Competent Person complete or review completed forms. A Competent Person as defined by OSHA is “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.”
• Review the completed forms with employees prior to performing the tasks included in the forms.
• If the tasks or the hazards change while performing the work, update your forms and review the updated material with employees.

Employee QuickTip

If your employer is taking the time to complete safety analysis forms and review them with you, it will be in your best interest to listen. Sometimes we become a little too complacent when it comes to our safety. Those little reminders help to keep us on track and, more importantly, safe.

Employer/Management QuickTip

If you are completing these forms for the first time and find yourself a little overwhelmed, contact a safety professional and they should be able to walk you through the process. You might also want to check out some of these completed templates.

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Thanks for Reading and Please – Stay Healthy and Work Safe.