Job Hazard Analysis for Industrial Construction Safety

Safety is the single top priority for any industrial construction or similar industrial site, and it often requires periodic analysis of your setup to ensure full coverage of all important safety areas. One example is known as the job hazard analysis – what is this, and why might you consider it for any industrial site?

At Redi, we’re here to serve as the best industrial construction company across Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming and Idaho. We maintain a constant, unwavering commitment to safety throughout all our services, which range from things like scaffolding rental and heavy haul trucking to facility maintenance, mechanical services and much more. What is a job hazard analysis, why is this process often used for ensuring safety within specific industrial tasks, and how can you go about applying this form of analysis to your site? Let’s dive in.

What is a Job Hazard Analysis?

If you’ve never heard of a job hazard analysis before, don’t worry – you’re not alone. This process, also known as a JHA or a Job Safety Analysis (JSA), is an essential part of maintaining safety in the workplace, particularly in industrial and construction settings.

A job hazard analysis is essentially a systematic review of all the tasks involved in completing a specific job and identifying potential hazards that may arise during those tasks. By breaking down each step of the job and analyzing it for potential risks, employers can create an effective plan for mitigating those risks and keeping their employees safe.

Why Use Job Hazard Analysis?

The main goal of using a job hazard analysis is to prevent accidents and injuries from occurring in the workplace. By identifying potential hazards and implementing safety measures, employers can minimize the risk of incidents and create a safer work environment for their employees.

Additionally, conducting a job hazard analysis can also have other benefits, such as:

• Improving productivity: By identifying potential hazards and implementing preventive measures, employers can prevent downtime caused by accidents or injuries.
• Complying with regulations: Many industries are required to conduct job hazard analyses as part of their health and safety regulations. By completing this process, employers can ensure that they are meeting legal requirements.
• Involving employees: A job hazard analysis involves input from employees who perform the tasks on a daily basis. This not only empowers them to identify potential hazards, but also fosters a culture of safety and ownership within the workplace.
• Identifying training needs: Through a job hazard analysis, employers can identify any gaps in employee knowledge or skills related to safety. This allows for targeted training programs to be implemented to address these areas and improve overall safety in the workplace.

Basic Job Hazard Analysis Process

While individual parts of this process may vary depending on the specifics of your site, here are the general steps to follow for a job hazard analysis:

Prioritize Jobs to Create Analysis For

The first major step here is simply determining which of your site’s jobs will require a job hazard analysis. While all jobs should ideally have a JHA, it’s often the case that resources and time constraints make this impossible. As such, prioritize based on factors like:

• High risk level
• Frequency of task performance
• New or changing tasks

By focusing on high-risk and frequent tasks, you can maximize the impact of your JHA process.

Break Down Job into Steps

Once you’ve determined which job(s) to focus on, break down each task into its individual steps. This allows for a more detailed analysis and helps identify any potential hazards that may be missed if looking at the entire job as a whole.

Identify Potential Hazards for Each Step

For each step of the job, identify any potential hazards that could cause harm or injury. This can include physical hazards like machinery and equipment, environmental hazards such as extreme temperatures or noise levels, chemical hazards from substances used in the task, and ergonomic hazards like repetitive motions or awkward postures.

Evaluate Risks and Determine Control Measures

Once all potential hazards have been identified, assess the level of risk for each one. This can be done using a risk matrix, which takes into account both the likelihood and severity of a hazard occurring. Based on this evaluation, determine appropriate control measures to mitigate or eliminate the risks involved.

Implement and Communicate Safe Procedures

After determining control measures, it is important to implement them and communicate them effectively to all employees. This can include training sessions, safety meetings, and clearly posted signage in the workplace. Make sure all employees are aware of potential hazards and how to properly handle them.

Monitor and Review Safety Procedures

Safety procedures should be continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure they are effective in preventing workplace injuries or illnesses. Regular inspections should be conducted to identify any new hazards or potential weaknesses in current procedures. Additionally, feedback from employees should be taken into consideration for evaluating the effectiveness of safety protocols.

At Redi, we’re here to help with any and all safety needs around your industrial site, including job hazard analyses and similar programs. Contact us today to work with the best industrial construction company in Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming or Colorado!