Job Hazard Analysis

A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), sometimes called a Job Safety Analysis is a detailed breakdown of individual work tasks, the recognition of associated hazards and preventative actions to be taken to protect the worker.  You can make a JHA as simple or as complicated as you wish.  There is only one absolute: it must be complete.

While I make no argument with those who want to make a complex, complicated JHA, I tend to the simple.  Simple to make, simple to follow.  Albert Einstein said: “Everything should be made as simple as possible ... but not simpler.”  And he was way smarter than I am. I like to use a three-column Excel spreadsheet.  Column 1 is Activity/Operation. Column 2 is Hazard.  Column 3 is Preventative Action.  As long as the worker goes home safe, it really does not matter what you call them.

For illustration, I will use job I demonstrate in my classes on doing JHAs: making a sandwich – let’s say a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.  We shall begin with two pieces of bread, so Col 1 says: open the bread wrapper, Col 2 says: muscle injury (from twisting), Col 3 says: minimize turns, use a tool to assist.  Go on from there.  The important element is that you must see every single action necessary to make the sandwich. 

In my class I ask for someone to call out the first step in making the sandwich.  Almost always, someone says: “Put the peanut butter on the bread.”  I take the full jar of peanut butter and cram it down on the loaf of bread. They say: “No, you must get the bread out first.” So I rip the plastic bag open (imagine bread flying), grab several slices out of the middle, cram the jar of peanut butter down on them.  By this time, everyone has the idea that it might be better to break everything down.  And that is exactly the point.

No step is too small.  Every single action by a worker has associated hazards and the actions we should take to prevent injuries.  Do not forget the activities that can protect from many hazards over time: proper PPE, housekeeping.

Every worker deserves to be safe. Part of our job with a JHA is to figure out what will harm him or her, then prevent the hazard or protect from damage the hazard can cause.

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