Yesterday we reviewed the initial steps for setting up a job hazard analysis (JHA) program in your workplace. Today we’ll look at how to identify hazards associated with specific job activities, and at an upcoming audio conference on effective JHA strategies.
In performing JHA, you need to break down jobs into their component activities and then examine each activity to identify hazards that exist or might occur. For example, while performing a particular activity, could a worker:
- Make movements that could cause injuries, such as back strain from heavy lifting?
- Fall from one level to another or trip over objects in the work area?
- Get a hand or an arm caught in moving machine parts?
- Be exposed to equipment hazards such as electrical shock or burns from hot parts?
- Be exposed to environmental hazards such as chemical vapors, excessive noise, extreme heat, or harmful dust?
- Make awkward or dangerous movements because of the way the work area or work flow is organized?
- Be struck by an object?
The point is to come up with a specific list of hazards associated with each job task. Now it’s time to evaluate each hazard. For example, how serious is it? Could an employee be injured? Is this a health or safety hazard? Or both? Is the risk always present, or is it an intermittent problem? Does the PPE employees use protect them from the hazard? Does your training emphasize the hazard and create a sufficient level of awareness? Are the safety measures you already have in place sufficient to deal with this hazard?
Put another buffer between you and OSHA citations. Find out how to implement—or improve—a JHA program in your workplace. Find out more.
Here are some common ways to reduce or eliminate hazards:
- Perform the job differently.
- Reorganize the work area to minimize awkward positions and reaches.
- Substitute less hazardous materials.
- Change from manual to mechanical techniques.
- Add, improve, or change training.
- Change tools or equipment.
- Change or add PPE.
- Perform certain tasks less often.
The last step is to review and revise each job hazard analysis. OSHA says your analysis should be updated periodically even if there are no evident problems with the job. But you should also update an analysis:
- Following an accident, injury, or near miss,
- Whenever a job changes in any way that could affect safety or health, and
- When an employee makes a safety complaint.
You Can’t Beat It
To be effective, job hazard analysis takes some time and effort. But it’s worth it when you think about the payoff; there are few other supervisory tasks as important as preventing accidents and protecting workers from injury and illness.
An effective JHA program can help your company reduce employee injuries, lower workers’ comp premiums, and reduce your overall risk of OSHA citations. Supervisors can also use the findings of a JHA when hiring and retraining employees to enhance productivity and job performance.
We invite you to join us on December 12 for an in-depth audio conference, “Job Hazard Analysis: Effective Strategies to Ensure Legal Compliance and Employee Safety.” Our legal safety expert will explain how a smart JHA plan can save your company money, decrease employee injury rates, and protect you from litigation and tort claims.
During this 90-minute session you’ll learn:
- How to implement an effective JHA strategy at your workplace
- Tips for identifying and controlling occupational hazards
- The important role your supervisors play in ensuring the effectiveness of your JHA plan
- How to break a job task into separate and distinct steps and evaluate the hazards associated with each step
- The best way to determine the appropriate controls needed for each of the identified hazards
- The importance of integrating incident investigation findings with JHAs
“Job Hazard Analysis: Effective Strategies to Ensure Legal Compliance and Employee Safety.” A special audio conference from BLR. Find out more.
Our speaker will be Adele Abrams, Esq., CMSP, REA, an attorney recognized as a national expert on occupational safety and health. She represents employers and contractors nationwide in OSHA and MSHA litigation and workers’ compensation cases, and provides safety and health training and consultation services. She is a Certified Mine Safety Professional, a Department of Labor-approved trainer, and a trained mediator. She is also a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the International Society of Mine Safety Professionals, and the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. She is chair of the National Safety Council’s Business & Industry Division committee on regulatory and legal affairs.
If you want to implement or improve a JHA program, we recommend you attend. If you can’t, we urge you to preorder the conference CD. Either way, your satisfaction is assured or you get a full refund.