Details. Particulars. Fundamentals. A job safety analysis is a documented procedure that examines the smallest aspects of a job or task to proactively identify work-related hazards. It focuses on the relationship between the employees conducting the tasks and the tools they use, as well as the environment in which the tasks are performed. 

Don’t let the granular nature of a JSA prevent your company from conducting them regularly. Technology makes it easy to assess and address potential hazards so your company can minimize the risk of work-related accidents and injuries. Use this guide in conjunction with SafetyReports by AlignOps to seamlessly generate digital reports like the job safety analysis PDF below.

1. Break a task down into basic steps

Watch your employees perform a task. Take photos and videos while you observe them, and make notes on each step. The key is to find that sweet “Goldilocks” spot when listing steps. You want it to be just right — not too long or detailed but not too brief or broad. 

Pro tip: Get employees involved. Review the steps with the workers who have performed the tasks to make sure you don’t omit any important steps in your JSA. 

2.  Identify potential hazards and consequences

Review your notes, as well as the photographs and videos you took, then brainstorm what could go wrong. Common hazards could be:

• Chemical (toxic, flammable, corrosive, etc.)
• Mechanical (failure, exposed parts, etc.)
• Ergonomic (comfort, visibility, noise levels, etc.)
• Weather related

Employees can also help you see things from a different perspective when evaluating safety.

3. Determine root causes of hazards 

Yes, causes. Plural. Injuries are rarely attributed to a single factor. On a construction site, for example, a trip-and-fall accident could be caused by clutter left by subcontractors in a hallway with inadequate lighting. Poor lighting is an ergonomic hazard that likely wouldn’t result in a fall if there wasn’t clutter, but the combination of the two becomes dangerous. 

4. Eliminate or mitigate risk

The goal of a JSA is to eliminate hazards completely. That isn’t always possible, however. From performing more frequent maintenance on tools to requiring employees to wear personal protective gear and adding more exhaust ventilation, there are several different hazard control measures that can be implemented to minimize the likelihood of injury or illness. Find the best combination for the task you are evaluating.

Pro tip: Leverage a library of industry best practices to expedite the process. The SafetyReports app is preloaded with a library of common hazards and corresponding safety controls, and can also be customized with solutions specific to your company.

5. Evaluate effectiveness of control measures

Once you complete a JSA, don’t just file it and call it a day. Schedule a follow-up analysis to review the control measures put in place. 

• Are engineering and administrative controls working as designed? 
• Has the number of injuries/illnesses related to the task decreased? 
• Are there still areas for improvement? 
• Have circumstances changed? 

Creating a successful safety culture is an ongoing effort. Use SafetyReports by AlignOps to track effectiveness with job safety analysis PDFs that can be emailed on demand or accessed offline. 

JSA PDF Example