Free safety resource
Use this free construction JHA template to break work into logical steps, identify hazards, establish controls, and communicate the planned safe work process with your team.
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A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is a structured process for examining a job or activity, breaking the work into logical steps, identifying hazards associated with those steps, and determining controls that can reduce risk.
On construction sites, conditions change as work progresses: crews, equipment, materials, weather, and nearby trades all affect the hazards of a task. A JHA gives the crew a shared, written plan for how the work will be done safely before it starts, and a reference point when something changes.
Terminology can vary among employers, owners, projects, and agencies. Similar processes may be called a Job Safety Analysis (JSA), an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA), or other names depending on the applicable program, and their required format and content may differ.
Review the template below, or download a printable PDF version with the same fields. No email, sign-up, or payment required.
Download Free JHA TemplateStep 1
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Select PPE based on the actual hazards and applicable requirements, not by checking every box.
Identify the activity and its scope.
List the work in logical sequence without making the steps unnecessarily broad or excessively detailed.
Consider hazards such as struck-by, caught-in/between, falls, electrical exposure, equipment interaction, hazardous substances, noise, ergonomic exposure, environmental conditions, and other task-specific hazards.
Use the hierarchy of controls: Elimination → Substitution → Engineering Controls → Administrative Controls → PPE. Higher-level controls should be considered where feasible rather than relying only on PPE.
Consider whether additional risk assessment, competent-person review, permits, procedures, training, or project-specific requirements apply.
Review applicable hazards and controls with affected workers according to employer and project requirements.
Reconsider the hazard analysis when the work, equipment, environment, hazards, or relevant requirements materially change.
Activity: Concrete Saw Cutting
Potential hazards
Example controls
Potential hazards
Example controls
Potential hazards
Example controls
Potential hazards
Example controls
This example is for educational purposes only. Actual hazards and controls must be determined for the specific equipment, task, worksite, environmental conditions, manufacturer instructions, and applicable requirements.
Use this list as a starting point. It is not an exhaustive checklist; every task and worksite should be evaluated on its own conditions.
Job Hazard Analyses, Job Safety Analyses, and Activity Hazard Analyses share the general objective of identifying hazards and controls before work begins. Their terminology, format, scope, approval processes, risk assessment methods, and specific requirements can differ depending on the employer, owner, contract, or program that calls for them.
Job hazard analysis can be a useful hazard-identification and prevention technique, helping teams think through each task, recognize hazards, and plan controls before work starts. It can also support training, communication, and the review of incidents or near misses.
Employers remain responsible for determining which OSHA standards and other requirements apply to their work and for implementing appropriate safety measures.
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