A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Form is a practical tool for breaking a job or task into individual steps, identifying hazards associated with each step, and establishing appropriate controls before work begins.
This editable JSA template helps HSE professionals, supervisors, engineers, and work teams systematically review the hazards associated with planned activities and communicate the required controls to the people performing the work.
The template can be adapted for construction, maintenance, industrial, facility, and other workplace activities.
Purpose of This Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Form
This JSA Form provides a structured format for documenting:
- Project and task information
- Work activity and location
- Individual task steps
- Hazards associated with each step
- Potential consequences
- Existing controls
- Additional controls
- Responsible persons
- Residual risk, where applicable
- Review and approval
The form can be customized to suit an organization’s existing risk assessment and safe-work procedures.
Who Should Use It?
This template can be used by:
- HSE professionals
- HSE officers and supervisors
- Construction supervisors
- Site engineers
- Foremen
- Contractors and subcontractors
- Project management teams
- Workers involved in task planning
Workers and supervisors should be involved in the JSA process where appropriate because they often have practical knowledge of the task, equipment, work environment, and potential hazards.
When Should a JSA Be Used?
A JSA can be particularly useful when planning:
- High-risk activities
- New or unfamiliar tasks
- Non-routine work
- Complex construction activities
- Maintenance activities
- Tasks involving multiple work groups
- Activities where conditions may change
- Work with significant interaction between people, equipment, and the environment
A JSA may also need to be reviewed when the work method, equipment, materials, personnel, location, or site conditions change.
For example, a JSA prepared for an excavation may need review if the excavation arrangement, access, nearby services, equipment, ground conditions, or work sequence changes.
How to Complete a JSA
1. Define the Job
Start by clearly identifying the task being assessed. Record the project, location, work activity, responsible contractor or department, and other relevant information.
2. Break the Job Into Steps
Divide the activity into logical steps in the order the work will be performed.
Avoid making the steps either too broad or unnecessarily detailed. Each step should be clear enough to identify the hazards associated with that particular part of the job.
3. Identify Hazards
For each task step, consider what could cause harm.
Think about people, equipment, materials, energy sources, environmental conditions, access, surrounding activities, and interactions with other work groups.
4. Identify Potential Consequences
Consider what could happen if the hazard is not adequately controlled. Consequences may include injury, ill health, equipment damage, environmental impact, fire, or other operational consequences.
5. Identify Controls
Determine the controls required to eliminate the hazard or reduce the associated risk.
Where reasonably practicable, consider higher-level controls before relying primarily on administrative controls or PPE. The hierarchy of controls places elimination and substitution above engineering, administrative controls, and PPE.
6. Assign Responsibility
Identify the person or role responsible for implementing or maintaining the required controls.
Controls are more effective when responsibility is clearly assigned and understood by the work team.
7. Review Before Starting Work
The completed JSA should be reviewed with the relevant personnel before the task begins. The team should understand the hazards, controls, and requirements applicable to the work.
If site conditions or the work method change significantly, the JSA should be reviewed and revised as appropriate.
JSA vs. Risk Assessment
A JSA and a risk assessment are closely related but are not necessarily the same document.
A risk assessment may evaluate hazards and risks associated with a broader activity, workplace, process, or operation.
A JSA focuses more specifically on the sequence of a particular job or task and the hazards and controls associated with each step.
Organizations may use both documents as part of their overall HSE risk-management process.
The terminology and required documentation can vary between organizations and jurisdictions, so the template should be adapted to the applicable HSE management system.
Good Practices When Completing a JSA
- Involve people who understand the actual task.
- Break the activity into logical steps.
- Describe hazards specifically rather than using vague statements.
- Identify potential consequences.
- Consider existing controls and additional controls.
- Prioritize elimination and other higher-level controls where reasonably practicable.
- Assign responsibility for important controls.
- Review the JSA before work starts.
- Reassess when conditions or work methods change.
- Communicate the JSA to the personnel performing the work.
- Verify that the controls identified in the JSA are actually implemented in the field.
A JSA should be a practical planning and communication tool, not simply a document prepared to satisfy a paperwork requirement. HSE guidance similarly emphasizes that risk assessment should lead to effective control of risks in practice.
Download the JSA Template
Use the editable Word version when you need to complete or customize the form.
Download Editable Word Template
The template can be adapted to your organization’s terminology, approval process, risk-rating system, and site-specific requirements.
External Links
External Guidance note:
These resources provide general guidance on hazard identification and risk management. Always verify applicable local legislation, regulatory requirements, and organizational procedures.
Disclaimer
This template is provided as a practical HSE management aid and should be reviewed and adapted to the organization’s activities, applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, contractual requirements, risk-management procedures, and site-specific conditions. A competent HSE professional should review the completed JSA before formal organizational use.