August 12th -18th is Safe + Sound Week. This is a nationwide event held each August that is used to recognize the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep workers safe. This year, Safe + Sound Week focuses on providing information and resources for businesses on Job Hazard Analysis (JHA).
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), or also seen as a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is a process used to help identify and evaluate current or potential hazards associated with a job or task. The goal of a JHA is to keep workers safe by identifying hazards and implementing control measures to reduce or eliminate those hazards before an injury, illness, or death occurs.
When performing a JHA, follow these steps:
- Select the job to be analyzed
- Review all the job procedures and break the job down into tasks
- Identify the hazards within the job and tasks; consider future/potential hazards that have the potential to cause injury, illness, or death
- Create hazard descriptions
- Create a plan for hazard control/control measures
- Involve employees
A JHA should be reviewed when there is a change to the job, when new hazards are present, and to ensure control measures are effectively working. The JHA shall also be reviewed periodically, at least every 6 to 12 months, to ensure it is still accurate and identifies all hazards present within the job or task.
To learn more, please visit https://www.osha.gov/safeandsoundweek/