March 2011 Safety Tip

Job Safety Analysis

Job Safety Analysis is an important accident prevention tool that works by finding hazards and eliminating or minimizing them before the job is preformed, and before they have a chance to become accidents.

Use JSA for:

• Job clarification
• Hazard awareness
• A guide in new employee training
• Periodic contacts with employees
• Retraining senior employees
• Accident investigative tool
• Specific job hazard awareness
• Personal protective measures

The three parts of a job Safety analysis are:

1. Sequence of Basic Steps
2. Potential Hazards
3. Recommended Action or Procedure

Sequence of Basic Steps

Each job or operation will consist of a set of steps or tasks. For example, the job might be to move a box from a conveyor in the receiving area to a shelf in the storage area. To determine where a step begins or ends look for a change in activity, change in direction, or movement.

Potential Hazards

A hazard is a potential danger, the purpose of a JSA is to identify all hazards both those produced by the environment or work conditions and those connected with the job procedure. For example inclement weather, employees being struck by objects, caught in between objects, slips trips and falls, strains from pushing, pulling, lifting, bending or twisting are potential job hazards.

Recommended Action or Procedure

Using Basic Steps and Potential Hazards a guide, decide what actions or procedures are necessary to eliminate or minimize the hazards that could lead to an accident, injury, or occupational illness.

Begin by:

1. Engineering out the hazard
2. Provide guards or safety devices
3. Provide personal protective equipment
4. Provide job instructional training
5. Maintain good housekeeping
6. Insure good ergonomics

Finally:

1. Review your input in all three steps for accuracy and completeness
2. Determine if recommended actions or procedures have already been put in place
3. Develop a job implementation plan
4. Re-evaluate the job safety analysis as needed