Purpose of the JSA:
• Taking a job or task and breaking it down into steps to identify hazards and correct that may cause injury to employees.
• Effective JHA’s help the employer recognize and control hazards and exposures in the workplace.
How might the employee’s perception of a “hazard” differ from that of the employer or supervisor (or safety person)?
Why is it important to involve the employee? A couple of things here: First it can help the observer better understand the process that is taking place. Second, the more involved the employees are in the development stage, the better the chances of buy-in on their part.
Why is a “fix-the-system” culture so important to the JHA process? The JHA process has more than one goal.
1. It provides an organized approach for the evaluation of a process.
2. Once the hazards and corrective actions are identified, the JHA becomes a vehicle by which the employer can mesh the desired “Safe Behavior” into the normal operating procedure: The only way to do the job is to do it safely.
3. Once “root causes” have been identified in the JHA development process, these can be addressed thus “fixing” the system that brought the hazardous condition or unsafe practice into the workplace.
Steps in performing the JSA
Select the job to be analyzed (prioritize)
OSHA 300 Log
Near Miss Log
Accident/Incident Reports
Workers’ Compensation Information
Watch the work being done
Break the job down into steps/tasks
Describe the hazards in each step of the task
Develop Control Measures
Develop and Implement Safe Operating Procedures
Evaluate and improve
Determine Probability and Severity
JHAs help us to understand the “probability” of there being an accident and what the “severity” of the injury or illness might be if one does take place.
Probability can be determined based on the following:
• The number of employees exposed;
• The frequency and duration of exposure;
• The proximity of employees to the danger zone;
• Factors which require work under stress;
Probability can be determined based on the following:
• Lack of proper training and supervision or improper workplace design; or
• Other factors which may significantly influence the degree of probability of an accident occurring.
The probability rating is:
• Low - If the factors considered indicate it would be unlikely that an accident could occur
• Medium - If the factors considered indicate it would be likely that an accident could occur
• High - If the factors considered indicate it would be very likely that an accident could occur
Severity
• The degree of injury or illness which is reasonably predictable.
• SERIOUS HAZARDS: Could cause an accident or health hazard exposure resulting in serious physical harm.
• OTHER THAN SERIOUS HAZARDS: Lack the potential for causing serious physical harm, but could have a direct impact on employee safety and health.
Probability and Severity factors can be evaluated based on a simple “decision making matrix” . A matrix lets you chart a value for two factors such as probability and severity and rate the combined relationship.
For example, let’s assume that you have found a hazardous condition and 25 employees are exposed to it six times each day. You may feel that the probability is “medium” based on these factors. Now you can chart the probability on a matrix . Note that a line has been drawn through the medium row.
Now, using the same hazard, let’s assume that the “Severity” factor is determined to be “Serious Physical Harm” because the seriousness will most likely result in a recordable injury with “Serious Physical Harm” column with a line through it. Note that the two lines intersect at the “4”. The combined rating is “4”.
Develop control measures (Hierarchy of Controls)
• Engineering controls
• Safe Work Practices
• Administrative Controls
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Engineering Controls
• Consist of substitution, isolation, ventilation, and equipment modification.
• These controls focus on the source of the hazard, unlike other types of controls that generally focus on the employee exposed to the hazard.
• The basic concept behind engineering controls is that, to the extent feasible, the work environment and the job itself should be designed to eliminate hazards or reduce exposure to hazards
Safe Work Practices
• General workplace rules and other operation-specific rules
• Respiratory Protection
• Lockout/Tagout
• Confined Space Entry
• Hazard Communication
• Blood borne Pathogens
• Hearing Conservation
Administrative Controls
• Measures aimed at reducing employee exposure to hazards
• Providing variety in jobs
• Adjusting work schedules and work pace
• Providing recovery time
• Modifying work practices
• Ensuring regular housekeeping and maintenance of work spaces, tools, and equipment
• Encouraging exercise
Personal Protective Equipment (The last line of defense)
• When exposure to hazards cannot be engineered completely out of normal operations or maintenance work, and when safe work practices and administrative controls cannot provide sufficient additional protection from exposure, personal protective clothing and/or equipment may be required.
Safe Operating Procedures
· A narrative or written summary of the JHA worksheet findings.
Author: Deborah Grow, Safety Compliance Specialist, Private Safety Consultant
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