What a Job Hazard Analysis is (and what OSHA actually requires)
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) — also called a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) or, on federal and USACE work, an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) — breaks a task into its basic steps and, for each step, lists the hazards, the controls that eliminate or reduce them, and the required PPE. It is an OSHA recommended practice described in OSHA Publication 3071, "Job Hazard Analysis", not a codified OSHA mandate.
There is no OSHA regulation titled "Job Hazard Analysis," and a JHA does not by itself prove compliance. The legal duties it helps you meet are real, though:
- The General Duty Clause — OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) (29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1)) — to keep the workplace free of recognized hazards.
- The accident-prevention program and frequent, regular inspections by a competent person — 29 CFR 1926.20(b)(1)–(2) (accident-prevention program; frequent and regular inspections by a competent person).
- The duty to instruct each employee in hazard recognition — 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) (employer must instruct each employee in hazard recognition).
On federal/USACE construction the equivalent Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) is contractually required by EM 385-1-1 (USACE Safety & Health Requirements Manual) — a contract obligation, not an OSHA regulation.
The four-step JHA method (OSHA Pub 3071)
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Select the job to analyze | Prioritize tasks with the highest injury history, the greatest potential for serious harm, new or changed processes, and jobs complex enough that a written sequence helps. |
| 2. Break the job into steps | List the basic sequence of steps in order. Keep each step to a single action — not too broad (loses hazards) and not too granular (a manual, not an analysis). |
| 3. Identify the hazards in each step | For every step, ask what could go wrong: struck-by, caught-in/between, falls, electrical, chemical/silica exposure, ergonomic strain, heat. Walk the actual task with the crew. |
| 4. Determine controls for each hazard | Choose controls in hierarchy order — elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative/safe-work-practices, then PPE last. Record controls and PPE separately so PPE is visibly the last line of defense. |
What each column on the sheet captures
| Column | Why it matters | Related duty |
|---|---|---|
| Task steps (in sequence) | Defines the scope the analysis covers | OSHA Publication 3071, "Job Hazard Analysis" |
| Potential hazards | Hazard recognition is an employer duty | 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) |
| Controls (hierarchy order) | Documents how each hazard is abated | 29 CFR 1926.20(b)(1) |
| Required PPE | PPE is the last line of defense | 29 CFR 1926.95 / 1926 Subpart E (construction) |
| Competent-person sign-off | Confirms a qualified review | 29 CFR 1926.32(f) ("competent person" definition) |
| Crew acknowledgment | Confirms each worker was briefed | OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) (29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1)) |
List controls in hierarchy order (PPE last)
The single most important habit a JHA builds is the hierarchy of controls: reach for the most effective control first and treat PPE as the last line of defense, not the first. This builder keeps "Controls" and "Required PPE" in separate fields for exactly that reason, and the printed sheet repeats the hierarchy as a reminder.
| Level | What it does | Construction example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elimination | Physically remove the hazard | Prefabricate at grade instead of at height; reroute around a live circuit |
| 2. Substitution | Replace the hazard | Swap a solvent-based product for a water-based one; use a less-toxic coating |
| 3. Engineering controls | Isolate people from the hazard | Guardrails, trench shielding, local exhaust ventilation, wet-cutting for silica |
| 4. Administrative / safe work practices | Change the way people work | Rotation, exclusion zones, permits, spotters, signage, work sequencing |
| 5. PPE (last) | Protect the worker | Hard hat, hi-vis, eye/face, hearing, gloves, fall-arrest harness, respirator |
Two worked examples
Example 1 — concrete deck pour. Step 1: set the pump and stage the area — hazards: struck-by the boom, overhead power lines; controls: power-line clearance per 29 CFR 1926.1408 Table A, an exclusion zone and a spotter (administrative); PPE last: hard hat, hi-vis, gloves. Step 2: place wet concrete — hazards: caustic-burn from high-pH concrete, silica in dry mix; controls: skin protection and prompt washing, wet methods for dry-mix handling (engineering); PPE: alkali-resistant gloves, eye protection. Step 3: screed and finish — hazards: ergonomic strain, heat; controls: job rotation and water/rest breaks (administrative). The competent person signs; every finisher acknowledges the briefing before the pour.
Example 2 — handheld concrete grinding (silica). Step 1: inspect the tool, guard, and dust control — controls: pre-use inspection, GFCI, verify integrated water or HEPA dust collection per 29 CFR 1926.1153 Table 1. Step 2: grind — hazard: respirable crystalline silica (PEL 50 µg/m³, action level 25 µg/m³), noise, debris; controls: follow the Table 1 control for the task and the minimum respirator it specifies (engineering + PPE). Step 3: clean up — control: HEPA vacuum or wet methods, never dry-sweep or use compressed air on silica dust. Note: respirator use 30+ days/year triggers medical surveillance (required to use a respirator 30+ days/year (1926.1153(h)(1)(i))).
How to run the analysis (and make it count)
- Walk the task with the crew. A JHA written at a desk misses the site-specific hazards — overhead trades, weather, a delivery blocking egress. Build it at the work face.
- Prioritize by risk. Start with the jobs that have the worst injury history or the highest potential severity, then work down.
- Re-brief daily. Keep the formal JHA on file and re-brief it on a daily pre-task / STA card so the crew re-confirms the hazards each morning.
- Bilingual where needed. Generate the sheet in Spanish so the acknowledgment is genuine — a worker can only sign meaningfully for hazards they understood.
- Keep the signed sheets. They evidence a frequent-and-regular inspection habit (29 CFR 1926.20(b)) and that workers were instructed in hazard recognition (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)).
Frequently asked questions
Is a Job Hazard Analysis required by OSHA?
A JHA is an OSHA recommended practice, not a codified OSHA regulation. It is described in OSHA Publication 3071, "Job Hazard Analysis." The underlying legal duty to identify and control recognized hazards comes from the OSH Act General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) (29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1)), the employer's accident-prevention program and inspection duties under 29 CFR 1926.20(b), and the duty to instruct each employee in hazard recognition under 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2). The specific controls a JHA documents are governed by the task-specific 29 CFR 1926 standards that apply to the work. So treat a JHA as best practice and a planning tool, not as proof of compliance by itself.
What is the difference between a JHA and an AHA?
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) are the same basic document — a task is broken into steps, and for each step you list the hazards, the controls, and the required PPE. The term AHA is used on federal and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) construction, where it is contractually required by EM 385-1-1 (the USACE Safety and Health Requirements Manual). That is a contract obligation, not an OSHA regulation. This builder produces a document usable as either; the AHA mode adds the competent-person and contractor sign-off lines those contracts expect.
What are the steps to complete a JHA?
OSHA Pub 3071 describes four basic steps: (1) select the job/task to analyze, prioritizing jobs with the highest injury history or hazard potential; (2) break the job into a sequence of steps; (3) identify the hazards associated with each step; and (4) determine preventive measures (controls) to eliminate or reduce each hazard. This builder follows that sequence — you add the task, then add each step with its hazards, controls, and PPE.
What order should hazard controls be listed in?
Use the hierarchy of controls, most effective first: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls (including safe work practices and warnings), and personal protective equipment (PPE) last. PPE is the least effective control and should not be the only control where a more effective option is feasible. This builder lets you record controls and PPE separately for each step so the hierarchy is visible on the printed sheet.
Who should sign a Job Hazard Analysis?
Best practice is for the competent person who prepared or reviewed the analysis to sign it, and for each crew member who will perform the work to sign acknowledging they were briefed on the hazards and controls. On construction, "competent person" has a specific meaning at 29 CFR 1926.32(f): someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures. The generated PDF includes a competent-person sign-off line and a crew acknowledgment block.
How often should a JHA be reviewed or updated?
Review the JHA whenever the task, equipment, materials, or site conditions change, after any incident or near-miss involving that task, and periodically as part of your accident-prevention program. OSHA Pub 3071 recommends reviewing the analysis with employees performing the job and revising it as conditions change. Many contractors re-brief the JHA daily before the task and re-issue it when the crew or scope changes.
Can I generate the JHA / AHA in Spanish?
Yes. Use the English/Español toggle before downloading and the printed sheet's headings, column titles, hierarchy-of-controls reminder, sign-off labels, and legal notes all switch to Spanish. Your own typed entries (task steps, hazards, controls, PPE) print exactly as written, so you can pair a Spanish template with English task notes if that is how your crew works. A bilingual JHA is widely used on construction sites with a large Spanish-speaking workforce so every worker understands the hazards before signing.
Does this tool make my JHA OSHA-compliant?
No. This tool produces a well-structured JHA/AHA document following OSHA's recommended format (Pub 3071), but no template can certify compliance. Compliance depends on the actual controls you implement and on the task-specific 29 CFR 1926 standards (for example fall protection 1926 Subpart M, excavation Subpart P, silica 1926.1153, electrical 1926 Subpart K) plus the General Duty Clause. Have a competent person verify the hazards and controls for your specific site.
Sources & verification
- OSHA Publication 3071, "Job Hazard Analysis"
- 29 CFR 1926.20(b) (accident-prevention program); 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) (hazard-recognition training); 29 CFR 1926.32(f) (competent person); OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) (General Duty Clause).
- USACE EM 385-1-1, Safety and Health Requirements Manual (Activity Hazard Analysis contractual requirement on federal work).
Regulatory facts verified 2026-10-05. This builder produces a planning document following OSHA's recommended format — it is not legal advice and cannot by itself certify compliance. Have a competent person verify the hazards and controls for your specific site.
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