A JSA (or Job Safety Analysis) is a common safety procedure implemented across a number of industries. It is particularly utilised in construction, because it aims to ensure workplace safety, and the safe and correct roll-out of work on site.
A JSA outlines the steps required to complete a particular job. Within each step, a JSA documents potential hazards and identifies appropriate control measures to complete each step safely.
A Job Safety Analysis is a common safety procedure implemented across a number of industries, particularly construction.
Is it a legal requirement?
While there is no ‘legal’ requirement for a JSA to be completed on worksites, it is important to consider your duty of care to workers. Every employer has a duty of care to ensure workers are safe, and provided the appropriate training and information to complete tasks safely.
If you have a JSA available on site for workers to reference, it is a streamlined and effective way to communicate potential hazards and risks for every job.
When should a JSA be completed?
There are a number of instances when a JSA is beneficial to the safety of your team and overall worksite.
A Job Safety Analysis should be completed when the task:
- involves steps that pose a potential risk to workers or the environment;
- is a new or modified job. Breaking the job down into logical steps will help to identify the safest way to complete a task. This is also the case for work completed in a new environment, like a new job site.
- has presented hazards or risks in the past. It is especially important to complete a JSA if there is record of injury or near-miss;
- is identified by the principal contractor and has requested frequent safety checks.
It is the responsibility of the person/people who are undertaking the work to complete a JSA before any work commences.
On many worksites, a Job Safety Analysis makes up part of an holistic WHS Management Plan. Completing a JSA not only identifies and controls the risks of a job, it increases the knowledge of the steps of a job, and therefore reduces risks and assists to prevents workplace injuries and incidents.
Using a JSA template is a fantastic way to ensure these documents are completed correctly. Builder Assist has developed Job Safety Analysis templates that are specific to all construction industry trades.
The templates are instantly downloadable, and contain all the elements you need to effectively implement this safety measure on your worksite.
For more information about further documentation, policies and procedures that you should implement for your trade, head to our Tradespeople Documents.
