Identifying Job Hazards

After you record the steps of the job, review each step to determine the hazards that exist or that might occur. There are several ways to identify job hazards evaluate the ways human error might contribute to a hazard, record the types of potential incidents and the physical agents involved, and make sure that procedures are clearly written. 

Once the jobs have been identified and the basic steps outlined, the hazards can be identified. Evaluate each step as often as possible to identify all real hazards. Both physical and mechanical hazards should be considered. Review the actions and positions of the employees. Ask yourself these kinds of questions  

Are work positions, machinery, pits or holes, and/or hazardous operations adequately guarded  

Are lockout procedures used for machinery deactivation during maintenance  

Are there fixed objects that may cause injury, such as sharp edges on equipment  

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Employees are the best souree for identifying job hazards, and they appreeiate you eonsulting with them on matters that aflfeet them. Employees beeome more reeeptive to ehanges in their job proeedures when you give them an opportunity to help develop the ehange. 

How to Identify Job Hazards, (n.d.). Saskatchewan Labour, Occupational Health Safety, Partners in Safety. Retrieved from http //bit.ly/Z3mCS9. 

The JHA provides a consistent reminder for all new, relocated, and/or seasoned employees. It can be apphed to specific job steps or tasks that have been modified. It can be used as an awareness tool for those who need updated training and/or site-specific review of non-routine task (How to Identify Job Hazards, n.d. Roughton Crutchfield, 2008). 

Conducting a job hazard analysis ffHA). (n.d.). Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA), Public Domain, Permission to Reprint, Modify, and/or Adapt as necessary. Retrieved from http //bit.ly/WXGJhK How to identify job hazards, (n.d.). Saskatchewan Labour, Occupational Health Safety, Partners in Safety. Retrieved from http //bit.ly/Z3mCS9 Roughton, J. (1995). Job hazard analysis an essential safety tool.J. J. Keller s OSHA Safety Training Newsletter, 2-3. 

Identify jobs and tasks that require hazard analyses. 

Integrate hazard analyses to identify worker hazards and to provide a basis for speeifieation of job and task hazard eontrols. (The upeoming seetion eovering hazard eharaeterization and exposure assessment will provide some suggestions on effeetive ways of eondueting hazard analyses using the HAZWOPER job, task, and hazard analysis approaeh [1].)... 

Some hazards are obvious and you ean uneover them during safety reviews. Other hazards are less obvious and you ean only uneover them by eondueting a systematie analysis of eaeh job to identify potential hazards. 

The HASP focuses on the specific tasks down to the worksite level and identifies job- and task-based hazards, exposure-monitoring requirements, hazard controls and approaches, requirements necessary to protect workers, and, sometimes, the name of the person responsible for a certain activity. 

Not all required tasks and hazards can be predicted during the development of a HASP. The plan describes the ongoing hazard analysis and work control process, defines the means of identifying job- or task-based requirements and controls, and discusses ways to inform workers about requirements derived from ongoing job or task hazard analyses. 

Prior to beginning any training activity, exact training needs should be identified. Training needs may vary based on hazards, potential exposures, work requirements, roles and responsibilities, job descriptions, and compliance requirements. Job hazard analyses and employee surveys... 

The contractors SSAHPs at Sites B, F, and K had general confined space provisions but lacked site-specific confined space procedures. For example, SSAHPs for the Site K contractor and subcontractor had written confined space entry programs, but the programs did not establish site-specific rescue procedures or identify the confined space hazards present on the site. The job hazard analyses for both programs failed to address site maintenance tasks that could involve confined space entry and hot work hazards. The programs also failed to identify the specific person or position responsible for supervising confined space entry procedures and the location of permit-required confined spaces on site. Interviews with both contractors indicated confusion about rescue procedures. 

Job Safety Analysis (JSA)—procedure that systematically identifies (1) job steps, (2) specific hazards associated with each job step, and (3) safe job procedures associated with each step to minimize accident potential. Also called job hazard analysis. 

Are waste t5qies, quantities, and their associated hazards identified in the job hazard analysis and work planning process ... 

According to the Draft Standard, the employer should analyze the problem job to identify the ergonomic risk factors that result in MSD hazards. The employer should eliminate the MSD hazards, reduce them to the extent feasible, or materially reduce them using the incremental abatement process in the standard. If the MSD hazards only pose a risk to the employee with the covered MSD, the job hazard analysis and control can be limited to that individual employee s job. In such a case, the employer should ... 

Ramsay, J., Denny, F., Szirotnyak, K., Thomas, J., Comeliuson, E., Paxton, K. L. (2006). Identifying nursing hazards in the emergency department A new approach to nursing job hazard analysis. Journal of Safety Research, 37, 63-74. 

In addition to the literature on job analysis, there is also a body of work which has focused solely on methods for identifying the hazards and risks associated with a job. As some examples, techniques such as job safety analysis, also referred to as job hazard analysis (Chao and Henshaw 2002), construction job safety analysis (Rozenfeld et al. 2010), and constmction hazard assessment with spatial and temporal exposure (Rosenfeld et al. 2009) have been extensively discussed. These techniques are very useful for safety management, and among other things can be used to generate safety-related information which can be used to determine the essential knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics which are required to perform the job safely. 

Hazards analyses may be completed through mechanisms as simple as check lists, something more detailed such as Job Hazard Analyses or Preliminary Hazard Analyses, or in complex cases. Failure Mode and Effect Analyses. Whatever the mechanism, the goals are that hazards are to be anticipated, identified, and evaluated, and the appropriate avoidance, elimination, or control measures are to be determined and taken so that the risks deriving from the hazards are at an acceptable level. 

Job Safety Analysis (JSA) or Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), a systematic stndy of work procednres, is ntilized by those firms who desire to identify and control hazards before snch hazards resnlt in injury [p. 120]. 

A safety management risk assessment techniqne that is used to define and control the hazards associated with a process, job, or procedure. The Job Safety Analysis ensures that the hazards involved in each step of a task are reduced to as low as reasonably practical (ALARP). The assessment starts with a summary of the entire job process. The job is broken into smaller steps and listed in a tabular form. The hazards for each step are then identified and listed. This is repeated for each step in the process and a method of safe work is identified. It may be also called a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). See also As Low As Reasonabfy Practical (ALARP). 

As far as practical, the HR function should recruit, evaluate, and place the right person in the right job in terms of physical ability and psychological adaptability. Incorporate into job descriptions specific physical requirements, known hazards, and special abilities required for optimum performance. HR professionals must identify all hazardous occupations and determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, physical requirements, and medical standards required to perform the job in a safe manner. All employees must receive appropriate orientation, training, and education necessary to support safe job accomplishments. 

Job safety analysis (JSA) is technique to help identify what behaviors in an operation are safe and correct. It is a form of task analysis. Some call the procedure job hazard analysis. 

Identifying hazards and potential accidents. The purpose of a JSA is to identify all hazards, both those produced by the environment and those connected with the job procedure. Each step must be made safer and more efficient. 

Worksite analysis involves examining the workplace for existing and potential hazards. Comprehensive baseline and periodic safety and health surveys should be conducted. Job hazard analysis, accident, and near-miss investigations should also be held. Workers should be able to report unsafe conditions without fear of reprisal. Trends of illness and injury should be studied over time to identify patterns and prevent problems from recurring. 

Identify the critical safety behaviors that should be addressed. This may be accomplished similar to the way priorities are chosen for Job Hazard Analysis review the past three years injury records to determine behaviors and system factors contributing to injuries. 

A job hazard analysis (JHA) is a safety evaluation process. Many companies, both large and small, have successfully used a JHA to identify potential dangers of specific tasks in order to reduce the risk of iiyury to workers. 

Accident prevention techniques, such as job hazard analysis, safe operating procedures, and job safety observations, have their application to specific jobs within the workplace. In general, they aim to address and identify existing or potential work-related hazards. These types of accident prevention techniques are emphasized in this book. Most books addressing accident prevention techniques usually emphasize specific job hazards and their prevention, such as fire safety and machine guarding. This particular book places only minor emphasis on specific job hazards. 

When performing a worksite analysis, all hazards should be identified. This means conducting comprehensive baseline worksite surveys for safety and health and periodic comprehensive updated surveys. Companies must analyze planned and new facilities, processes, materials, and equipment, as well as perform routine job hazard analyses. This also means that regular site safety and health inspections should be conducted so that new or previously missed hazards and failures in hazard controls are identified. 

A job safety assessment or analysis should be performed at the start of any task or operation. The designated competent or authorized person should evaluate the task or operation to identify potential hazards and determine the necessary controls. This assessment should focus on actual worksite conditions or procedures that differ from or were not anticipated in the related project or phase hazard analysis. In addition, the authorized person should ensure that each employee involved in the task or operation is aware of the hazards related to the task or operation and of the measures or procedures that workers and visitors must use to protect themselves. Note The job safety assessment is not intended to be a formal, documented analysis, but instead is more of a quick check of actual site conditions and a review of planned procedures and precautions. A more detailed explanation of job safety analysis is provided in Chapter 12. 

Supervisors and workers must be trained to both identify hazards in order to prevent accidents, and to identify existing and potential hazards that may prevail in the workplace. When looking at specific jobs, identify the hazards by breaking down the... 

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