Sequence of Basic Job Steps

In the JSA process, it is easiest to deal with each column of the form separately. Logically, the job should be broken down into its basic steps first. Each step or activity should briefly describe what is done. Each activity should be listed on the form in the order it is accomplished. 

Avoid the common errors of making the breakdown so detailed that an unnecessarily large number of steps result, or making it so general that basic steps are omitted. If a large number of steps result from the analysis (i.e., more than fifteen), consider breaking down that job into more than one JSA/JHA. 

At this point in the analysis, you need to do two things first, observe the job actually being performed (if possible by more than one person) and second, involve at least one employee who does the job regularly in the analysis. The employee(s) selected to assist in the analysis should be briefed on the purpose of JSA/JHA and the mechanics of how a JSA/JHA is developed. There are several ways to get the JSA/JHA process started with an employee. Have him or her review a list of basic job steps that have developed from observations, or have the employee explain what the job steps are. The important thing is that the JSA/JHA creator and the employee or supervisor mutually agree that the JSA/JHA accurately reflects the steps involved in the job. 

The first step might be to do a walk-around inspection. When outlining the job steps, it will be tempting to get very detailed and list how to do the job rather than the basic job steps. An example of this would be to list each component of a machine that the worker will check (visual examination of tires, light lens glass, guards, hoses, etc.) as a job step. If there is a desire to include this information in a JSA/JHA, it is best included in the third column ( Recommended Safe Job Procedures in Table 12.1). Another alternative is to add a fourth column to the form for this purpose. 

The list of job steps in the Sequence of Basic Job Steps column of the JSA/JHA form (Table 12.1) will continue to be broken down into manageable steps. Again, the general rule of thumb is to try to keep the JSA/JHA between ten and fifteen basic steps. If more than fifteen steps exist, the JSA/JHA creator may be trying to include too much information in a single JSA/JHA. 

IDENTIFYING THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH JOB STEP 

After all basic steps of the operation ofa piece of equipment or job procedure have been listed, we need to examine each job step to identify hazards associated with each job step. The purpose is to identity and list the hazards, which are possible in each step of the job. Some hazards are more likely to occur than others, and some are more likely to produce serious injuries than others. Consider all reasonable possibilities when identifying hazards. 

T o make this task manageable you should work with basic types of accidents. The question to will ask yourself is, Can any of these accident types or hazards inflict injury to a worker There are eleven basic types of accidents  

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SEQUENCE OF BASIC JOB STEPS POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS OR HAZARDS RECOMMENDED SAFE JOB PROCEDURE... 

After a job has been selected and the JSA/JHA has been initiated, a worksheet is prepared listing the basic job steps, the corresponding hazards, and the safe procedures for each step. The basic form generally has three columns. In the left column, the Sequence of Basic Job Steps is listed in the order in which they occur. The middle column describes aU Potential Accidents or Hazards. The right column lists the Recommended Safe Job Procedures that should be followed to guard against these hazards in order to prevent potential accidents (see Figure 12.1). 

Sequence of Basic Job Steps Potential Accidents or Hazards Recommended Safe Job Procedures... 

The steps involved in a JSA/JHA process have been outlined in the previous pages. It should be especially clear that the main point of doing a JSA/JHA is to prevent accidents by anticipating and eliminating hazards. JSA/JHA is a procedure for determining the sequence of basic job steps, identifying potential accidents or hazards, and developing recommended safe job procedures. Table 12.2 provides an example JSA/JHA. 

Sequence of basic job steps Potential accidents or hazards Recommended safe job procedures... 

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