Job Safety Analysis

Author: George Robotham

Published: June 2003

Contact: fgrobotham@iprimus.com.au

Introduction

Job Safety Analysis (J.S.A.) is a simple yet highly effective technique that is under-

utilised in industry. J.S.A. aims to prevent incidents and losses by identifying and

controlling potential loss situations

J.S.A. should be used with critical tasks-

1 High risk tasks

2 Tasks with an incident history

3 New tasks

J.S.A. is based on the principle that any job or task can be separated into a set of

relatively simple steps and that the hazards associated with each step can be

identified. Solutions to control hazards at each step can then be developed and written

into safe working procedures.

The advantages of J.S.A. are

1 S.W.P.’s can be developed for skills training and use on the job

2 Developing J.S.A.’s helps to raise the safety awareness of workers

3 Assists in making observations of safe behaviour

4 Involves workers in the safety programme in a relevant, meaningful manner

J.S.A. Technique

Summary

1 Select the job or task to be analysed

2 Separate the job into its basic steps

3 Identify all the hazards / potential losses associated with each step

4 Evaluate your options for hazard / loss control action

5 Establish controls for each hazard or other potential loss area

6 Prepare a Safe Work Procedure

J.S.A. Technique-Detailed

Step

1-Task Selection

Identify critical jobs and set priorities for analysis

Train your selected team in carrying out J.S.A.

Inform people who are involved with the process what you are doing and why

Encourage workers to contribute safety improvement ideas

Where possible involve the people who normally carry out the task in the J.S.A.

Step 2 – Separation into steps

Separate the selected tasks into 10-15 basic steps and record each step on the Job

Analysis Work Sheet ( Appendix 1 )

Each step or activity listed should briefly describe what is being done not how to do it

Usually 3-4 words for each step

Use an activity or verb / action word first

Do not omit steps

Step 3-

Hazard Identification

Examine each step to identify any hazards or potential incident or loss sources

Include hazards associated with:

Machines

Tools

Supplies

Worker action or lack of action

Job procedures

Work environment

Start with the question “What would happen if….”

Apply the hazard identification check-list-

Struck by

Contact by

Struck against

Contact with

Caught between

Caught on

Caught in

Fall to below

Fall same level

Over-exertion

Exposure

Step 4-Evaluate Hazard Controls

Develop suitable controls

For every hazard there must be a control

Refer to Haddon’s 10 countermeasures, the Hierarchy of Controls and the

A.C.I.R.L. 9 Box Model for controls

Step 5 Establish Controls

There must be a clearly defined procedure for controlling hazards

Step 6-Safe Work Procedure

A Safe Work Procedure is prepared from

Steps outlined on the job analysis sheet

Hazards identified

Recommended equipment, including P.P.E.

The procedures for controlling the hazards at each step

Developing controls

The traditional wisdom when developing hazard controls is to use the Hierarchy of

Controls. The author’s experience is that a better result will be achieved by using

either Haddon’s 10 Countermeasures or the A.C.I.R.L. 9 Box Model. The main

advantage of these approaches is that it expands your options for control

Hazard Control Model

Various hazard control strategies and models have been developed by safety

professionals over the years. One of the most effective but still easiest to apply is that

devised by American researcher Bill Haddon

Haddon’s model for hazard control is as follows:

Countermeasure

Prevent the marshalling of the form of energy in the first place.

eg. Ripping seams - instead of blasting, substitution of radiation bin level

sources with ultra-sonic level detectors, using water based cleaners rather

than flammable solvents.

Countermeasure 2

Reduce the amount of energy marshalled.

eg. Radiation – gauge source strength, explosive store licence requirements,

control number of gas cylinders in an area

Countermeasure 3

Prevent the release of the energy.

eg. handrails on work stations, isolating procedures, most interlock systems

Countermeasure 4

Modifying the rate or distribution of energy when it is released.

eg. slope of ramps, frangible plugs in gas bottles, seat belts.

Countermeasure 5

Separate in space or time the energy being released from the susceptible

person or structure.

eg. minimum heights for powerlines, divided roads, blasting fuse.

Countermeasure 6

Interpose a material barrier to stop energy or to attentuate to acceptable

levels.

eg. electrical insulation, personal protective equipment, machinery guards,

crash barriers

Countermeasure 7

Modify the contact surface by rounding or softening to minimise damage

when energy contacts susceptible body.

eg. round edges on furniture, building bumper bars, padded dashboards in

cars.

Countermeasure 8

Strengthen the structure living or non-living that would otherwise be

damaged by the energy exchange.

eg. earthquake and fire resistant buildings, weightlifting.

Countermeasure 9

To move rapidly to detect and evaluate damage and to counter its

continuation and extension.

eg. sprinkler systems, emergency medical care, alarm systems of many

types.

Countermeasure

Stabilisation of damage – long term rehabilitative and repair measure.

eg. clean-up procedures, spill disposal, physiotherapy

Note

Generally the larger the amounts of energy involved in relation to the resistance of the

structures at risk, the earlier in the countermeasure sequence must the strategy be

selected. In many situations where preventative measures are being considered the

application of more than one countermeasure may be appropriate.

Countermeasures may be ‘passive’ in that they require no action on the part of

persons, or ‘active in the sense that they require some action or co-operation on the

part of the persons, perhaps in association with a design related countermeasure (eg.

seatbelts).

Passive’ countermeasures tend to be more reliable in the long term. A short term

solution to an immediate problem may require the adoption of an ‘active’

countermeasure eg. toolbox sessions on replacing guards over a mechanical hazard,

the long term or ‘passive’ countermeasure might be the fitting of interlocks to the

guard so that power is off when the guard is off.

Further reading

Haddon, W ‘On the escape of tigers an ecologic note – strategy options in reducing

losses in energy damaged people and property’ Technology Review Massachusetts

Institute of Technology, 72;7, 44-53, 1970.

A.C.I.R.L. 9 Box Model

This model says that to have effective control one must have at least one control in

each of the boxes. Experience in industry suggests many organizations have many

Prevention controls and many Contingency controls (nice trucks with flashing red

lights, first-aid kits, trained first-aiders etc) but that they are poor at Monitoring the

effectiveness of these controls

9 BOX MODEL

Prevention

Monitoring

Contingency

Eqpt, / Engineering

Procedures

Skills/Competencies

Training in J.S.A.

The author found an approx 4 hour training programme very beneficial in training

teams to carry out effective J.S.A.

Course content included:

Theory of J.S.A. backed up by a video illustrating how to carry out a J.S.A.

Demonstration on carrying out a J.S.A.

Guided practice in teams carrying out a J.S.A

Discussion-What went well / What opportunities for improvement were presented

Unguided practice in teams carrying out a J.S.A..

Discussion-What went well / What opportunities for improvement were presented

Conclusion

The commonest mistake the author has seen with safety programmes is the

development of extensive safety procedures that the workers do not know about, care

about or use. The procedures sit on the supervisor’s bookcase or a computer

programme and are rarely referred to. The job safety analysis technique must be used

to develop safe working procedures and involvement of the workforce is crucial. If

your safe working procedures are over 2 pages in length worry about whether they

will ever be used. Use flow-charts, pictures and diagrams in your safe working

procedures and base them on a very basic level of English. The K.I.S.S. principle

applies. The organisation’s Quality system would dictate the format of the Safe

Working Procedure.

Do not think your safety efforts end when you have written a safe working procedure,

procedural controls in isolation are notoriously ineffective.

Reference

The New South Wales Coal Association-The Supervisors Guide to Job Safety

Analysis

Appendix 1

Job Analysis Worksheet

Refer next page

Job Title:

JSA No.

New

Date:

JOB SAFETY ANALYSIS

Page of

Revised

Date:

Title of person who does job:

Supervisor:

Revision

number

Company:

Department:

Plant / Location

Analysed by:

Required or recommended

Reviewed by:

Personal Protective equipment:

Approved by:

Sequence of basic job steps

Potential Hazards

Recommended action or procedure