Patrick W. Saltmarsh Corporate Safety Director J. Derenzo Companies
JHA or JSA?
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“JHA vs. JSA, What Do They Mean?”
have noticed a trend over the past two years, where general contractor Safety Managers and jobsite Superintendents have increased their requests for Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) or in some cases Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for work being performed on the job. Now some of you may debate that these two are interchangeable, similar to “toe-may-toe” while others say “toe-mah-toe,” nonetheless it has become a common request for either one of these before jobsite tasks are to be performed. Many people believe that a JHA and a JSA are two different names, which mean the exact same thing. Regardless of which title you choose, the main benefit of a JHA/JSA is also its fundamental purpose: to prevent accidents in the workplace. While meeting the safety standards set out by OSHA is a good starting point, the standards do not necessarily address every potential hazard your company and its workers may encounter. And preventing accidents isn’t just good for your employees, it is also good for your business. If you are up-to-date on safety trends, and plugged into your company’s safety programs, then you are aware that JHA’s and JSA’s both address the following: • Selecting the job (task) to be performed • Breaking the job down into a sequence of steps • Identifying potential hazards • Determining preventive measures/controls to overcome these hazards Training your employees on the standard operating procedures of your company and how to identify the hazards associated with their work, is a necessary requirement for any organization. It provides employees with the knowledge they need to perform their work safely and to complete particular tasks in a safe JULY, 2020
Taking a few minutes to deliver a quick JSA
manner. JHA’s and JSA’s should be viewed as a vital component of working towards improved safe behavior and reinforcing your company’s safety programs and the commitment to performing work safely. I am of the opinion however, that there is a difference between a JHA and a JSA. I believe a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) should be performed early on, during the estimating stage, with your company’s estimators and project managers, prior to the starting of any work. Performing the JHA early will assist you and your company in identifying high hazard work and plans for the necessary controls needed while developing your site-specific safety plan. JHA’s should also be utilized for specialty high hazard, nontraditional work, when additional safety controls and awareness are required. A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) on the other hand, is a guideline tool, utilized to adcontinued on page 54
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