Concreting · Canada

FLHA for formwork

By SiteSortedBuilt from provincial OHS law and CCOHS guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated November 9, 2026

Provincial OHS law requires hazards to be assessed and controlled before work starts. A field level hazard assessment (FLHA) for formwork is done on site at the start of the shift and again whenever conditions change.

It lists the tasks, hazards and controls, and every worker signs on before starting and signs off at the end of the shift. The main hazards are falling from height, being hit by heavy equipment, falling through a floor opening or void and falling tools and materials.

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FLHA example: formwork

This is a complete FLHA for formwork, with 9 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Field Level Hazard Assessment (FLHA)

Formwork installation and stripping · Concreting · Example

Document FLHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Check the formwork design and that props sit on sole plates on firm ground	Formwork collapse	High	Keep people out from under the formwork during the pour. Engineering (guarding) Use formwork designed by a competent person or engineer for the load. Engineering Formwork collapse: see step 7 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
2	Plan deliveries and crane lifts of form materials, with an exclusion zone under the load	Crane and lifting failure Falling tools and materials Being hit by heavy equipment	Critical	Barricade the lift zone and keep everyone out from under the load. Engineering (guarding) Use a crane rated for the load at the radius, set up on firm ground with outrigger pads. Engineering Check slings, chains, shackles and hooks before use. Remove anything damaged or not tagged. Engineering Plan the lift: weight, radius, ground, path and landing area. Use a written lift plan for complex lifts. Administrative Use certified crane operators and trained riggers and signallers, as your province requires. Administrative Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Engineering (guarding) Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Engineering Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Engineering Tether hand tools when working at height. Engineering Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Administrative Separate people and equipment with barriers, exclusion zones and marked walkways. Engineering (guarding) Use equipment with working backup alarms, cameras and lights. Engineering Have a site traffic plan showing equipment routes, loading areas and pedestrian paths. Administrative Use a spotter when backing up or working near people. Administrative Make eye contact with the operator before going near. Stay out of the swing radius. Administrative	Medium
3	Install edge protection before anyone works near an edge	Falling from height Falling through a floor opening or void	Critical	Do the work from the ground where you can, for example pre-assemble on the ground or use extension poles. Elimination Install guardrails or edge protection on all open edges before work starts. Engineering (guarding) Use a scaffold, mobile work platform or aerial work platform instead of working off a ladder. Engineering Where edge protection is not practical, use a fall restraint or fall arrest system on a rated anchor point. Engineering Fall protection plan in place where required. Workers trained in fall protection (Working at Heights training in Ontario). Administrative Have a rescue plan so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes. Administrative Wear a full body harness with a shock-absorbing lanyard, clipped on at all times when using fall arrest. PPE Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Engineering (guarding) Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Engineering (guarding) Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Engineering Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Administrative Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Administrative Keep lighting good enough to see openings, especially on lower floors and in the evening. Administrative Use a harness clipped to a rated anchor when working right next to an open void. PPE	Medium
4	Cut and fix form ply and timber with saw guards working	Saw cuts and kickback Nail gun injuries Wood and MDF dust Loud noise	High	Keep blade guards fitted and working, and use the riving knife on table saws. Engineering Use push sticks and clamps, and support long pieces so they do not pinch the blade. Engineering Use a sharp, undamaged blade made for the material. Administrative Stand to one side of the blade line, out of the kickback path. Administrative Use a nail gun with a sequential (single shot) trigger, not a contact or bump trigger. Substitution Disconnect the air or battery before clearing jams, adjusting or moving between work areas. Engineering Keep your free hand at least 30 cm from the nailing point. Administrative Never point the gun at anyone or carry it with your finger on the trigger. Administrative Buy pre-cut or pre-finished timber where you can. Substitution Cut outdoors or in a well-ventilated area away from others. Engineering (guarding) Use saws and sanders with dust collection connected to a HEPA vacuum. Engineering Clean up with a vacuum, not a broom or compressed air. Administrative Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitution Keep noisy equipment away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Engineering (guarding) Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Engineering Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Administrative	Medium
5	Erect props, bearers and joists in the designed order, bracing as you go. Work from a platform or from below, never walking on unfixed joists	Formwork collapse Lifting and carrying heavy loads Falling from height	Critical	A competent person inspects the formwork and props before the pour and signs it off. Administrative Follow the design for prop spacing, bracing and pour rate. Administrative Formwork collapse: see step 7 for the full controls Administrative Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Elimination Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitution Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or equipment instead of carrying by hand. Engineering Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Administrative Falling from height: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
6	Lay the deck, cover penetrations and cap rebar bars that stick up	Falling through a floor opening or void Impalement on rebar Falling from height Strong wind and storms	Critical	Falling through a floor opening or void: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative Cover or cap all exposed bar ends with approved caps or covers. Engineering Bend bars over where the design allows. Engineering Use edge protection near starter bars so nobody can fall onto them. Engineering Keep walkways clear of exposed bars and mark the hazard. Administrative Falling from height: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Elimination Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Engineering Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Administrative Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Administrative	Medium
7	Inspect forms and props and get sign off before the pour, then watch them during it	Formwork collapse Wet concrete and cement burns	High	Keep people out from under the formwork during the pour. Engineering (guarding) Use formwork designed by a competent person or engineer for the load. Engineering A competent person inspects the formwork and props before the pour and signs it off. Administrative Follow the design for prop spacing, bracing and pour rate. Administrative Watch for movement or bulging during the pour and stop if it happens. Administrative Do not strip formwork until the concrete reaches the strength the engineer requires. Administrative Wear a hard hat, safety boots and gloves. PPE Use long-handled tools and pumps to cut down contact. Engineering Wash concrete off skin straight away with clean water. Administrative Have clean water and eye wash at the pour. Administrative Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves and rubber boots with pants worn over the top. PPE Wear safety glasses or goggles to stop splashes. PPE	Medium
8	Strip forms only when the engineer says so, from a safe position, back propping as designed	Falling tools and materials Structural collapse during alterations Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Administrative Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE Falling tools and materials: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative Get an engineer to check before removing any wall, beam, post or bracing that may be load-bearing. Elimination Keep everyone clear of the area under and next to the work. Engineering (guarding) Install temporary props, needles or shoring as designed before removing any support. Engineering Follow the engineer's sequence. Do not change it without approval. Administrative Check props daily. Do not remove them until the permanent support is in and approved. Administrative Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 5 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
9	Denail, stack timber and clean up	Cuts from sharp edges Poor housekeeping and waste	Medium	Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Engineering Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Engineering Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Administrative Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Administrative Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Administrative Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Elimination Put waste bins and chutes close to the work. Engineering Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE	Low

PPE

CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195)Hard hat (CSA Z94.1)Safety glasses (CSA Z94.3)Work glovesHearing protectionFull body harness (fall arrest)High-visibility vest (CSA Z96)N95 respiratorChemical-resistant glovesSafety gogglesKnee padsCut-resistant gloves

Plant and equipment

Circular sawNail gunPower drillMobile crane: Provincial crane operator certification, qualified riggerHand tools

Permits and plans

Lift plan

Emergency

Call 911. Add the nearest hospital, the muster point and the first aid attendant for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this FLHA, then sign off at the end of the shift.

Free FLHA template for formwork

Word (.docx) and PDF, Letter landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this FLHA

Pre-start checklist for formwork

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

FLHA read, explained and signed by everyone on the job
Guardrails or fall protection in place before anyone works at 3 m or more
Openings, voids and penetrations covered and marked
Exclusion zone and spotter set up for equipment and traffic
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
Wind and weather checked; stop work limits agreed
First aid attendant, first aid kit and emergency number (911) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195), hard hat (CSA Z94.1), safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), work gloves

The safe sequence of work

Check the formwork design and that props sit on sole plates on firm ground
Plan deliveries and crane lifts of form materials, with an exclusion zone under the load
Install edge protection before anyone works near an edge
Cut and fix form ply and timber with saw guards working
Erect props, bearers and joists in the designed order, bracing as you go. Work from a platform or from below, never walking on unfixed joists
Lay the deck, cover penetrations and cap rebar bars that stick up
Inspect forms and props and get sign off before the pour, then watch them during it
Strip forms only when the engineer says so, from a safe position, back propping as designed
Denail, stack timber and clean up

Hazards to watch on formwork

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 1, 5, 7Formwork collapseFormwork or falsework fails during a concrete pour and collapses with workers on or under it.

Step 6Impalement on rebarA worker falls or trips onto exposed rebar and is impaled or badly cut.

Step 4Nail gun injuriesA nail gun fires by accident, or a nail goes through the timber or ricochets and hits the user or someone nearby.

Step 4Wood and MDF dustSawing and sanding timber, MDF and treated wood makes fine dust that causes asthma, skin problems and some cancers.

Step 2Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.

Step 7Wet concrete and cement burnsWet concrete, mortar and cement burn skin and eyes. Burns can be deep and are often not felt until later.

Highest risk on formwork: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Canada 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatality becomes unlikely and serious injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
Will anyone work on a roof?
Is there a fragile roof, skylight or clear roof sheet?
Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
Will you use an aerial work platform (scissor lift or boom lift)?

Licences and legal requirements in Canada

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

Mobile crane: Provincial crane operator certification, qualified rigger

Employers must identify hazards before work starts and control them, and workers must be told about them. A field level hazard assessment is done on site, at the start of each shift or task, and reviewed again when conditions change.

Rules that apply: Provincial OHS regulation, cranes and hoisting; Provincial OHS regulation, fall protection.

Why FLHAs get rejected

Prime contractors and COR auditors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

End of shift boxes already say "None" when the form was signed at the start of the shift.
One FLHA reused for days or weeks, or a "review by" date a month away, when the work and conditions change daily.
No time of assessment and no record of any revision, which Alberta s.7(3) requires.
Workers signed that they "read" it, but nothing shows they took part, which Alberta s.8(1) requires.
Work at height with no fall protection plan where the province requires one, or no written rescue procedure for workers using fall arrest.
Permits or locates required on site but no permit or ticket numbers recorded.
No re-assessment entry after an obvious change such as weather, a new task or a new crew member.

Rules by province for formwork

Province or territory	Key local rule	Regulator
Ontario	Fall protection (O. Reg. 213/91 s.26) applies at a fall of more than 3 m, more than 1.2 m where the work area is used as a path for a wheelbarrow or similar equipment, and at any height into operating machinery, water or other liquid, a hazardous substance, or through an opening.	Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
British Columbia	Fall protection is required where a fall of 3 m or more may occur (s.11.2). A written fall protection plan is required at 7.5 m or more where there are no permanent guardrails (s.11.3).	WorkSafeBC
Alberta	A hazard assessment must be done before work begins, and before a new work site is built (OHS Code s.7(1)). The results must be written down with the controls (s.7(2)).	Alberta Occupational Health and Safety
Quebec	Guardrails (Safety Code s.2.9.1, as amended by Decret 63-2025) are needed where a worker could fall into liquid or a hazardous substance, onto moving parts or dangerous equipment, 1.2 m or more when using a vehicle, 1.5 m or more when handling a load, and more than 3 m in all other cases.	CNESST (Commission des normes, de l'equite, de la sante et de la securite du travail)
Manitoba	A prime contractor is required whenever more than one employer or self employed person works on the site at the same time (Act s.7).	Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Branch
Saskatchewan	An occupational health committee is required at 10 or more workers of one employer (Act s.3-22).	Saskatchewan Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, OHS Division
Nova Scotia	Workers must be trained in fall protection before using it or working in, supervising or planning work in a fall protection area, with a refresher at least every 3 years (WHSR s.21.19).	Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, Safety Branch (OHS)
New Brunswick	Fall protection is needed from 3 m above water or the nearest permanent safe level (Reg 91-191 s.49(1)(a)(i)).	WorkSafeNB
Newfoundland and Labrador	Give written notice to the minister before starting a construction project that will last 30 days or more, with the site, location, type of work and number of workers (Regs s.8).	Government Services, Occupational Health and Safety Division
Prince Edward Island	Fall protection is needed from 3 m above the nearest safe surface or water (Fall Protection Regulations s.2(1)(a)).	Workers Compensation Board of PEI, OHS Division
Yukon	Every employer must do hazard assessments with the committee, representative or workers, and redo them after significant changes or incidents (Regs s.1.03.01).	Yukon Workers' Safety and Compensation Board
Northwest Territories	Fall protection is needed from 3 m, or lower if there is a risk of injury (s.119(1)). Guardrails are needed for falls of 1.2 m to 3 m at permanent work sites (s.119(2)).	Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC)
Nunavut	No 911. To reach the RCMP in an emergency, dial your community's first three digits then 1111 (Iqaluit: 979-1111). Put the local fire, ambulance and RCMP numbers on every FLHA.	Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC)

Questions

Do I need an FLHA for formwork?

Who signs the FLHA?

The supervisor and every worker take part in the assessment and sign on before work starts, then sign off at the end of the shift. Review it and re-sign whenever the task or conditions change.

How long do I keep it?

Keep completed hazard assessments for at least 3 years (COR auditors sample the last 12 months). Review this FLHA and re-sign whenever the task, crew or conditions change.

What PPE is needed for formwork?

Usually CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195), Hard hat (CSA Z94.1), Safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), Work gloves, Hearing protection, Full body harness (fall arrest), High-visibility vest (CSA Z96), N95 respirator, Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety goggles, Knee pads, Cut-resistant gloves. The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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Blank FLHA template: free FLHA templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA)