Tiling · Canada

FLHA for balcony tiling

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 balcony tiling 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, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, public entering the work area and electric shock from cords and power tools.

Make this FLHA now Word template PDF

FLHA example: balcony tiling

This is a complete FLHA for balcony tiling, with 5 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)

Outdoor, balcony and pool tiling · Tiling · Example

Document FLHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Check the balcony railing is in place before working near an edge	Falling from height	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	Medium
2	Fence pools, as pools are a drowning risk for kids	Drowning Public entering the work area	High	Work from the bank or a platform instead of in or over the water where you can. Elimination Put up barriers or guardrails along water edges. Engineering (guarding) Pump out flooded pits and excavations before work. Engineering Never work near deep water alone. Keep a rescue person with a throw line or life ring ready. Administrative Check water levels and the weather, and stop work in floods or fast-flowing water. Administrative Wear a life jacket when working over or next to water deep enough to drown in. PPE Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Engineering (guarding) Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for strollers and wheelchairs. Engineering (guarding) Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Engineering Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Administrative Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower buckets and booms, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative Use a spotter when moving equipment or materials across public paths. Administrative	Medium
3	Cut tiles wet and keep leads dry	Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles Electric shock from cords and power tools	Critical	Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Substitution Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Engineering (guarding) Use water on the blade or on-tool dust extraction connected to a HEPA vacuum. Engineering Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Administrative Have a silica exposure control plan where your province requires one. Administrative Wear a fit-tested N95 (or better) respirator. PPE Use battery-powered tools where you can. Substitution Use GFCI protection on all temporary power and portable tools. Engineering Keep cords off the ground and out of water, using stands or hooks. Engineering Check cords, plugs and tools before every use. Tag out and remove anything damaged. Administrative Do not use tools in rain or wet areas unless they are rated for it. Administrative Wear safety boots and dry gloves. PPE	Medium
4	Lay tiles in shade or cooler hours	Heat stress Sun exposure (UV) Repetitive work and awkward postures	High	Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Elimination Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in attics. Engineering Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Administrative Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Administrative Let new and returning workers build up to full work in the heat over about a week. Administrative Plan outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when UV is lower. Elimination Put shade covers over fixed work areas. Engineering Check the UV index each day. Use sun protection when it is 3 or higher. Administrative Check your skin regularly and see a doctor about any new or changing spots. Administrative Wear a broad-brim hat or hard hat brim, long sleeves, sunglasses and SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours. PPE Use tools that cut the effort: powered screwdrivers, long-handled tools and extension poles for overhead work. Substitution Set work up at waist height on benches or trestles where you can. Engineering Use light tools with good grips, and keep blades and bits sharp. Engineering Rotate tasks and take short breaks every hour on repetitive work. Administrative Warm up before heavy physical work and report aches and pains early. Administrative	Medium
5	Grout, seal and clean up	Hazardous chemicals Poor housekeeping and waste	Medium	Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Substitution Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Engineering Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and WHMIS labels before use. Workers have WHMIS training. Administrative Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Administrative Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Administrative Have eye wash and a spill kit nearby, and wash hands before eating. Administrative Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles as listed on the SDS. PPE Use a respirator with the right cartridge if the SDS calls for one. 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	Medium

PPE

Knee padsSafety glasses (CSA Z94.3)N95 respiratorChemical-resistant glovesSun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)High-visibility vest (CSA Z96)Respirator fit tested to CSA Z94.4 (P100 for dust, or the type the air test calls for)Hearing protectionCSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195)Work glovesSafety gogglesCoveralls

Plant and equipment

Wet tile sawAngle grinderHand tools

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 balcony tiling

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 balcony tiling

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
Water suppression or on-tool extraction fitted; respirators fit tested
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
Weather checked: water, shade and rest breaks planned
First aid attendant, first aid kit and emergency number (911) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: knee pads, safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), N95 respirator, chemical-resistant gloves

The safe sequence of work

Check the balcony railing is in place before working near an edge
Fence pools, as pools are a drowning risk for kids
Cut tiles wet and keep leads dry
Lay tiles in shade or cooler hours
Grout, seal and clean up

Hazards to watch on balcony tiling

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

Step 2DrowningA worker falls into a river, pond, pool or flooded pit and drowns or is swept away.

Step 4Sun exposure (UV)Long hours in the sun cause sunburn, eye damage and skin cancer.

Step 3Electric shock from cords and power toolsDamaged cords, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.

Step 4Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot attics causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.

Step 4Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.

Step 5Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.

Highest risk on balcony tiling: 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):

Could anyone fall 3 metres or more, or fall any distance into machinery, water, a hazardous substance or through an opening?
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?

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 balcony tiling

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 balcony tiling?

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 balcony tiling?

Usually Knee pads, Safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), N95 respirator, Chemical-resistant gloves, Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves), High-visibility vest (CSA Z96), Respirator fit tested to CSA Z94.4 (P100 for dust, or the type the air test calls for), Hearing protection, CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195), Work gloves, Safety goggles, Coveralls. The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

More tiling FLHAs

FLHABathroom Tiling5 steps FLHAFloor Tiling5 steps FLHAWaterproofing9 steps FLHASplashback Tiling4 steps FLHATile Removal9 steps

Related jobs in other trades

ScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves public entering the work area Excavation and earthworksTrenchingAlso involves public entering the work area

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power Lines Toolbox talkExtension Leads and Power Tools Toolbox talkSilica Dust Toolbox talkHeat Stress

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