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Demolition · United States

JHA for chimney removal

By SiteSortedBuilt from OSHA standards and guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for chimney removal before you start.

A JHA breaks the job into steps, lists the hazards in each step and the controls that protect the crew, and the crew signs it. The main hazards are falling from a roof edge, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, disturbing asbestos and scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold.

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JHA example: chimney removal

This is a complete JHA for chimney removal, with 6 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.

Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Chimney removal · Demolition · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check flues for asbestos and soot, and isolate any gas appliance
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Gas and fuel lines
Critical
  • Treat insulation, surfacing and resilient flooring in buildings built before 1981 as asbestos unless testing shows otherwise, and get the owner's asbestos survey before you start. Elimination
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Engineering (guarding)
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with a HEPA vacuum. Engineering
  • Follow 29 CFR 1926.1101: competent person, work class, regulated area and exposure monitoring. Administrative
  • Commercial renovation and any demolition need a NESHAP asbestos inspection first, and demolition needs written notice to the state or EPA 10 working days before work starts (40 CFR 61 Subpart M). Administrative
  • Roofing felts, cement shingles and siding, roof coatings and old panel backboards can also contain asbestos. Test them or treat them as asbestos; asbestos roofing is removed intact with hand tools by trained workers (29 CFR 1926.1101(g)(8)). Administrative
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Administrative
  • Wear a fit-tested NIOSH-approved respirator suited to the work class, and disposable coveralls. PPE
  • Isolate and purge the line before work, with the owner's approval. Elimination
  • Lock off and tag the isolation valve. Engineering (guarding)
  • Check for leaks with a gas detector before and during work, and ventilate the area. Engineering
  • Only licensed gas fitters work on gas lines. Administrative
  • Remove ignition sources: no smoking, no hot work and no sparking tools near the line. Administrative
  • Know where the shut-off valve is and what to do if a leak happens. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses and gloves, and keep a fire extinguisher close by. PPE
Medium
2Erect scaffold around the chimney with debris protection
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold
  • Falling tools and materials
Critical
  • Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Elimination
  • Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Engineering
  • Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Engineering
  • Low-slope roofs: guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest, or a warning line combined with one of these or with a safety monitor (a safety monitor alone only on roofs 50 feet wide or less). Steep roofs: guardrails with toe boards, safety nets or personal fall arrest (29 CFR 1926.501(b)(10), (11)). Administrative
  • Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Administrative
  • Scaffold is built, moved and taken down under the supervision of a competent person. Engineering
  • Fit guardrails, mid rails and toe boards on every platform more than 10 feet above a lower level, or use personal fall arrest (29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1)). Engineering
  • Use mobile scaffolds only on firm, level ground with casters locked, and guy, tie, brace or fit outriggers once the height is more than 4 times the base width (29 CFR 1926.451(c)(1)). Never move one with anyone on it. Engineering
  • Every worker on the scaffold is trained by a qualified person (29 CFR 1926.454). Administrative
  • A competent person inspects the scaffold before each shift and after anything that could affect it (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3)). Administrative
  • Do not overload platforms. Know the rated load (light, medium or heavy duty) and stack materials over the legs, not mid-span (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(1)). 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
  • Falling tools and materials: see step 4 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
3Remove bricks by hand from the top down, never undermine
  • Structural collapse during alterations
  • Demolition and falling debris
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
Critical
  • 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
  • Check for asbestos, lead, live services and structural risks before demolition starts. Elimination
  • Disconnect and cap power, gas and water before demolition. Engineering (guarding)
  • Set an exclusion zone bigger than the distance the structure could fall. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a machine with a guarded cab instead of hand demolition where practical. Engineering
  • Use chutes or bins to get debris down. Never drop it from height. Engineering
  • 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 plant 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
Medium
4Lower bricks by chute or hoist, keeping the area below closed
  • Falling tools and materials
  • Public entering the work area
High
  • 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
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. 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 unauthorized entry". Administrative
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Administrative
Medium
5Patch the roof the same day to keep weather out
  • Strong wind and storms
  • Falling from a roof edge
Critical
  • 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
  • Check scaffold, fencing and edge protection after strong wind before anyone uses them. Administrative
  • Do not carry large sheets on roofs in wind. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat with a chin strap at height in windy conditions. PPE
  • Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Administrative
  • Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE
  • Falling from a roof edge: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
6Clean up dust and debris
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
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 wet cutting or on-tool dust collection with a HEPA vacuum, as set out in Table 1 of 29 CFR 1926.1153. Engineering
  • Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Administrative
  • Have a written exposure control plan and a competent person for silica (29 CFR 1926.1153). Administrative
  • Workers who must wear a respirator 30 or more days a year get a free medical exam every 3 years (29 CFR 1926.1153(h)). Administrative
  • Wear the respirator Table 1 lists for the task: APF 10 (a fit-tested N95 or half mask) for most tasks, APF 25 (such as a loose-fitting PAPR) for tuckpointing with a handheld grinder for more than 4 hours a shift. PPE
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Elimination
  • Put dumpsters and waste 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

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Personal fall arrest system (harness)N95 respiratorSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Work glovesHalf-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsSun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)

Plant and equipment

Supported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)Hand toolsJackhammerMaterial hoist

Permits and plans

Written fall protection plan (only where guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest are not feasible, 1926.502(k))

Emergency

Call 911. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aid / cpr person for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this JHA.

Free JHA template for chimney removal

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 JHA

Pre-start checklist for chimney removal

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check flues for asbestos and soot, and isolate any gas appliance
  2. Erect scaffold around the chimney with debris protection
  3. Remove bricks by hand from the top down, never undermine
  4. Lower bricks by chute or hoist, keeping the area below closed
  5. Patch the roof the same day to keep weather out
  6. Clean up dust and debris

Hazards to watch on chimney removal

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

Step 3Demolition and falling debrisPart of a structure collapses early, or debris falls and hits workers or the public during demolition or strip out.
Step 2Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldA scaffold that is badly built, overloaded or altered collapses or tips, or a worker falls from an unguarded platform.
Step 1Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
Step 5Strong wind and stormsWind blows sheets, panels and people off roofs and scaffolds, and storms and lightning make work at height and lifting unsafe.
Step 2, 5Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.
Step 3Structural collapse during alterationsRemoving a wall, beam, post or bracing makes part of the building fall on workers.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on chimney removal: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United States 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 work 6 feet or more above a lower level?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, fiberglass panel or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or rolling tower?

Licences and legal requirements in United States

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

  • Supported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)

OSHA requires employers to find and fix hazards and to train workers on them. A JHA breaks the job into steps, lists the hazards in each step and the controls that protect the crew. General contractors often require one before you start.

Rules that apply: 29 CFR 1926.1101 and 40 CFR 61 Subpart M (NESHAP); 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L; 29 CFR 1926.501(c); 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T; 29 CFR 1926.1153.

Why JHAs get rejected

General contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • Generic steps such as "work safely" or "use PPE" with no task-specific hazards or controls.
  • No OSHA standards referenced for the hazards that have them, such as fall protection, ladders, scaffolds or silica.
  • No competent person named for fall protection, excavation, scaffolds or silica where those hazards exist.
  • Equipment listed without inspection requirements, and no training listed for the people using it.
  • Respirators listed with no respiratory protection program, medical clearance or fit test.
  • Controls rely only on PPE when engineering controls such as guardrails, wet cutting or extraction are feasible.
  • No crew sign-off, or no date and revision when the job has changed.

Questions

Do I need a JHA for chimney removal?

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for chimney removal before you start.

Who signs the JHA?

The supervisor or competent person who prepared it signs, and every crew member signs to show they were trained on the hazards and controls before the job starts. Many general contractors also sign to accept it.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this JHA on site during the job, and keep it with the training and inspection records for at least 1 year after the job (longer if your state plan or general contractor requires it). OSHA does not set a retention period for JHAs themselves.

What PPE is needed for chimney removal?

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1), Personal fall arrest system (harness), N95 respirator, Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), Work gloves, Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges), Coveralls, Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves), High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways), Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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Related jobs in other trades

RoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldWelding and fabricationSteel ErectionAlso involves structural collapse during alterationsExcavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves gas and fuel linesConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves public entering the work areaLandscapingTree RemovalAlso involves falling tools and materials

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkScaffold SafetyToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkSilica Dust

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

Sources