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Demolition · United States

JHA for building demolition

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 building demolition 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 height, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, disturbing asbestos and electric shock from live wiring.

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JHA example: building demolition

This is a complete JHA for building demolition, 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)
Demolish a small building · Demolition · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the asbestos survey, get asbestos removed, and get services disconnected
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Gas and fuel lines
  • Hitting underground services
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
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Elimination
  • Lock out and tag the disconnecting means with your own personal lock and tag so the circuit cannot be energized (29 CFR 1926.417). Engineering (guarding)
  • Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a tested voltage tester. Engineering
  • Only qualified persons work on or near exposed energized parts. Administrative
  • 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
  • Keep machine buckets well clear of marked services and use a spotter. Engineering (guarding)
  • Scan the area with a cable locator before digging and mark services on the ground. Engineering
  • Hand dig or vacuum excavate to expose services before using a machine near them. Engineering
  • Call 811 before you dig and wait until all utilities have marked their lines. Administrative
  • Support or protect exposed utilities so they cannot sag or break while the excavation is open (29 CFR 1926.651(b)(4)). Administrative
Medium
2Fence the site and set up traffic and public control
  • Public entering the work area
  • Road traffic
Critical
  • 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
  • Do the work at low-traffic times, or close the road or lane with approval. Elimination
  • Put solid barriers between the work and traffic where speeds are high, not just cones. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a truck-mounted attenuator or buffer vehicle on high speed roads. Engineering
  • Set up work zone signs and cones to MUTCD Part 6, with trained flaggers. Administrative
  • Get any permit needed from the city, county or state DOT before you start. Administrative
  • Park work vehicles to shield the work zone, with beacons on. Administrative
  • Wear ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 high-visibility clothing. PPE
Medium
3Strip out by hand before machine demolition
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • Falling from height
Critical
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 lift 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
  • Provide fall protection at 6 feet or more and train workers to recognize fall hazards (29 CFR 1926.503). Administrative
  • Have a rescue plan so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes. Administrative
Medium
4Demolish with the excavator, keeping everyone outside the exclusion zone
  • Being hit by heavy equipment
  • Structural collapse during alterations
  • Demolition and falling debris
Critical
  • 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
  • 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
Medium
5Keep dust down with water
  • General dust
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Loud noise
Critical
  • Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Substitution
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Engineering
  • Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Engineering
  • Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Administrative
  • 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
  • Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitution
  • Keep noisy plant 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
  • If you have to shout to be heard at arm's length, wear hearing protection. Administrative
Medium
6Sort and load waste into trucks, then level the site
  • Being hit by heavy equipment
  • Road traffic
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Critical
  • Operators are trained and authorized for each machine. Forklift and telehandler operators are trained, evaluated and certified by the employer (29 CFR 1910.178(l), via 1926.602(d)). Administrative
  • Do a pre-start check on each machine every day and record it. Administrative
  • Wear hi-vis clothing and a hard hat. PPE
  • Being hit by heavy equipment: see step 4 for the full controls Administrative
  • Road traffic: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
  • 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
Medium

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)N95 respiratorHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Cut-resistant glovesHalf-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsWork gloves

Plant and equipment

ExcavatorSkid steerDump truck: CDL if the truck's GVWR, or the combination's GCWR, is 26,001 lb or more (49 CFR 383.5), or if it carries placarded hazmatHand toolsTrailer

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 building demolition

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 building demolition

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check the asbestos survey, get asbestos removed, and get services disconnected
  2. Fence the site and set up traffic and public control
  3. Strip out by hand before machine demolition
  4. Demolish with the excavator, keeping everyone outside the exclusion zone
  5. Keep dust down with water
  6. Sort and load waste into trucks, then level the site

Hazards to watch on building demolition

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

Step 4Demolition and falling debrisPart of a structure collapses early, or debris falls and hits workers or the public during demolition or strip out.
Step 2, 6Road trafficPassing cars and trucks hit workers or plant working on or next to a road.
Step 1Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
Step 4Structural collapse during alterationsRemoving a wall, beam, post or bracing makes part of the building fall on workers.
Step 1Hitting underground servicesDigging, drilling or driving pegs hits a buried power cable, gas pipe or water main, causing electrocution, explosion or flooding.
Step 1Disturbing asbestosIn buildings built before 1981, OSHA presumes pipe and boiler insulation, sprayed or troweled coatings, and asphalt and vinyl flooring contain asbestos, and many other older materials can too. Drilling, cutting or breaking it releases fibers that cause cancer years later.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on building demolition: 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 recordable / lost time).

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:

  • Dump truck: CDL if the truck's GVWR, or the combination's GCWR, is 26,001 lb or more (49 CFR 383.5), or if it carries placarded hazmat

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 K; 29 CFR 1926.651(b) and your state 811 law; MUTCD Part 6 and 29 CFR 1926 Subpart G; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart O; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T; 29 CFR 1926.1153; 29 CFR 1926.52.

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 building demolition?

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for building demolition 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 building demolition?

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

More demolition JHAs

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Related jobs in other trades

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkAsbestos AwarenessToolbox talkHearing Protection and Noise

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

Sources