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JHA for electrical panel upgrade

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 electrical panel upgrade 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 disturbing asbestos, electric shock from live wiring, lifting and carrying heavy loads and falling from a ladder.

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JHA example: electrical panel upgrade

This is a complete JHA for electrical panel upgrade, with 10 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)
Electrical panel upgrade · Electrical · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Tell the occupants when the power will be off and arrange a supply for medical or other critical equipment
  • Working in an occupied home or building
Medium
  • Plan noisy, dusty or risky work for when the building is empty. Elimination
  • Close off the work area with barriers, plastic sheeting or locked doors, and put up signs. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep fire exits and paths clear at all times. Administrative
  • Tell occupants before you turn off power, water or gas, and before noisy or dusty work. Administrative
  • Lock away tools, chemicals and materials each day, out of reach of children. Administrative
  • Clean up dust and debris at the end of each day. Administrative
Low
2Set up barriers and good lighting at the electrical panel so no one else can reach the open board
  • Working in an occupied home or building
  • Poor lighting and night work
Medium
  • Working in an occupied home or building: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • Plan work for daylight hours where you can. Elimination
  • Set up enough temporary lighting for the task, walkways, stairs and access points. Engineering
  • Aim lights so they do not dazzle plant operators or drivers. Engineering
  • Check lighting before work starts and carry a flashlight or head lamp. Administrative
  • Wear hi-vis with reflective tape for night work. PPE
Low
3Check the old electrical panel backing board and surrounds for asbestos
  • Disturbing asbestos
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
Medium
4Have the utility disconnect the service (pull the meter or cut the service drop), open the main, apply lockout/tagout and test to prove dead. Treat the line side and service conductors as energized until the utility confirms the disconnect (NFPA 70E, 29 CFR 1926.417)
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Critical
  • 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)
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 10 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
5Check the tester on a known live source before and after proving dead
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Critical
  • 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
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 10 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
6Remove the old electrical panel, labeling every circuit as it comes off
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
Critical
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative
  • If energized work cannot be avoided, use an energized work permit, a safety observer and insulated tools, following NFPA 70E. Administrative
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 10 for the full controls 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
  • 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
7Mount the new enclosure, drilling with dust control and working from a stable step
  • Injury from power tools
  • General dust
  • Falling from a ladder
High
  • Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering
  • Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering
  • Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative
  • Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative
  • No loose clothing, jewelry or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative
  • 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
  • Use a platform ladder, mobile scaffold or aerial lift for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Substitution
  • Use Type I, IA or IAA ladders in good condition. Tag and remove any damaged ladder. Engineering
  • Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, secured, and reaching 3 feet above the landing. Engineering
  • Use ladders only for short, light work. Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Administrative
  • Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Administrative
Medium
8Terminate circuits, adding GFCI and AFCI protection where the NEC requires it, and torque connections to the values on the equipment label
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools
  • Repetitive work and awkward postures
High
  • Use battery-powered tools where you can. Substitution
  • Use GFCIs on all 120-volt, 15, 20 and 30 amp temporary receptacles, or a written assured equipment grounding conductor program run by a competent person with recorded tests (29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)). 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
  • 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
  • Wear knee pads for kneeling work and gloves for grip. PPE
Medium
9With your lock still on, test insulation resistance, polarity, and grounding and bonding, and check every circuit lands on the right breaker
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Critical
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 10 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
10Get the inspection from the authority having jurisdiction (the utility usually reconnects only after it passes). Remove your lock only when everyone is clear, re-energize, test GFCI and AFCI devices with their test buttons and check voltage at outlets, complete the panel directory and clean up
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Critical
  • 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
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative
  • If energized work cannot be avoided, use an energized work permit, a safety observer and insulated tools, following NFPA 70E. Administrative
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. 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)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Rubber insulating glovesArc flash PPE (NFPA 70E)N95 respiratorHigh-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsWork glovesCut-resistant glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Knee pads

Plant and equipment

Electrical test meterHand toolsPower drillStep ladder

Permits and plans

Lockout/tagout (1926.417)

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.

Page 1 of the free electrical panel upgrade JHA template: business details, job steps with hazards, risk ratings and controls

Free JHA template for electrical panel upgrade

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 electrical panel upgrade

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Tell the occupants when the power will be off and arrange a supply for medical or other critical equipment
  2. Set up barriers and good lighting at the electrical panel so no one else can reach the open board
  3. Check the old electrical panel backing board and surrounds for asbestos
  4. Have the utility disconnect the service (pull the meter or cut the service drop), open the main, apply lockout/tagout and test to prove dead. Treat the line side and service conductors as energized until the utility confirms the disconnect (NFPA 70E, 29 CFR 1926.417)
  5. Check the tester on a known live source before and after proving dead
  6. Remove the old electrical panel, labeling every circuit as it comes off
  7. Mount the new enclosure, drilling with dust control and working from a stable step
  8. Terminate circuits, adding GFCI and AFCI protection where the NEC requires it, and torque connections to the values on the equipment label
  9. With your lock still on, test insulation resistance, polarity, and grounding and bonding, and check every circuit lands on the right breaker
  10. Get the inspection from the authority having jurisdiction (the utility usually reconnects only after it passes). Remove your lock only when everyone is clear, re-energize, test GFCI and AFCI devices with their test buttons and check voltage at outlets, complete the panel directory and clean up

Hazards to watch on electrical panel upgrade

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

Step 2Poor lighting and night workDim or dark work areas hide trip hazards, edges and moving plant, and make workers hard to see.
Step 8Electric shock from cords and power toolsDamaged cords, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 1, 2Working in an occupied home or buildingResidents, staff or children wander into the work area and get hurt, or the work blocks exits or cuts off power or water while people are inside.
Step 3Disturbing 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.
Step 7General dustDust from drywall, joint compound, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.
Step 7Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on electrical panel upgrade: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United States 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible 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 work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, fiberglass panel or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or rolling tower?
  • Will you use an aerial lift (scissor lift or boom lift)?

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 electrical panel upgrade?

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

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), Rubber insulating gloves, Arc flash PPE (NFPA 70E), N95 respirator, High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways), Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges), Coveralls, Work gloves, Cut-resistant gloves, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1), Knee pads. The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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

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