SiteSorted
Electrical · United States

JHA for electrical equipment inspection

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 equipment inspection 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 electric shock from live wiring, electric shock from cords and power tools, lifting and carrying heavy loads and working in an occupied home or building.

Make this JHA nowWord templatePDF

JHA example: electrical equipment inspection

This is a complete JHA for electrical equipment inspection, 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.

Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Portable electrical equipment inspection · Electrical · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Agree with the client which items to test and when they can be unplugged
  • 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
2Visually inspect each lead and tool for damage before testing
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools
  • Cuts from sharp edges
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
  • 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
Low
3Test each item with the tester, keeping hands clear during the leakage and insulation tests
  • 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)
  • 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
Medium
4Tag items that pass, and take failed items out of service with a danger tag
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools
High
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
Low
5Coil leads, keep walkways clear and record results
  • Slips and trips
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
High
  • Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Elimination
  • Run cords and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Engineering
  • Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Engineering
  • Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Administrative
  • Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Administrative
  • Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. PPE
  • 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
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
Medium

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)N95 respiratorWork glovesCut-resistant glovesRubber insulating glovesArc flash PPE (NFPA 70E)

Plant and equipment

Electrical test meter

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.

Free JHA template for electrical equipment inspection

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 equipment inspection

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Agree with the client which items to test and when they can be unplugged
  2. Visually inspect each lead and tool for damage before testing
  3. Test each item with the tester, keeping hands clear during the leakage and insulation tests
  4. Tag items that pass, and take failed items out of service with a danger tag
  5. Coil leads, keep walkways clear and record results

Hazards to watch on electrical equipment inspection

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

Step 2, 4Electric shock from cords and power toolsDamaged cords, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 1Working 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 5Slips and tripsWorkers slip on wet or muddy ground or trip on leads, offcuts and uneven ground, causing sprains, broken bones or head injuries.
Step 2Cuts from sharp edgesSheet metal, glass, blades, cable tray and offcuts cut hands and arms.
Step 3Electric shock from live wiringContact with energized wires, electrical panels or equipment gives an electric shock or arc flash burn that can kill.
Step 5Lifting and carrying heavy loadsLifting, carrying, pushing or twisting with heavy or awkward loads strains the back, shoulders or knees.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on electrical equipment inspection: 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 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?

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 equipment inspection?

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

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), N95 respirator, Work gloves, Cut-resistant gloves, Rubber insulating gloves, Arc flash PPE (NFPA 70E). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

More electrical JHAs

JHAElectrical Panel Upgrade10 stepsJHAResidential Rewiring9 stepsJHAElectrical Outlet Installation5 stepsJHALight Fixture Installation5 stepsJHAElectrical Fault Finding6 stepsJHAEV Charger Installation6 stepsJHASmoke Detector Installation5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DrywallDrywall InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiringRoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves cuts from sharp edgesPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves working in an occupied home or buildingConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves electric shock from cords and power tools

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkWorking at HeightsToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkWorking in Cold Weather

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

Sources