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General contracting · United States

JHA for building maintenance

By Safety PaperworkBuilt 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 maintenance 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, lead paint dust and fumes and falling from a ladder.

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JHA example: building maintenance

This is a complete JHA for building maintenance, 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)
Minor maintenance and repairs · General contracting · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Talk to the occupants and set up a tidy work area
  • Working in an occupied home or building
  • Slips and trips
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
  • 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
Low
2Check for asbestos and lead paint before drilling or cutting older buildings
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Lead paint dust and fumes
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
  • Test old paint for lead before you sand, scrape, cut or heat it. Elimination
  • Use wet scraping, chemical strippers or shrouded tools with extraction instead of dry sanding. Never burn off lead paint with an open flame. Substitution
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting and keep residents, children and pets out. Engineering (guarding)
  • Clean up with a HEPA vacuum and wet wipes. Never dry sweep. Engineering
  • In homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 (such as child care centers, preschools and kindergarten classrooms), work that disturbs more than 6 sq ft inside or 20 sq ft outside is done by an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm with a certified renovator (RRP rule). Administrative
  • Do an initial lead exposure assessment and protect workers as if over the limit until results are in. Over 50 micrograms per cubic meter, follow a written lead compliance program (29 CFR 1926.62(d), (e)). Administrative
  • Never torch painted surfaces, keep heat guns below 1,100 degrees F, and use sanders, grinders or planers only with a shroud and HEPA vacuum attachment (40 CFR 745.85(a)(3)). Administrative
  • Provide a clean change area and handwashing, and keep food, drink and tobacco out of the work area (29 CFR 1926.62(i)). Administrative
  • Wash hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking. Change out of dusty clothes before going home. Administrative
  • Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator with N100 or P100 filters, disposable coveralls and gloves. PPE
Medium
3Isolate any services you will work near
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Gas and fuel lines
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
  • 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
4Use the right ladder and keep three points of contact
  • Falling from a ladder
High
  • 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
  • Do not stand on the top three rungs of an extension ladder or the top step of a stepladder. Administrative
  • Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, side rails and locks. Administrative
  • Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE
Medium
5Do the repair with guards and PPE on tools
  • Injury from power tools
  • Saw cuts and kickback
  • General dust
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
  • Keep blade guards fitted and working, and use the riving knife on table saws. Engineering
  • Use push sticks and clamps, and support long pieces so they do not pinch the blade. Engineering
  • Use a sharp, undamaged blade made for the material. Administrative
  • Stand to one side of the blade line, out of the kickback path. Administrative
  • Let the blade stop fully before reaching in or putting the saw down. 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
Medium
6Tell someone where you are if working alone, then clean up
  • Working alone
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • Do not do high risk work alone: work at height, confined spaces, live electrical or trenches. Elimination
  • Set a check-in system: call or text at set times, and someone follows up if there is no reply. Administrative
  • Tell someone where you are working and when you expect to finish. Administrative
  • Carry a charged phone. Use a personal alarm or GPS device where there is no signal. Administrative
  • Keep a first aid kit on hand and know the site address for emergency services. 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
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Low

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Work glovesN95 respiratorHalf-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsHard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsPower drillStep ladderCircular saw (skill saw)

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 maintenance

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 maintenance

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Talk to the occupants and set up a tidy work area
  2. Check for asbestos and lead paint before drilling or cutting older buildings
  3. Isolate any services you will work near
  4. Use the right ladder and keep three points of contact
  5. Do the repair with guards and PPE on tools
  6. Tell someone where you are if working alone, then clean up

Hazards to watch on building maintenance

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

Step 6Working aloneA worker on their own is hurt or falls ill and nobody knows to help them.
Step 2Lead paint dust and fumesHomes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 may have lead paint. Sanding, scraping or heating it releases dust that poisons workers and children.
Step 3Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
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 2Disturbing 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 5Saw cuts and kickbackCircular saws, miter saws and table saws cut fingers and hands or throw material back at the user.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on building maintenance: 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 building maintenance?

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

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), Work gloves, N95 respirator, Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges), Coveralls, Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1), Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

More general contracting JHAs

JHASite Mobilization6 stepsJHAHome Addition7 stepsJHABathroom Remodel10 stepsJHAKitchen Remodel5 stepsJHAResidential Construction6 stepsJHAGarage Construction5 stepsJHAADU Construction5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

ElectricalElectrical Panel UpgradeAlso involves working in an occupied home or buildingDrywallDrywall InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiringPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves lead paint dust and fumesRoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosExcavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves gas and fuel linesScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves falling from a ladder

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkWorking at HeightsToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power Tools

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

Sources