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General contracting · United States

JHA for residential construction

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 residential construction 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, falling from a roof edge, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles and being hit by heavy equipment.

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JHA example: residential construction

This is a complete JHA for residential construction, 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)
New home construction · General contracting · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Set up the site: fencing, signs, toilets, power and induction
  • Public entering the work area
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools
High
  • 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
  • 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
Low
2Site cut, footings and slab
  • Being hit by heavy equipment
  • Hitting underground services
  • Trench or excavation collapse
  • Wet concrete and cement burns
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
  • 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
  • Use methods that keep people out of the trench, such as directional boring or working from the surface. Elimination
  • Barricade or cover the excavation so people and equipment cannot fall in. Use guardrails on walkways that cross it (29 CFR 1926.651(l)). Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a protective system (sloping, shoring or a trench box) in any trench 5 feet or deeper, or shallower if the competent person sees signs of a possible cave-in (29 CFR 1926.652). Engineering
  • Protective systems for trenches over 20 feet deep are designed by a registered professional engineer (29 CFR 1926.652(b), (c)). Engineering
  • Keep spoil, materials and equipment at least 2 feet back from the edge. Engineering
  • Competent person inspects the trench daily, after rain and as conditions change, and tests the air before entry in trenches over 4 feet deep where a hazardous atmosphere could exist (29 CFR 1926.651(g), (k)). Administrative
  • Nobody works in a trench where water is collecting unless the competent person has controls in place, such as pumping or special support (29 CFR 1926.651(h)). Administrative
  • Nobody stands under a loaded bucket or near a truck being loaded (29 CFR 1926.651(e)). Administrative
  • Use long-handled tools and pumps to cut down contact. Engineering
  • Wash concrete off skin straight away with clean water. Administrative
  • Have clean water and eye wash at the pour. Administrative
  • Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves and rubber boots with pants worn over the top. PPE
Medium
3Frame and roof with scaffold and edge protection
  • Falling from height
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Crane and lifting failure
Critical
  • 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
  • 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
  • Barricade the lift zone and keep everyone out from under the load. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a crane rated for the load at the radius, set up on firm ground with outrigger pads. Engineering
  • Check slings, chains, shackles and hooks before use. Remove anything damaged or not tagged. Engineering
  • Plan the lift: weight, radius, ground, path and landing area. Use a written lift plan for complex lifts. Administrative
  • Use a certified crane operator who has also been evaluated by the employer, with the evaluation documented on site (29 CFR 1926.1427), plus a qualified rigger (1926.1425) and a qualified signal person (1926.1428). Administrative
Medium
4Lock up: brick, windows and roof covering
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Glass handling and breakage
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
  • 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 suction lifters, glass trolleys or a glazing robot for large panes. Engineering
  • Store glass upright on racks and secure it. Never lay it flat or lean it loosely. Engineering
  • Use two or more people for large panes, and clear the carry route first. Administrative
  • Mark new glass with tape or stickers so nobody walks into it. Administrative
  • Clean up broken glass straight away into a marked container. Administrative
Medium
5Fit out with all trades, managing who works where
  • Slips and trips
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • General dust
Critical
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
6Final clean, remove the site fence and hand over
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • 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)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Work glovesPersonal fall arrest system (harness)Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)Chemical-resistant glovesSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)Knee padsHalf-face respirator (P100 cartridges)Cut-resistant glovesN95 respirator

Plant and equipment

ExcavatorConcrete pump truckMobile crane: Operator certified by an accredited body or audited employer program (29 CFR 1926.1427) and evaluated by the employer, with a signed evaluation on site (1926.1427(f)); qualified rigger (1926.1425) and qualified signal person (1926.1428)Supported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)Nail gun (pneumatic nailer)Circular saw (skill saw)Telehandler: Trained and evaluated operator, certified by the employer with name, training date, evaluation date and evaluator; re-evaluated every 3 years (29 CFR 1910.178(l), via 1926.602(d)). If used to hoist a suspended load with a winch or jib, crane rules apply (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC)

Permits and plans

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

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 residential construction

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 residential construction

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Set up the site: fencing, signs, toilets, power and induction
  2. Site cut, footings and slab
  3. Frame and roof with scaffold and edge protection
  4. Lock up: brick, windows and roof covering
  5. Fit out with all trades, managing who works where
  6. Final clean, remove the site fence and hand over

Hazards to watch on residential construction

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

Step 2Trench or excavation collapseThe trench walls cave in and bury or crush a worker. Trenches 5 feet or deeper need a protective system, and shallower ones do too if there are signs of a possible cave-in.
Step 3Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.
Step 4Glass handling and breakageGlass panes break while being moved or fitted, causing deep cuts, or heavy panels fall and crush.
Step 1Electric shock from cords and power toolsDamaged cords, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 2Wet concrete and cement burnsWet concrete, mortar and cement burn skin and eyes. Burns can be deep and are often not felt until later.
Step 3Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on residential construction: 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:

  • Mobile crane: Operator certified by an accredited body or audited employer program (29 CFR 1926.1427) and evaluated by the employer, with a signed evaluation on site (1926.1427(f)); qualified rigger (1926.1425) and qualified signal person (1926.1428)
  • Supported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)
  • Telehandler: Trained and evaluated operator, certified by the employer with name, training date, evaluation date and evaluator; re-evaluated every 3 years (29 CFR 1910.178(l), via 1926.602(d)). If used to hoist a suspended load with a winch or jib, crane rules apply (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC)

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 Subpart K; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart O; 29 CFR 1926.651(b) and your state 811 law; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC; 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 residential construction?

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

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

More general contracting JHAs

JHASite Mobilization6 stepsJHAHome Addition7 stepsJHABathroom Remodel10 stepsJHAKitchen Remodel5 stepsJHAGarage Construction5 stepsJHAADU Construction5 stepsJHABuilding Maintenance6 steps

Related jobs in other trades

ConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves being hit by heavy equipmentRoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves crane and lifting failureExcavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves hitting underground servicesWelding and fabricationSteel ErectionAlso involves crane and lifting failureElectricalElectrical Panel UpgradeAlso involves electric shock from live wiringDrywallDrywall InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiring

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkManual Handling and Back Safety

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

Sources