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Landscaping · United States

JHA for sprinkler system installation

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 sprinkler system installation 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 hitting underground services, being hit by heavy equipment, electric shock from live wiring and lifting and carrying heavy loads.

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JHA example: sprinkler system installation

This is a complete JHA for sprinkler system installation, 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)
Irrigation installation · Landscaping · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Get 811 locates and mark trench lines
  • Hitting underground services
Critical
  • 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
  • Keep plans or locate tickets on site and check them again if the work area grows. Administrative
  • Support or protect exposed utilities so they cannot sag or break while the excavation is open (29 CFR 1926.651(b)(4)). Administrative
  • If you hit a service, stop, get everyone clear, and call the owner and emergency services. Administrative
  • Wear safety boots, gloves and hi-vis when digging. PPE
Medium
2Dig shallow trenches by hand or with a trencher
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Being hit by heavy equipment
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
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
  • 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
  • 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
Medium
3Lay pipe and glue joints with ventilation
  • Hazardous chemicals
Medium
  • Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Substitution
  • Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Engineering
  • Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and labels before use, following OSHA Hazard Communication. Administrative
  • Keep chemicals in labeled containers. Never pour them into drink bottles. Administrative
  • Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Administrative
  • Have eye wash and a spill kit nearby, and wash hands before eating. Administrative
  • Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles as listed on the SDS. PPE
  • Use a respirator with the right cartridge if the SDS calls for one. PPE
Medium
4Connect the controller, getting a licensed electrician for any new power
  • 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
5Test, backfill and clean up
  • Pressure testing
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • Test with water instead of air or gas where the system allows it. Never put water in refrigerant pipework, which is tested with dry nitrogen. Substitution
  • Keep people out of the test area with signs and barriers. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a calibrated gauge and a relief valve set to protect the system. Engineering
  • Test to the pressure the system calls for and hold it for the set time. Never go over. Administrative
  • Release the pressure fully before tightening anything or fixing leaks. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses or a face shield. 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
Low

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Work glovesSun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Chemical-resistant glovesSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Face shield (ANSI Z87.1)

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsExcavatorPower drill

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 sprinkler system installation

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 sprinkler system installation

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Get 811 locates and mark trench lines
  2. Dig shallow trenches by hand or with a trencher
  3. Lay pipe and glue joints with ventilation
  4. Connect the controller, getting a licensed electrician for any new power
  5. Test, backfill and clean up

Hazards to watch on sprinkler system installation

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

Step 5Pressure testingA pipe, fitting or cap fails under test pressure and blows apart, hitting people nearby.
Step 1Hitting underground servicesDigging, drilling or driving pegs hits a buried power cable, gas pipe or water main, causing electrocution, explosion or flooding.
Step 2Being hit by heavy equipmentExcavators, loaders, telehandlers and trucks run over or crush workers, especially when backing up or swinging.
Step 3Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.
Step 4Electric shock from live wiringContact with energized wires, electrical panels or equipment gives an electric shock or arc flash burn that can kill.
Step 2Lifting 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 sprinkler system installation: 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 sprinkler system installation?

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

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

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Related jobs in other trades

Excavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves hitting underground servicesDrywallDrywall InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiringPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves hazardous chemicalsElectricalElectrical Panel UpgradeAlso involves electric shock from live wiringConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves being hit by heavy equipment

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkPPE: Personal Protective EquipmentToolbox talkHazard Communication and SDSToolbox talkCrane and Lifting Safety

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

Sources