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Drywall · United States

JHA for drywall repair

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 drywall repair 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, falling from a ladder and cuts from sharp edges.

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JHA example: drywall repair

This is a complete JHA for drywall repair, 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)
Drywall patching and repairs · Drywall · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check for asbestos in older linings before cutting
  • 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
2Check for cables and pipes behind the wall
  • 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
3Cut out damage and fit a patch
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • General dust
Medium
  • 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
  • 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
  • Wear a dust mask and safety glasses. PPE
Low
4Set, sand and finish
  • General dust
  • Falling from a ladder
High
  • General dust: see step 3 for the full controls 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
  • 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
5Clean up
  • 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

N95 respiratorSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsWork glovesCut-resistant glovesHard hat (ANSI Z89.1)

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsPower sanderStep ladder

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 drywall repair

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 drywall repair

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check for asbestos in older linings before cutting
  2. Check for cables and pipes behind the wall
  3. Cut out damage and fit a patch
  4. Set, sand and finish
  5. Clean up

Hazards to watch on drywall repair

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

Step 1Disturbing 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 3, 4General dustDust from drywall, joint compound, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.
Step 4Falling from a ladderThe ladder slips or tips, or the worker overreaches, and they fall onto a hard surface.
Step 3Cuts from sharp edgesSheet metal, glass, blades, cable tray and offcuts cut hands and arms.
Step 2Electric shock from live wiringContact with energized wires, electrical panels or equipment gives an electric shock or arc flash burn that can kill.
Step 5Poor housekeeping and wasteTrash, offcuts and materials left lying around cause trips, cuts and fires, and block exits.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on drywall repair: 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 drywall repair?

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

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

More drywall JHAs

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Related jobs in other trades

ElectricalElectrical Panel UpgradeAlso involves disturbing asbestosRoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosExcavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves falling from a ladderScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves falling from a ladderPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves general dust

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkAsbestos Awareness

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

Sources