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Roofing · United States

JHA for metal roofing installation

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 metal roofing 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 falling from a roof edge, falling from height, scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold and being hit by heavy equipment.

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JHA example: metal roofing installation

This is a complete JHA for metal roofing installation, with 7 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)
Install metal roof sheets · Roofing · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Install scaffold edge protection and safety mesh before any sheets go up
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Falling from height
  • Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold
Critical
  • 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
  • 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
  • Scaffold is built, moved and taken down under the supervision of a competent person. Engineering
  • Fit guardrails, mid rails and toe boards on every platform more than 10 feet above a lower level, or use personal fall arrest (29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1)). Engineering
  • Use mobile scaffolds only on firm, level ground with casters locked, and guy, tie, brace or fit outriggers once the height is more than 4 times the base width (29 CFR 1926.451(c)(1)). Never move one with anyone on it. Engineering
  • Every worker on the scaffold is trained by a qualified person (29 CFR 1926.454). Administrative
  • A competent person inspects the scaffold before each shift and after anything that could affect it (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3)). Administrative
  • Do not overload platforms. Know the rated load (light, medium or heavy duty) and stack materials over the legs, not mid-span (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(1)). Administrative
Medium
2Check wind speed and stop lifting or laying sheets in strong wind
  • Strong wind and storms
High
  • Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Elimination
  • Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Engineering
  • Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Administrative
  • Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Administrative
  • Check scaffold, fencing and edge protection after strong wind before anyone uses them. Administrative
  • Do not carry large sheets on roofs in wind. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat with a chin strap at height in windy conditions. PPE
Low
3Lift sheet packs onto the roof with a crane or telehandler, keeping everyone out from under the load
  • Crane and lifting failure
  • Falling tools and materials
  • Contact with overhead power lines
  • Being hit by heavy equipment
Critical
  • 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
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Engineering (guarding)
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Engineering
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Engineering
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Engineering
  • Ask the utility to de-energize, move or insulate the lines before work starts. Elimination
  • Use non-conductive (fiberglass) ladders near any power lines. Substitution
  • Mark the safe distance with flags, tape or warning lines and keep all equipment and people outside it. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep equipment at least 10 feet from lines up to 50 kV once the utility confirms the voltage, more for higher voltages, and 20 feet when the voltage is unknown (29 CFR 1926.1408). Administrative
  • Use a dedicated spotter whenever equipment moves or raises anything near lines. Administrative
  • 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
Medium
4Lay sheets one at a time and fix them down straight away so they cannot blow off
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • Strong wind and storms
High
  • 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
  • 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
  • Strong wind and storms: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
5Cut sheets with nibblers or shears rather than a grinder where possible
  • Angle grinder injuries
  • Fire from hot works
  • Eye injuries
  • Loud noise
Critical
  • Use a guarded saw or a different tool where you can. Substitution
  • Keep the guard on and use the side handle. Never remove the guard. Engineering
  • Use the right disc for the job, rated for the grinder's speed. Check it for cracks first. Administrative
  • Only trained people change discs, with the grinder unplugged or the battery out. Administrative
  • Use cold work methods where you can, such as bolting, press fittings or cutting with a saw instead of a torch. Elimination
  • Move anything that can burn at least 35 feet away, or cover it with fire blankets. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use fire-resistant screens to stop sparks reaching people or gaps in walls and floors. Engineering
  • Get a hot work permit before starting. Administrative
  • Use tool guards and screens to stop flying particles. Engineering
  • Use dust extraction and water to keep dust out of the air. Engineering
  • Keep others out of the area when cutting, grinding or chipping. Administrative
  • Keep an eye wash station or eye wash bottles on site. Administrative
  • Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitution
  • Keep noisy plant away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Engineering
  • Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Administrative
Medium
6Screw off sheets and fit flashings and ridge capping
  • Injury from power tools
  • Heat stress
  • Sun exposure (UV)
  • Burns from hot surfaces
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
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Elimination
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in attics. Engineering
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Administrative
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Administrative
  • In California, Washington, Oregon and Maryland, follow the state heat illness rule: written plan, shade, water, rest and high-heat procedures. Administrative
  • Plan outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when UV is lower. Elimination
  • Put shade covers over fixed work areas. Engineering
  • Check the UV index each day. Use sun protection when it is 3 or higher. Administrative
  • Check your skin regularly and see a doctor about any new or changing spots. Administrative
  • Isolate heating systems and let parts cool before you touch them. Elimination
  • Fit guards or insulation on hot pipes and equipment. Engineering
  • Mark hot items with chalk or a "HOT" sign so others know. Administrative
  • Keep a first aid kit and cool running water nearby for burns. Administrative
Medium
7Sweep off swarf and offcuts, then remove mesh and edge protection last
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Falling tools and materials
Critical
  • 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
  • Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Administrative
  • Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE
  • Falling from a roof edge: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Administrative
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE
  • Falling tools and materials: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative
Medium

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Personal fall arrest system (harness)Cut-resistant glovesSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Work glovesFace shield (ANSI Z87.1)Welding glovesCoverallsSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)

Plant and equipment

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)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)Power drillAngle grinderHand tools

Permits and plans

Written fall protection plan (only where guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest are not feasible, 1926.502(k))Critical lift planHot work permit (fire watch at least 60 minutes after, NFPA 51B)

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 metal roofing 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 metal roofing installation

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Install scaffold edge protection and safety mesh before any sheets go up
  2. Check wind speed and stop lifting or laying sheets in strong wind
  3. Lift sheet packs onto the roof with a crane or telehandler, keeping everyone out from under the load
  4. Lay sheets one at a time and fix them down straight away so they cannot blow off
  5. Cut sheets with nibblers or shears rather than a grinder where possible
  6. Screw off sheets and fit flashings and ridge capping
  7. Sweep off swarf and offcuts, then remove mesh and edge protection last

Hazards to watch on metal roofing installation

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

Step 6Burns from hot surfacesTouching hot pipes, tools, asphalt, solder or freshly welded metal burns the skin.
Step 3Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.
Step 5Angle grinder injuriesThe disc shatters, binds or kicks back, causing deep cuts to legs and hands or eye injuries.
Step 1Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldA scaffold that is badly built, overloaded or altered collapses or tips, or a worker falls from an unguarded platform.
Step 6Sun exposure (UV)Long hours in the sun cause sunburn, eye damage and skin cancer.
Step 3Contact with overhead power linesA ladder, aerial lift, crane, dump truck or long length of material touches or gets close to an overhead line and electrocutes people.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on metal roofing installation: 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 use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Is there a skylight, fiberglass panel or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use an aerial lift (scissor lift or boom lift)?
  • Was the building built before 1981?
  • Is it a home or child-occupied facility (such as a child care center or preschool) built before 1978, and will you disturb paint?

Licences and legal requirements in United States

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • 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)
  • 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)

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 M; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC; 29 CFR 1926.501(c); 29 CFR 1926.1408 and 1926.416; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart O; 29 CFR 1926.352 and NFPA 51B (35 ft rule also in 1910.252(a)); 29 CFR 1926.52; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart I; OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) General Duty Clause; state heat rules where they apply (Cal/OSHA T8 3395, WA WAC 296-62-095, OR OAR 437-002-0156, MD COMAR 09.12.32).

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 metal roofing installation?

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

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

More roofing JHAs

JHARoof Replacement11 stepsJHARoof Tile Replacement9 stepsJHAGutter Replacement9 stepsJHARoof Leak Repair6 stepsJHASkylight Installation6 stepsJHAFlat Roof Membrane Installation6 stepsJHAFascia and Soffit Repair5 steps

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

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