JHA Examples: 4 Filled Job Hazard Analysis Samples
Four completed job hazard analyses in the standard steps-hazards-controls format, for the tasks GCs most often demand a JHA for: roofing tear-off, trenching and excavation, electrical panel work, and extension ladder work. Every control cites the applicable 29 CFR standard. Need the blank form? Grab the free JHA template (Word & PDF).
Example 1: Shingle tear-off and replacement (roofing)
Two-story residential roof, 8/12 pitch, asphalt shingles, crew of four, one day. Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, so the controls lean on 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M.
Required PPE: Hard hat, safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves, high-traction footwear, personal fall arrest system (PFAS)
| # | Job step | Hazards | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set up ground protection and ladder access | Ladder slides or tips; workers struck by falling debris below the eave | Extend the ladder 3 ft above the eave, tie off the top, set the base at 4-to-1 (29 CFR 1926.1053); barricade the debris drop zone below |
| 2 | Install roof anchors and tie off | Fall from the roof edge while setting the first anchor | Set the first anchor from the ladder or lift where possible; 100% tie-off once on the roof with PFAS anchored per 29 CFR 1926.502(d); anchors rated 5,000 lb per worker |
| 3 | Tear off shingles and felt | Slips on loose granules; puncture wounds from exposed nails; overexertion | Work top-down so footing stays on secured shingles; pull or bend nails as they are exposed; rotate crew and schedule water breaks |
| 4 | Chute or throw debris to the dumpster | Workers below struck by falling debris; back injuries from throwing | Keep the barricaded drop zone clear and posted (29 CFR 1926.25 housekeeping); use a debris chute; no throwing over occupied areas |
| 5 | Install new underlayment and shingles | Fall through skylights or openings; nail gun injuries | Cover or guard every skylight and opening (29 CFR 1926.501(b)(4)); keep sequential-fire triggers on nail guns; never bypass the safety contact tip |
| 6 | Clean up and demobilize | Nails left on the ground; falls while removing the last anchor | Sweep the site with a magnetic roller; remove anchors last while still tied off to a second anchor point |
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Example 2: Trenching and excavation for a sewer lateral
Open-cut trench, 6 ft deep, 30 ft run, in previously disturbed soil next to a roadway. Trenching controls come from 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, and a competent person is required on site.
Required PPE: Hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, high-visibility vest, steel-toe boots
| # | Job step | Hazards | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locate utilities and plan the dig | Striking buried gas, electric, or water lines | Call 811 and verify locates before digging; hand-dig or vacuum-excavate within the tolerance zone of marked utilities (29 CFR 1926.651(b)) |
| 2 | Excavate the trench | Cave-in; equipment strikes workers; spoil pile sliding back into the trench | Competent person classifies the soil and selects the protective system (29 CFR 1926.652); keep spoils and equipment at least 2 ft from the edge (1926.651(j)); no worker in the trench during excavation |
| 3 | Set the protective system (trench box or shoring) | Cave-in during installation; crushing during box placement | Install the box from outside the trench; workers enter only inside the protected zone; box extends above grade or a sloped bench protects the top |
| 4 | Enter the trench and lay pipe | Cave-in; hazardous atmosphere; workers struck by suspended pipe | Ladder or ramp within 25 ft of lateral travel (29 CFR 1926.651(c)); test the atmosphere before entry where a hazard is reasonably possible (1926.651(g)); never work under a suspended load, use taglines |
| 5 | Backfill and compact | Equipment strikes workers in or near the trench; trench box shifts during extraction | All workers out of the trench before backfilling; spotter for the operator; pull the box in stages as backfill rises |
| 6 | Daily and post-rain inspections | Changed soil conditions cause collapse after the initial classification | Competent person inspects the trench daily before entry and after every rain or vibration event (29 CFR 1926.651(k)) |
Example 3: Replacing a breaker in a 480V panel (electrical)
Commercial panelboard, 480V 3-phase, breaker swap during a scheduled shutdown. The controls follow the de-energize-first rule: live work only when de-energizing creates a greater hazard.
Required PPE: Arc-rated clothing and face shield per the arc-flash label, voltage-rated gloves with leather protectors, safety glasses, dielectric footwear
| # | Job step | Hazards | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plan the work and review the arc-flash label | Wrong PPE category for the incident energy; unplanned live work | Review the panel arc-flash label and single-line diagram; confirm the outage window; live work requires a permit and justification (29 CFR 1926.416) |
| 2 | De-energize and lock out the feeder | Unexpected energization; stored energy | Open the upstream disconnect, apply lock and tag under the site lockout program (29 CFR 1926.417); one lock per worker exposed |
| 3 | Verify absence of voltage | Tester failure gives a false "dead" reading; arc flash during verification | Live-dead-live check: prove the tester on a known source, test all phases phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground, prove the tester again, wearing arc-rated PPE until verified dead |
| 4 | Remove and replace the breaker | Cuts and pinch points; damage to adjacent energized sections | Barricade and cover any adjacent sections that remain energized; use insulated tools; keep unqualified workers outside the limited approach boundary |
| 5 | Re-energize and test | Arc flash on re-energization; equipment failure under load | Panel covers on before re-energizing; only the authorized worker removes locks; stand to the side of the panel when closing the breaker; verify load readings |
Generate a JHA like this for your task, $29JHA for electrical work →
Example 4: Extension ladder work on a building exterior
Gutter and trim work from a 28 ft extension ladder, two-story commercial exterior. Ladder rules come from 29 CFR 1926.1053; this JHA covers setup through takedown.
Required PPE: Hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, high-traction footwear, tool lanyard
| # | Job step | Hazards | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inspect the ladder | Structural failure from cracked rails, worn feet, or bent rungs | Inspect rails, rungs, feet, and the rope-and-pulley before each shift; tag and remove damaged ladders from service (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(15)) |
| 2 | Select the location and set up | Ladder contacts overhead power lines; base set on soft or sloped ground; doors swing into the ladder | Keep at least 10 ft from overhead lines; set the base at 4-to-1 on firm, level ground; barricade or lock doorways the ladder blocks |
| 3 | Extend and secure the ladder | Ladder slides sideways or kicks out at the base | Extend at least 3 ft above the landing surface and tie off the top (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1)); a second worker foots the ladder until it is secured |
| 4 | Climb and work from the ladder | Falls from overreaching; dropped tools striking workers below | Three points of contact while climbing; keep your belt buckle between the rails, move the ladder instead of reaching; tools on lanyards, hoist heavy material with a hand line, and keep the area below clear |
| 5 | Reposition and take down | Strains carrying the ladder; striking people or glazing while moving it | Two workers carry the extended ladder or retract it first; lower the fly section with the rope, hands clear of the rung lock |
Your task is not one of these four?
TailgateDocs writes the full step-by-step analysis for your exact task in minutes: steps, hazards, controls, PPE, and verified 29 CFR citations, with a crew sign-off block ready to print. Editable Word available.
Generate my JHA for $29Common questions
▸What does a completed JHA look like?
A completed JHA is a three-column table: the job broken into 6 to 12 sequential steps, the specific hazards of each step, and a control for every hazard, with the OSHA standard cited where one applies. A header identifies the task, location, date, and preparer, and the crew signs the bottom after reviewing it.
▸Can I copy these examples for my own job?
Use them as a starting point, but a JHA is only useful if it matches your actual task, site, and equipment. A reviewer can tell when the steps do not match the scope of work. Change the steps, hazards, and controls to fit your job, or generate one written for your exact task.
▸How specific should the hazards be?
Specific enough that the control is obvious and checkable. "Cave-in because the trench is 6 ft deep in previously disturbed soil" leads directly to a protective system; "trench hazards" leads nowhere. Name the object, the energy, or the condition that can hurt someone.
▸Do the controls need OSHA citations?
Not strictly, but citing the standard shows the control is grounded in a requirement rather than an opinion, and many GCs and prequal reviewers look for citations. If you cite standards, verify them: reviewers notice made-up section numbers.
Keep exploring
Free blank JHA template (Word & PDF)How to write a JHAThe JHA format, explainedSite-specific JHA, $29Trenching & excavation requirementsFall protection requirements