Job Hazard Analysis

How safe is your workplace? Do you have a complete understanding of the operational hazards and risks present that can cause harm? Do you know where the gaps are in your safety program? A Job Hazard Analysis process will help you improve the effectiveness of your current safety program.
 
The Job Hazard Analysis  should be the central core of a safety and risk control program.   An understanding of the hazards and risks found within the organization is foundation for process improvement.  While generic checklist, programs and guidelines are good points of beginning and provide an element of control, they may or may not be identifying hazards and risks directly related to your specific work environment. 
Understanding a JHA process aids in the development of three essential skills:

• The maintaining of a personal “mental map” of concepts necessary to effectively and efficiently control hazards and risks.
• Being able to quickly develop a clear and concise understanding of the work environment. its complexity and the organizational politics.
• The maintaining  a “tool box” of techniques, methods and concepts that goes beyond a compliance approach to safety.  The tool box should include an array of problem solving, analysis, and communications techniques and concepts that can be drawn upon when required.   These concepts should also provide an understanding of the organization’s dynamics and organizational politics (yes - we must understand the interpersonal relationships  that must also be addressed and understood.

Implementing the JHA as a process and not just a tool to be used randomly provides a baseline that is not seen as arbitrary and can provide a map for goals and objectives. 

How can we could find a better way?
At the core of the production or service process is the need for all personnel to fully understand their assigned jobs and tasks. Job "titles" require an employee to do many related and unrelated tasks, some mundane and others higly physical with both tangible and intangible hazards.  Hazards may have a low to very high potential or probability to cause a range of injury types or harm.  It is this probability that catches us by surprise. We can do a familiar job day in and day out, not realizing that it has inherent hazards or inefficiencies that are uncontrolled.
The job hazard analysis process should prioritize jobs by effectiveness, risk and hazards and lead to comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures.   Establishing a Job Hazard Analysis process opens up a rmuch larger potential for enhanced improvement opportunities.  A flow would be:

• Conducting the risk assessment of the workplace

• Prioritizing the risk assessment findings using the risk matrix

• Developing controls – The JHA process begins with the highest priority job first based on hazards, severity of risks and impact on the organization
   
  • Recommending and implementing controls
  • Monitoring the results of the controls

  We are not talking just a cursory inspection but a designated risk and hazard assessment project that establishes a baseline to begin the JHA process.
   
  The initial phase of the JHA process should consist of the following”
  Establish the basic purpose of the process consistent with other internal protocols and procedures.   Make sure you have management buy-in!
  Involve employees with hazard identification discussions and activities
  The climate of the organization must prevent harassment or the stopping of candid and open communications – Do employees feel free to report problems?
  Provide timely responses to employees – plan the methods of communications early in the process – How will you respond?
  Establish actions plans – if issues are identified, do you have a procedure to get the immediate issues under control.
  Track and follow-up procedures – What systems do you have in place and do they work?  
  Start the JHA process by developing the structures that will sustain the use of the procedures over time.
   
  Nathan Crutchfield
  Crutchfield Consulting, LLC
   
  Reference:  “Job Hazard Analysis” by Roughton and Crutchfield, 2008 Butterworth-Heinemann
   
  
   
   
  For addition insights, go to my Squidoo site: Job Hazard Analysis