USACE Activity Hazard Analysis — EM 385-1-1 structured

On USACE and federal projects, every Definable Feature of Work needs an AHA that follows EM 385-1-1: task steps, hazards, controls, RAC and named competent/qualified persons. Riskora builds a compliant AHA fast. 100+ industries supported.

US (JSA) example document — Roof Tear-Off & Re-Cover — 482 Sandalwood Drive, Boise. Client: Sandalwood Homeowners Association. Site: 482 Sandalwood Drive, Boise, ID 83702. Scope: Tear-off of 2,400 sq ft of 3-tab asphalt shingles, replacement of damaged decking, installation of ice-and-water shield, synthetic underlayment and GAF Timberline HDZ architectural shingles. Works programmed over 6 working days with a crew of 4 roofers and 1 ground operative.

Example US (JSA) front cover produced by Riskora
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Not a blank template. Not loose AI prose. A structured AHA — the sections a competent reviewer expects to see — from a brief you can paste in under a minute.

  • UK · IE · US · CA · AU · NZ
  • RAMS · SWMS · JHA · JSA · COSHH · Task Analysis · Toolbox Talks
  • Site-specific — not a blank template
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You're probably here because…
  • You're mobilizing on a USACE / federal job and need an AHA per DFOW.
  • Your AHA was returned for missing RAC or competent persons.
  • EM 385-1-1 requires more than a standard JHA — you need the AHA format.
  • The GC's safety officer is auditing your DFOWs.
What to add to the box
  • A client email asking for paperwork
  • A site manager's WhatsApp or text message
  • Scope of works or job description
  • Tender or PQQ notes for the package
  • A previous RAMS to update or improve
Inside the document

What Riskora builds for this AHA

Every section is built around your actual scope of work and the framework this page is about — not boilerplate. You confirm what applies to the site before you issue it.

Task step breakdown

Sequenced steps for the Definable Feature of Work.

Hazards + RAC

Hazards with initial and residual Risk Assessment Code (RAC).

Controls hierarchy

Engineering, admin and PPE controls per EM 385-1-1.

Competent + qualified persons

Named CP/QP with certifications and inspection duties.

Equipment + training

Equipment list, inspections and required training per task.

Emergency response

First aid, evacuation, nearest medical facility, reporting.

Example output

A site-ready AHA, ready to review

See how Riskora shapes your brief into a AHA your reviewer will accept — every section structured, edit anything before you issue it.

Not a blank template

Not a template. Not loose AI prose. A structured AHA.

Most 'AHA template' downloads are blank docs you still have to fill in, and generic AI tools produce loose prose a competent reviewer will bin. Riskora produces a structured AHA — with the sections the relevant framework expects — from a brief you can paste in under a minute.

Inside the document

What your JHA actually contains

Riskora builds a structured, client-facing document — not a generic AI paragraph. Every section is shaped around your job, your site and your team.

  • Hazards

    Task-specific hazards for the job, captured row by row — not a generic list pulled from an old JHA.

  • Controls

    Control measures mapped to each hazard with residual risk scoring after controls are applied.

  • PPE

    PPE requirements tied to the activity and site, ready to brief to the team.

  • Method steps

    Step-by-step method statement structured around how the work is actually sequenced on site.

  • Emergency arrangements

    First aid, rescue plan, emergency contacts and site-specific escalation routes.

  • COSHH prompts

    Substance prompts when the work involves chemicals, dusts, fumes or sealants — flagged early, not missed at review.

  • Sign-off

    Operative sign-off captured against the document — names, dates and acknowledgement of the brief.

  • Version history

    Every change tracked so you can show what was issued, when, and which version the team signed.

  • Approval status

    Clear approval state on every document — draft, in review, approved, issued — visible across the team.

  • Audit trail

    Who created it, who reviewed it, who signed it. A complete trail you can hand to a principal contractor or auditor.

Before & after

From copied-and-pasted to site-specific

The reason JHA get rejected is rarely the format — it's that the document is obviously generic. Riskora rebuilds it around this job, this site and this task.

Before

Generic template copied from an old job.

  • • Hazards and controls that don't match this site or task.
  • • Method steps written for a different sequence of work.
  • • No emergency arrangements specific to the location.
  • • Client flags it as generic and asks for a rewrite.
After

Site-specific document structured around this job, site and task.

  • • Hazards captured from the actual scope you pasted in.
  • • Method steps sequenced for how the work runs on site.
  • • Emergency arrangements and rescue plan tied to the location.
  • • Approved internally, briefed to the team, signed off and stored.
How it works

From job details to signed-off document

A four-step workflow used by contractors, consultants and safety teams to turn informal job details into client-ready safety paperwork.

  1. 1
    Paste job details

    Drop in a client email, a WhatsApp from the site manager, a scope of works or a tender note. Anything that describes the job.

  2. 2
    Riskora structures the document

    Riskora turns your brief into hazards, controls, method steps, PPE, emergency arrangements and COSHH prompts.

  3. 3
    Review, edit and download

    You stay in control of every section. Tweak anything, then download a clean PDF or share a link.

  4. 4
    Brief the team and record sign-off

    Brief operatives, capture their sign-off and keep a full audit trail of who signed which version.

Built for site reality

Built by people who've written this paperwork on real sites

Riskora is built by a founder with hands-on site and document experience — designed for contractors, consultants and safety teams who need to issue, brief and prove safety paperwork without losing a day to admin.

  • Built for contractors, consultants and teams
    Solo trades, principal contractors and in-house safety teams all run on the same workflow.
  • Supports multiple countries
    UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, US and Canada — wording and document types match the local standard.
  • Not just documents
    Sign-off, approvals, version history and an audit trail — the management workflow around the paperwork.
Start in seconds

Build your AHA now — done in minutes

Describe the job details, an email from the client, or a rough scope of works. Riskora shapes the rest around the actual task so you can review, edit and issue today.

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FAQ

Questions for this exact situation

Activity Hazard Analysis — the pre-task hazard analysis required by USACE EM 385-1-1 for every Definable Feature of Work on federal / USACE projects.

An AHA follows a stricter format under EM 385-1-1: task steps, hazards, controls, Risk Assessment Code (RAC), named Competent Person, named Qualified Person, equipment, inspection requirements and training.

The AHA must be reviewed and accepted by the GDA (Government Designated Authority) or the prime contractor's safety representative before the DFOW begins.

Before each DFOW starts, when conditions change, when the crew changes materially, and after any incident or near miss.

Riskora helps structure a site-specific safety document. It does not replace competent review, site supervision, client requirements or legal duties. Always check the final document before issue.