Job Safety Analysis Examples (Worked)
The fastest way to learn what a defensible JSA looks like is to read one. Six examples below, across six common trades. Each one breaks the task into steps, identifies the hazards in each step, and specifies engineering, administrative, and PPE controls in that order. These are stripped-down working examples — your real JSAs will go deeper on PPE specifics, OSHA references, and crew sign-off.
Use these as a starting point, not a finished document. The whole point of a JSA is that it reflects your site, your crew, your equipment — see how to write a JHA for the underlying process.
Example 1 — Residential re-roof tear-off
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Set up ladder access | Ladder slip, fall from height | 4:1 ratio, tied off at top, extends 3 ft above eave |
| 2. Install perimeter fall protection | Fall from edge (>6 ft) | PFAS with engineered anchors OR guardrail system OR safety net per 1926.501 |
| 3. Tear off existing shingles | Struck-by debris, slips on loose granules | Ground exclusion zone, hi-vis, clean as you go |
| 4. Remove nails / sweep deck | Puncture, tripping | Magnetic sweeper, leather gloves, deck swept before next step |
| 5. Load debris to dumpster | Manual handling, struck-by | Chute or controlled drop zone, no throwing from height |
Example 2 — 6 ft trench excavation for water service
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Call 811 / locate utilities | Strike on buried utility | One-call ticket open, hand-dig within 2 ft of marks |
| 2. Soil classification | Wrong protective system | Competent person classifies per 1926 Subpart P (Type A/B/C) |
| 3. Excavate to depth | Cave-in | Trench box installed before entry (5 ft trigger) OR slope to angle for soil type |
| 4. Enter trench to install pipe | Cave-in, struck-by spoils | Spoils 2 ft+ back, ladder within 25 ft of worker, atmospheric test if >4 ft |
| 5. Backfill and compact | Plant struck-by, ground vibration | Spotter for plant, no entry during compaction |
Example 3 — Energized electrical panel inspection (480V)
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Verify scope requires energized work | Unnecessary exposure | De-energize unless infeasible per NFPA 70E 130.2(A); energized work permit signed per 130.2(B) |
| 2. Establish approach boundaries | Shock, arc flash | Limited / restricted approach per Table 130.4(E)(a), barricades |
| 3. Don arc-rated PPE | Arc flash burn | Arc rating ≥ incident energy on label, AR balaclava, hood, gloves rated for system voltage |
| 4. Open panel and inspect | Shock, accidental contact | Insulated tools, one hand rule, attendant outside arc flash boundary |
| 5. Close panel | Pinch, residual contact | Two-person check, panel cover torqued |
Example 4 — Structural steel welding (TIG, indoor)
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hot work permit | Fire ignition | Permit posted, 35 ft clear radius, fire watch assigned 30 min post-work |
| 2. Set up shielding | UV exposure to others | Welding curtains, signage |
| 3. Ventilation check | Fume inhalation | LEV at source, general dilution > 2000 cfm, supplied-air respirator if galv or coated steel |
| 4. Strike arc / weld | Burns, eye damage | Auto-darkening helmet shade ≥10, leather jacket, gauntlets |
| 5. Cool down / fire watch | Delayed ignition | Fire watch 30 min minimum, extinguisher present |
Example 5 — Mobile scaffold erection (single bay, 16 ft)
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check ground / surface | Scaffold tip-over | Level, capable of supporting load, mudsills if needed |
| 2. Erect frame | Fall during erection | Competent person supervises per 1926.451; PFAS at heights >10 ft if feasible |
| 3. Install planks / guardrails | Fall from working level | Full planking, top rail 38–45 in, mid-rail, toeboard |
| 4. Pre-use inspection | Hidden defects | Competent person tags green; brakes engaged when not moving |
| 5. Move scaffold | Tip-over with worker on board | Workers off before moving; height-to-base ratio ≤2:1 outdoors |
Example 6 — Concrete pour, slab on grade
| Step | Hazard | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Truck on site / pump setup | Struck-by truck, pump boom | Spotter, exclusion zone under boom, hi-vis |
| 2. Place concrete | Chemical burn from wet concrete | Waterproof gloves, rubber boots, eye protection; wash station on site |
| 3. Screed / float | Ergonomic, slips | Knee pads, rotate crew, slip-resistant footwear |
| 4. Power trowel finish | Caught in rotating blade, fuel | Guards in place, refuel cooled engine only |
| 5. Cure and clean | Silica from dried concrete cleanup | Wet methods or HEPA vacuum per 1926.1153 Table 1 |
Use these — but don't paste them
A JSA copy-pasted from the internet is the single fastest way to fail a GC prequal. These examples show structure. Your real JSAs need to reflect your actual crew, your actual site conditions, your actual equipment, and the specific OSHA references that apply — bundled into a site-specific safety plan for the project.
Build a JSA in Riskora
Riskora's JSA / JHA builder starts you with the right hazard library for your trade. You pick the steps, the platform suggests the hazards and controls, and you edit. Output as PDF. Use these examples as comparison; build the real one against your actual job.
Related: JHA generator · JHA form fields · How to write a JHA
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