Monday – New Things

Four Basic Steps

• Selecting the job needing analysis
• Breaking job down into manageable steps
• Identifying hazards
• Determining preventable measures to overcome the hazards found.

Hazard Assessment:
 

• Pre-Job Inspection: What is the job scope? Communicate this to all involved in the job and make sure it is understood.
• Site Inspection: Are there weather concerns, housekeeping issues, overhead hazards, trip/slip/fall hazards, pinch points, sharp edges, and established escape routes?
• Self: Is proper PPE worn? Are there any additional hazards or risks? Document any other comments or things you have noticed when doing your assessment.

Tuesday – Identifying Potential Hazards

The following are some questions you can ask yourself to help identify potential hazards:

• Can any body parts get caught between objects?
• Do the machines, tools, or equipment present any hazards?
• Can your body make contact with any moving parts?
• Can you slip, trip, or fall?
• Are you exposed to heat or cold?
• Is there excessive noise or vibration?
• Is there a potential for falling objects?
• Can weather conditions affect you?
• Is there any possible contact with radiation?
• Will you have contact with hot, toxic, or caustic products?
• Are there dusts, fumes, mists, or vapors in the air?

Wednesday – Job Safety Analysis

According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety here is their definition of a JSA:

“A job safety analysis (JSA) is a procedure which helps integrate accepted safety and health principles and practices into a particular task or job operation. In a JSA, each basic step of the job is to identify potential hazards and to recommend the safest way to do the job. Other terms used to describe this procedure are job hazard[CS1]  analysis (JHA) and job hazard breakdown. Some individuals prefer to expand the analysis into all aspects of the job, not just safety. This approach is known as total job analysis. Methodology is based on the idea that safety is an integral part of every job and not a separate entity. In this document, only health and safety aspects will be considered. The terms "job" and "task" are commonly used interchangeably to mean a specific work assignment, such as "operating a grinder," "using a pressurized water extinguisher," or "changing a flat tire." JSAs are not suitable for jobs defined too broadly, for example, "overhauling an engine"; or too narrowly, for example, "positioning car jack."”

Thursday – Preventing and Correcting Hazards

After reviewing hazards, consider what control methods can eliminate or reduce them. The most effective controls are ones that physically change a machine or work environment to prevent hazard exposure. The more reliable or less likely a hazard control can be circumvented, the better. If this is not feasible, consider administrative controls. This may involve changing how we do our jobs.

New work means new job procedures, but ensure everyone has a full understanding on the requirements and the reasons behind the changes.

Also, reviewing the JSA annually, especially when the job has not changed, will help you stay up to date and refreshed on any potential hazards. This is a good practice as it sparks an internal reminder that risk does exist and you may even find potential hazards that were overlooked before. Additionally, having someone else review your work area may help you catch risks that you didn’t even know was there!

Friday – Free Speech Friday

Have you looked over your work area? Have you had anyone else assess your work area? Now is a good time to take inventory of any hazards that exist. Have you noticed new hazards that my have not presented themselves before? Do you have any advice or stories where you have over looked a hazard? What did you do to correct the potential of it happening again?