What is Job Safety Analysis?

Did you know that panthers and leopards are the same animal? No jokes. Only their fur coats are different, everything else is the same. Believe it or not, job safety analysis forms are similar (minus the claws, teeth, agility and general awesomeness).

Otherwise known as a risk assessment or a job task analysis, job safety analyses (JSA for short) aim to identify hazards and implement measures that will control or at least minimise the risk involved in construction work. Job safety analysis forms come in a variety of types but all share the common traits. The below job safety analysis template comes from the Victorian WorkCover Authority and gives you an idea of correct layout.

As you can see from the above job safety analysis worksheet, there are four parts to a good JSA template.

1: Classify the tasks: along with everyone involved in the high risk construction work, write down each of the steps that make up the job.

2: Hazard and risk identification: besides each step, write down what injuries or health threats are involved.

3: Document the control measures: next to each hazard assessment, specify what control measures will be used to eliminate or reduce the risk of injury or ill health.

4: Distribute responsibility: outline who is responsible for the implementation of each control measure.

One more point that you’ll need to remember. If an incident does occur in the workplace that results in injury or ill health, your job safety analysis could very well be used in court proceedings. This means every duty holder must sign off and review the job safety analysis worksheet should safety conditions change.

So it’s all pretty similar stuff. Panther or leopard? Risk assessment or job safety analysis? Same things, different names.