Job Hazard Analysis - The Job Review Process

The Job Hazard Analysis Process represents only one aspect in establishing a safe environment. Developing procedures to identify and define the loss potential in a facility or operation is a combination of risk and hazard analysis, behavior consequence analysis, and organizational design review. Understanding these elements is essential in the improvement of a safety management system.

Risk and Hazard

To be effective, it is essential that management assess the operation and develop an in-depth appreciation of the nature and scope of any risk associated with the operation. This assessment will help to identify hazards related to activities that are inherently unsafe. If used routinely, an effective Job hazard Analysis will enhance the effectiveness of any safety process, no matter the type of organization.

Human Behavior

The next element in developing a risk assessment process is to review human behaviors that results in the completion of assigned tasks and the underlining culture of the organization. "Consequences analysis" or "gap analysis" are great tools that can be used to determine if the facility has unconsciously designed specific procedures and/or guidelines that potentially drive the wrong behaviors. The ideal safe behavior is driven by the reinforcement and understanding of what happens after specific at-risk behaviors. The consequences assessment will help managers better determine the type of feedback that employees should receive when they perform a task.

The consequences of working safe and following safety rules may be found to be outweighed by the consequences in place for getting the job completed. Employees may take reducing the risk of a supervisor's criticism about productivity (high probability) over the risk of injury as the possibility that something injuries will happen is usually a low probability for most tasks. We, as a society, appear to have a built in bias towards "if there is no immediate loss, there is no immediate risk." "I have done this for thirty years this way and have never been hurt."

However, there is a rule of thumb that most safety professionals use. If you have adequate, well written safety rules and guidelines in place and are still finding that those rules are not being followed, then there are hidden consequences driving this unsafe behavior and you must uncover what is driving that behavior. Even the best Job Hazard Analysis cannot overcome strong consequences that drive the wrong behavior.

The Management Process

This element of any successful Job Hazard Analysis Process is to ensure that the facility has an effective administrative structure that brings individuals with the correct physical abilities, skills and knowledge into the organization. This structure is coupled with proper training and orientation that communicate what the employee must do to safely perform their duties.

Employees must meet the needs of the operation and be able to complete the tasks and use the technology in order to reach the desired job goals. The structure of management and supervision must be designed to assure mentoring and coaching skills effectively manage the process, provide adequate resources and communicate what is expected of all employees. The work environment hazards and risk must be understood and these elements must be in alignment. Friction between these elements, i.e. tasks not designed for the technology, employees not understanding the technology, improper supervision, too many work rules, or any other types of gaps in these interrelationships will, at some point in time, result in a loss. The scope or severity of that loss will be dependent on the nature of the hazards in the work environment.

Once all of the elements have been communicated and there is a demonstrated understanding of all three phases, developing the Job Hazard Analysis Process will have a greater chance of being successful.

Sources: "Job Hazard Analysis" by James Roughton and Nathan Crutchfield, ANSI AIHA Z10-2005, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems assessment.

About this Author

I am very passionate about developing an effective Job Hazard Analysis process. I am on a journey of discovery and want to spread the word about Job Hazard Analysis, the proposed OSHA I2P2, ANSI Z10 2005, and other related-safety ideas.

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