Free safety resource

JSA templates for contractors

Free Job Safety Analysis templates by trade — each breaks the task into its real hazards, the controls that reduce them, required PPE, and the OSHA standards behind them. Use them as a starting point and adapt each one to your actual jobsite. Educational, not legal advice.

Roofing

Steep-slope tear-off & re-roof

Fall exposure is the defining hazard of roofing work. Every roof needs a documented fall-protection plan before the crew steps off the ladder.

⚠ Falls from the roof edge, through the deck, or off ladders

Personal fall arrest system (harness + lanyard) tied to an anchor rated 5,000 lb per worker, OR guardrails/safety net, for work 6 ft+ above a lower level
Inspect harnesses and lanyards before each use; remove any with cuts, burns, or deployed indicators
Cover and mark all roof openings and skylights; never step on a skylight
Set ladders at a 4:1 angle, extend 3 ft above the eave, and tie off the top

⚠ Struck-by falling tools, tear-off debris, or material

Establish and barricade a ground drop/exclusion zone; no one underneath active tear-off
Use debris chutes into a dumpster, not free drops
Tether tools when working near the edge

⚠ Heat illness on the roof deck

Water, rest, shade rotation; acclimatize new crew over the first week
Watch for cramps, dizziness, confusion; stop work and cool anyone affected

⚠ Nail-gun and power-tool injuries

Sequential-trip triggers, not bump-fire, near the edge
Keep the non-firing hand clear; disconnect air before clearing a jam

Required PPE

Full-body harness + lanyard · Hard hat · Safety glasses · Cut-resistant gloves · Soft-soled/roofing boots · High-visibility shirt

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall protection – duty to have)
29 CFR 1926.502 (Fall protection systems criteria)
29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders)

Electrical

Panel / service work on energized-capable equipment

The controlling hazard is unexpected energization. Lockout/tagout and arc-flash boundaries are non-negotiable before any hands-on work.

⚠ Electric shock / electrocution from live conductors

De-energize and apply lockout/tagout: each worker applies their own lock and tag to every energy-isolating device
Verify zero energy with a tested meter (test-check-test) before touching conductors
Treat all conductors as live until verified dead

⚠ Arc flash / arc blast

Establish the arc-flash boundary; only qualified persons in appropriate arc-rated PPE inside it
Where feasible, work de-energized; energized work requires an energized-work permit and justification
Remove conductive jewelry and watches

⚠ Falls / working from ladders at the panel

Use a non-conductive fiberglass ladder near electrical work — never aluminum
Maintain three points of contact

Required PPE

Arc-rated FR clothing (per incident-energy level) · Class 0 rubber insulating gloves + leather protectors · Face shield / arc-flash hood as required · Safety glasses · Dielectric footwear

OSHA references

29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout)
29 CFR 1910.333 (Selection & use of work practices)
NFPA 70E (Electrical safety in the workplace)

Concrete

Placement, pour & finishing

Respirable silica during cutting/grinding and skin/eye burns from wet concrete are the primary exposures, alongside heavy manual handling.

⚠ Respirable crystalline silica from cutting, grinding, or chipping

Follow OSHA Table 1 control methods: water-fed saws/tools or vacuum dust collection with a HEPA filter
Where Table 1 is not fully implemented, assess exposure and provide respiratory protection
Never dry-sweep silica dust — use wet methods or a HEPA vacuum

⚠ Chemical burns / dermatitis from wet concrete (caustic)

Waterproof gloves and boots; no skin contact with wet concrete
Rinse skin immediately with clean water on contact; flush eyes 15+ minutes and seek care
Remove concrete-soaked clothing promptly

⚠ Musculoskeletal injury from manual handling / screeding

Team-lift heavy loads; use wheelbarrows and placement equipment
Rotate finishing tasks to limit sustained kneeling/bending

⚠ Struck-by / caught-between during pump or truck operations

Spotter for backing trucks; stay clear of the pump boom swing radius
Communication signals agreed before the pour

Required PPE

Waterproof gloves · Rubber boots · Safety glasses / goggles · Respirator (when silica controls require) · Knee pads · Hard hat + hi-vis around equipment

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.1153 (Respirable crystalline silica – Table 1)
29 CFR 1926.55 (Gases, vapors, fumes, dusts)

Plumbing / Excavation

Trenching & excavation for underground utilities

Cave-ins are the deadliest excavation hazard — a cubic yard of soil weighs as much as a car. Protective systems are required at 5 ft, and inspection is daily.

⚠ Cave-in / soil collapse

Provide a protective system (sloping, benching, shoring, or a trench box) for any trench 5 ft deep or more — sooner in unstable soil
A competent person inspects the excavation daily and after any rain or change in conditions
Keep spoil piles and equipment at least 2 ft back from the edge

⚠ Falls into the trench / no safe exit

Provide a ladder, ramp, or stairway within 25 ft of every worker in a trench 4 ft+ deep
Barricade the excavation and mark it

⚠ Contact with underground utilities

Call 811 and confirm all utilities are located and marked before digging
Hand-dig or vacuum-excavate within the tolerance zone of marked lines

⚠ Hazardous atmosphere in the trench

Test the atmosphere in trenches 4 ft+ where a hazardous atmosphere could exist; ventilate as needed
Treat as confined space where applicable

Required PPE

Hard hat · Hi-visibility vest · Steel/composite-toe boots · Safety glasses · Gloves

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.651 (Specific excavation requirements)
29 CFR 1926.652 (Requirements for protective systems)

HVAC

Rooftop / mechanical-unit install & service

HVAC combines roof-edge fall exposure, electrical hazards, and refrigerant handling on the same job — the JSA has to cover all three.

⚠ Falls from roof edges, ladders, or unguarded openings

Fall protection for work 6 ft+ above a lower level; use a warning line + safety monitor only where a personal fall arrest system is not feasible per the plan
Set and tie off ladders correctly; use a roof hatch or fixed access where available

⚠ Electric shock while servicing energized units

Lockout/tagout the disconnect before opening the unit; verify zero energy
Discharge capacitors before touching electrical components

⚠ Refrigerant exposure / burns / asphyxiation

Ventilate; refrigerant displaces oxygen in enclosed spaces
Wear gloves and eye protection — liquid refrigerant causes frostbite
Recover refrigerant per EPA Section 608; never vent

⚠ Manual handling of heavy units

Mechanical lift/crane for rooftop units; certified rigging and a spotter
Team-lift; keep the load path clear of workers

Required PPE

Full-body harness (rooftop) · Insulating gloves for electrical work · Refrigerant gloves + goggles · Hard hat · Safety glasses

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall protection)
29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout)
EPA 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F (Section 608 refrigerant)

Deck building

Elevated deck framing & railing

Deck framing puts carpenters on beams and ladders above grade; falls and power-tool injuries are the leading exposures.

⚠ Falls from elevated framing, beams, or ladders

Fall protection for work 6 ft+ above a lower level; guardrails on the open deck edge as soon as framed
Stable, level ladder placement; three points of contact; no overreaching
Keep the work deck clear of offcuts and fasteners

⚠ Power-tool injury (circular saw, nailer, auger)

Keep guards in place; let the blade stop before setting a saw down
Sequential-trip nailers; disconnect air before clearing jams
Auger/post-hole digger: clear footing, firm stance, watch for buried utilities (call 811)

⚠ Manual handling of beams, joists, and concrete

Team-lift long/heavy members; use carts for material
Bend at the knees; rotate crew on repetitive lifting

⚠ Struck-by / caught between during material placement

Communicate lifts; keep hands clear of pinch points when setting joists
Barricade below when working overhead

Required PPE

Harness for elevated framing · Safety glasses · Hearing protection (saws) · Work gloves · Steel/composite-toe boots · Hard hat where overhead exposure exists

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall protection)
29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders)
29 CFR 1926.300 (Tools – general requirements)

General contracting

General jobsite daily start-up

A short daily JSA that covers the site-wide hazards every trade shares — housekeeping, struck-by, and access — before crews spread out.

⚠ Slips, trips, and falls on the same level

Keep walkways clear of cords, debris, and material; assign end-of-day housekeeping
Cover and mark floor openings; light dim areas

⚠ Struck-by moving equipment or falling material

Spotters and backup alarms for equipment; pedestrians clear of swing/travel paths
Toe boards and barricades below overhead work; hard-hat area enforced

⚠ Uncontrolled hazardous energy / utilities

Confirm LOTO where any trade services energized systems
Locate utilities before any ground disturbance (811)

⚠ Emergency readiness

Confirm the muster point, first-aid kit location, and nearest hospital at start of shift
Fire extinguisher present for any hot work; hot-work permit + fire watch

Required PPE

Hard hat · Safety glasses · Hi-visibility vest · Steel/composite-toe boots · Task-specific gloves/hearing/respiratory as needed

OSHA references

29 CFR 1926.20 (General safety & health provisions)
29 CFR 1926.25 (Housekeeping)
29 CFR 1926.95 (PPE criteria)

FAQ

What is a Job Safety Analysis (JSA)?

A JSA (also called a Job Hazard Analysis) breaks a task into steps, identifies the hazards in each step, and documents the controls and PPE that reduce the risk. Crews review and sign it before work starts, so everyone knows the hazards and the plan.

Are these JSA templates OSHA-compliant?

They are built around published OSHA standards (cited on each template) and established construction-safety practice, but a template is a starting point — not a substitute for a site-specific analysis. You must adapt each JSA to your actual conditions, equipment, and crew, and follow the OSHA standards that apply to your work.

How do I use a JSA on the jobsite?

Pick the template that matches the task, adjust the hazards and controls to your specific site, review it with the crew at the start of the shift, and have each worker acknowledge it. Keep the signed record — it is both a safety tool and your documentation if there is ever an incident or inspection.

Do I have to fill these out on paper?

You can — or you can run them digitally. Vexor includes digital JSA with mobile crew signatures, PPE checklists, and a permanent per-job record, so the safety analysis lives with the job instead of in a truck folder.

Run JSA digitally, signed by the crew

Vexor turns these into digital JSAs with mobile crew signatures, PPE checklists, and a permanent per-job safety record — flat pricing, unlimited crew. See the JSA feature or the guide to writing a JSA.

Start free trial How JSA works in Vexor