Drywall · Canada

FLHA for drywall installation

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from provincial OHS law and CCOHS guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated November 9, 2026

Provincial OHS law requires hazards to be assessed and controlled before work starts. A field level hazard assessment (FLHA) for drywall installation is done on site at the start of the shift and again whenever conditions change.

It lists the tasks, hazards and controls, and every worker signs on before starting and signs off at the end of the shift. The main hazards are falling from height, electric shock from live wiring, scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold and lifting and carrying heavy loads.

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FLHA example: drywall installation

This is a complete FLHA for drywall installation, with 9 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Field Level Hazard Assessment (FLHA)

Hang drywall · Drywall · Example

Document FLHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Check services are installed and isolated where you will fix	Electric shock from live wiring	Critical	Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Elimination Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Engineering (guarding) Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a tested voltage tester. Engineering Only licensed electricians do electrical work, to the Canadian Electrical Code and provincial rules. Administrative Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative If energized work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools, following CSA Z462. Administrative Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE	Medium
2	Stack sheets flat on a level floor, not leaning against walls, and spread the load	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Falling tools and materials	High	Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Elimination Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitution Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 6 for the full controls Administrative Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Engineering (guarding) Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Engineering Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Engineering Tether hand tools when working at height. Engineering Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Administrative Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Administrative Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE	Medium
3	Carry sheets with two people or a sheet trolley	Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or equipment instead of carrying by hand. Engineering Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 6 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
4	Set up a platform ladder or mobile scaffold for ceilings and high walls	Falling from height Falling from a ladder Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold	Critical	Do the work from the ground where you can, for example pre-assemble on the ground or use extension poles. Elimination Install guardrails or edge protection on all open edges before work starts. Engineering (guarding) Use a scaffold, mobile work platform or aerial work platform instead of working off a ladder. Engineering Where edge protection is not practical, use a fall restraint or fall arrest system on a rated anchor point. Engineering Fall protection plan in place where required. Workers trained in fall protection (Working at Heights training in Ontario). Administrative Have a rescue plan so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes. Administrative Use a platform ladder, mobile scaffold or aerial work platform for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Substitution Use CSA Grade 1, 1A or 1AA ladders in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Engineering Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Engineering Use ladders only for short, light work. Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Administrative Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the side rails. Do not overreach. Administrative Scaffold is built, altered and taken down only by trained workers supervised by a competent worker, on a firm base with sole boards and ties. Engineering Fit guardrails, mid rails and toe boards on every working platform. Engineering Use mobile scaffolds only on firm, level ground with castors locked and outriggers fitted. Never move one with anyone on it. Engineering A competent worker inspects the scaffold before use each shift, after any change and after bad weather, and tags every access point: green safe, yellow caution, red do not use. Administrative Do not overload platforms. Know the rated load and keep material stacks over the frames. Administrative	Medium
5	Cut sheets with a sharp knife, cutting away from your body; use extraction if sawing	Cuts from sharp edges General dust	Medium	Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Engineering Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Engineering Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Administrative Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Administrative Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Administrative Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Substitution Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Engineering (guarding) Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Engineering Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Engineering Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Administrative Wear a dust mask and safety glasses. PPE	Low
6	Lift ceiling sheets with a sheet lifter, not your head	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Falling tools and materials Repetitive work and awkward postures	High	Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Elimination Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitution Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or equipment instead of carrying by hand. Engineering Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Administrative Falling tools and materials: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative Use tools that cut the effort: powered screwdrivers, long-handled tools and extension poles for overhead work. Substitution Set work up at waist height on benches or trestles where you can. Engineering Use light tools with good grips, and keep blades and bits sharp. Engineering Rotate tasks and take short breaks every hour on repetitive work. Administrative Warm up before heavy physical work and report aches and pains early. Administrative	Medium
7	Screw sheets off, keeping clear of cables and pipes behind	Injury from power tools Electric shock from live wiring	Critical	Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Do not wear loose gloves on drills or other rotating tools. PPE Electric shock from live wiring: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
8	Use adhesives with ventilation	Hazardous chemicals	Medium	Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Substitution Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Engineering Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and WHMIS labels before use. Workers have WHMIS training. Administrative Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Administrative Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Administrative Have eye wash and a spill kit nearby, and wash hands before eating. Administrative Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles as listed on the SDS. PPE Use a respirator with the right cartridge if the SDS calls for one. PPE	Medium
9	Pick up offcuts and screws	Poor housekeeping and waste Slips and trips	Medium	Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Elimination Put waste bins and chutes close to the work. Engineering Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Elimination Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Engineering Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Engineering Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Administrative Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Administrative Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. PPE	Low

PPE

CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195)Safety glasses (CSA Z94.3)Work glovesN95 respiratorHard hat (CSA Z94.1)High-visibility vest (CSA Z96)Cut-resistant glovesKnee padsHearing protectionChemical-resistant glovesSafety gogglesRespirator fit tested to CSA Z94.4 (P100 for dust, or the type the air test calls for)Coveralls

Plant and equipment

Power drillPlatform ladderHand toolsRolling scaffold: Provincial scaffold training

Permits and plans

Fall protection plan

Emergency

Call 911. Add the nearest hospital, the muster point and the first aid attendant for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this FLHA, then sign off at the end of the shift.

Free FLHA template for drywall installation

Word (.docx) and PDF, Letter landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this FLHA

Pre-start checklist for drywall installation

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

FLHA read, explained and signed by everyone on the job
Guardrails or fall protection in place before anyone works at 3 m or more
Ladder inspected, secured and extending 1 m above the landing
Scaffold inspected by a competent person this shift
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
First aid attendant, first aid kit and emergency number (911) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195), safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), work gloves, N95 respirator

The safe sequence of work

Check services are installed and isolated where you will fix
Stack sheets flat on a level floor, not leaning against walls, and spread the load
Carry sheets with two people or a sheet trolley
Set up a platform ladder or mobile scaffold for ceilings and high walls
Cut sheets with a sharp knife, cutting away from your body; use extraction if sawing
Lift ceiling sheets with a sheet lifter, not your head
Screw sheets off, keeping clear of cables and pipes behind
Use adhesives with ventilation
Pick up offcuts and screws

Hazards to watch on drywall installation

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 4Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldA scaffold that is badly built, overloaded or altered collapses or tips, or a worker falls from an unguarded platform.

Step 5General dustDust from drywall, joint compound, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.

Step 7Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.

Step 6Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.

Step 8Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.

Step 4Falling from a ladderThe ladder slips or tips, or the worker overreaches, and they fall onto a hard surface.

Highest risk on drywall installation: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Canada 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatality becomes unlikely and serious injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

Will anyone work on a roof?
Is there a fragile roof, skylight or clear roof sheet?
Will you use an aerial work platform (scissor lift or boom lift)?
Was the building built before 1990?
Was the building built before 1990, and will you sand, scrape, cut, heat or strip paint?

Licences and legal requirements in Canada

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

Rolling scaffold: Provincial scaffold training

Employers must identify hazards before work starts and control them, and workers must be told about them. A field level hazard assessment is done on site, at the start of each shift or task, and reviewed again when conditions change.

Rules that apply: Provincial OHS regulation, electrical safety, and CSA Z462; Provincial OHS regulation, fall protection; Provincial OHS regulation, scaffolds; WHMIS 2015 and provincial OHS regulation.

Why FLHAs get rejected

Prime contractors and COR auditors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

End of shift boxes already say "None" when the form was signed at the start of the shift.
One FLHA reused for days or weeks, or a "review by" date a month away, when the work and conditions change daily.
No time of assessment and no record of any revision, which Alberta s.7(3) requires.
Workers signed that they "read" it, but nothing shows they took part, which Alberta s.8(1) requires.
Work at height with no fall protection plan where the province requires one, or no written rescue procedure for workers using fall arrest.
Permits or locates required on site but no permit or ticket numbers recorded.
No re-assessment entry after an obvious change such as weather, a new task or a new crew member.

Rules by province for drywall installation

Province or territory	Key local rule	Regulator
Ontario	Fall protection (O. Reg. 213/91 s.26) applies at a fall of more than 3 m, more than 1.2 m where the work area is used as a path for a wheelbarrow or similar equipment, and at any height into operating machinery, water or other liquid, a hazardous substance, or through an opening.	Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
British Columbia	Fall protection is required where a fall of 3 m or more may occur (s.11.2). A written fall protection plan is required at 7.5 m or more where there are no permanent guardrails (s.11.3).	WorkSafeBC
Alberta	A hazard assessment must be done before work begins, and before a new work site is built (OHS Code s.7(1)). The results must be written down with the controls (s.7(2)).	Alberta Occupational Health and Safety
Quebec	Guardrails (Safety Code s.2.9.1, as amended by Decret 63-2025) are needed where a worker could fall into liquid or a hazardous substance, onto moving parts or dangerous equipment, 1.2 m or more when using a vehicle, 1.5 m or more when handling a load, and more than 3 m in all other cases.	CNESST (Commission des normes, de l'equite, de la sante et de la securite du travail)
Manitoba	A prime contractor is required whenever more than one employer or self employed person works on the site at the same time (Act s.7).	Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Branch
Saskatchewan	An occupational health committee is required at 10 or more workers of one employer (Act s.3-22).	Saskatchewan Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, OHS Division
Nova Scotia	Workers must be trained in fall protection before using it or working in, supervising or planning work in a fall protection area, with a refresher at least every 3 years (WHSR s.21.19).	Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, Safety Branch (OHS)
New Brunswick	Fall protection is needed from 3 m above water or the nearest permanent safe level (Reg 91-191 s.49(1)(a)(i)).	WorkSafeNB
Newfoundland and Labrador	Give written notice to the minister before starting a construction project that will last 30 days or more, with the site, location, type of work and number of workers (Regs s.8).	Government Services, Occupational Health and Safety Division
Prince Edward Island	Fall protection is needed from 3 m above the nearest safe surface or water (Fall Protection Regulations s.2(1)(a)).	Workers Compensation Board of PEI, OHS Division
Yukon	Every employer must do hazard assessments with the committee, representative or workers, and redo them after significant changes or incidents (Regs s.1.03.01).	Yukon Workers' Safety and Compensation Board
Northwest Territories	Fall protection is needed from 3 m, or lower if there is a risk of injury (s.119(1)). Guardrails are needed for falls of 1.2 m to 3 m at permanent work sites (s.119(2)).	Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC)
Nunavut	No 911. To reach the RCMP in an emergency, dial your community's first three digits then 1111 (Iqaluit: 979-1111). Put the local fire, ambulance and RCMP numbers on every FLHA.	Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC)

Questions

Do I need an FLHA for drywall installation?

Who signs the FLHA?

The supervisor and every worker take part in the assessment and sign on before work starts, then sign off at the end of the shift. Review it and re-sign whenever the task or conditions change.

How long do I keep it?

Keep completed hazard assessments for at least 3 years (COR auditors sample the last 12 months). Review this FLHA and re-sign whenever the task, crew or conditions change.

What PPE is needed for drywall installation?

Usually CSA green triangle safety boots (CSA Z195), Safety glasses (CSA Z94.3), Work gloves, N95 respirator, Hard hat (CSA Z94.1), High-visibility vest (CSA Z96), Cut-resistant gloves, Knee pads, Hearing protection, Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety goggles, Respirator fit tested to CSA Z94.4 (P100 for dust, or the type the air test calls for), Coveralls. The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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Blank FLHA template: free FLHA templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA)