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General contracting · United States

JHA for home addition

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from OSHA standards and guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for home addition before you start.

A JHA breaks the job into steps, lists the hazards in each step and the controls that protect the crew, and the crew signs it. The main hazards are falling from height, falling from a roof edge, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles and disturbing asbestos.

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JHA example: home addition

This is a complete JHA for home addition, with 7 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.

Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
House extension · General contracting · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the asbestos survey for the existing house and protect the occupants
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Working in an occupied home or building
Critical
  • Treat insulation, surfacing and resilient flooring in buildings built before 1981 as asbestos unless testing shows otherwise, and get the owner's asbestos survey before you start. Elimination
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Engineering (guarding)
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with a HEPA vacuum. Engineering
  • Follow 29 CFR 1926.1101: competent person, work class, regulated area and exposure monitoring. Administrative
  • Commercial renovation and any demolition need a NESHAP asbestos inspection first, and demolition needs written notice to the state or EPA 10 working days before work starts (40 CFR 61 Subpart M). Administrative
  • Roofing felts, cement shingles and siding, roof coatings and old panel backboards can also contain asbestos. Test them or treat them as asbestos; asbestos roofing is removed intact with hand tools by trained workers (29 CFR 1926.1101(g)(8)). Administrative
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Administrative
  • Wear a fit-tested NIOSH-approved respirator suited to the work class, and disposable coveralls. PPE
  • Plan noisy, dusty or risky work for when the building is empty. Elimination
  • Close off the work area with barriers, plastic sheeting or locked doors, and put up signs. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep fire exits and paths clear at all times. Administrative
  • Tell occupants before you turn off power, water or gas, and before noisy or dusty work. Administrative
  • Lock away tools, chemicals and materials each day, out of reach of children. Administrative
  • Clean up dust and debris at the end of each day. Administrative
Medium
2Set up fencing and dust screens between the work and the house
  • Public entering the work area
  • General dust
High
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Engineering (guarding)
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for strollers and wheelchairs. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Engineering
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorized entry". Administrative
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Administrative
  • 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
3Excavate and pour footings or slab
  • Hitting underground services
  • Trench or excavation collapse
  • Wet concrete and cement burns
Critical
  • Keep machine buckets well clear of marked services and use a spotter. Engineering (guarding)
  • Scan the area with a cable locator before digging and mark services on the ground. Engineering
  • Hand dig or vacuum excavate to expose services before using a machine near them. Engineering
  • Call 811 before you dig and wait until all utilities have marked their lines. Administrative
  • Keep plans or locate tickets on site and check them again if the work area grows. Administrative
  • Support or protect exposed utilities so they cannot sag or break while the excavation is open (29 CFR 1926.651(b)(4)). Administrative
  • Use methods that keep people out of the trench, such as directional boring or working from the surface. Elimination
  • Barricade or cover the excavation so people and equipment cannot fall in. Use guardrails on walkways that cross it (29 CFR 1926.651(l)). Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a protective system (sloping, shoring or a trench box) in any trench 5 feet or deeper, or shallower if the competent person sees signs of a possible cave-in (29 CFR 1926.652). Engineering
  • Protective systems for trenches over 20 feet deep are designed by a registered professional engineer (29 CFR 1926.652(b), (c)). Engineering
  • Keep spoil, materials and equipment at least 2 feet back from the edge. Engineering
  • Provide a ladder, stairway or ramp within 25 feet of workers in trenches 4 feet or deeper. Engineering
  • Competent person inspects the trench daily, after rain and as conditions change, and tests the air before entry in trenches over 4 feet deep where a hazardous atmosphere could exist (29 CFR 1926.651(g), (k)). Administrative
  • Nobody works in a trench where water is collecting unless the competent person has controls in place, such as pumping or special support (29 CFR 1926.651(h)). Administrative
  • Nobody stands under a loaded bucket or near a truck being loaded (29 CFR 1926.651(e)). Administrative
  • Use long-handled tools and pumps to cut down contact. Engineering
  • Wash concrete off skin straight away with clean water. Administrative
  • Have clean water and eye wash at the pour. Administrative
  • Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves and rubber boots with pants worn over the top. PPE
  • Wear safety glasses or goggles to stop splashes. PPE
Medium
4Frame, brick and roof, with scaffold and edge protection
  • Falling from height
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
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 lift 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
  • Provide fall protection at 6 feet or more and train workers to recognize fall hazards (29 CFR 1926.503). Administrative
  • Have a rescue plan so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes. Administrative
  • Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Elimination
  • Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Engineering
  • Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Engineering
  • Low-slope roofs: guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest, or a warning line combined with one of these or with a safety monitor (a safety monitor alone only on roofs 50 feet wide or less). Steep roofs: guardrails with toe boards, safety nets or personal fall arrest (29 CFR 1926.501(b)(10), (11)). Administrative
  • Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Administrative
  • 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 plant 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
Medium
5Break into the existing house with propping as designed
  • Structural collapse during alterations
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
Critical
  • Get an engineer to check before removing any wall, beam, post or bracing that may be load-bearing. Elimination
  • Keep everyone clear of the area under and next to the work. Engineering (guarding)
  • Install temporary props, needles or shoring as designed before removing any support. Engineering
  • Follow the engineer's sequence. Do not change it without approval. Administrative
  • Check props daily. Do not remove them until the permanent support is in and approved. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat and safety boots. PPE
  • Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Substitution
  • Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use wet cutting or on-tool dust collection with a HEPA vacuum, as set out in Table 1 of 29 CFR 1926.1153. Engineering
  • Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Administrative
  • Have a written exposure control plan and a competent person for silica (29 CFR 1926.1153). Administrative
  • Workers who must wear a respirator 30 or more days a year get a free medical exam every 3 years (29 CFR 1926.1153(h)). Administrative
  • Wear the respirator Table 1 lists for the task: APF 10 (a fit-tested N95 or half mask) for most tasks, APF 25 (such as a loose-fitting PAPR) for tuckpointing with a handheld grinder for more than 4 hours a shift. PPE
Medium
6Coordinate trades for services and fit out
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Slips and trips
Critical
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Elimination
  • Lock out and tag the disconnecting means with your own personal lock and tag so the circuit cannot be energized (29 CFR 1926.417). Engineering (guarding)
  • Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a tested voltage tester. Engineering
  • Only qualified persons work on or near exposed energized parts. 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 an energized work permit, a safety observer and insulated tools, following NFPA 70E. Administrative
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
  • Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Elimination
  • Run cords 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
Medium
7Clean up daily and keep exits clear for the occupants
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
  • Fire and emergencies
High
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Elimination
  • Put dumpsters and waste 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
  • Provide fire extinguishers suited to the site, checked and easy to reach. Engineering
  • Keep exits and escape routes clear and signed. Engineering
  • Have a site emergency plan: alarm, exits, assembly point and emergency contacts. Administrative
  • Keep a stocked first aid kit and at least one trained first aider on site. Administrative
  • Know the site address and how emergency services get in. Call 911. Administrative
  • Go through the emergency plan with every worker and visitor at induction. Administrative
  • Keep flammable materials and rubbish away from exits and escape routes. Administrative
Medium

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)N95 respiratorPersonal fall arrest system (harness)Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges)CoverallsWork glovesChemical-resistant glovesSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)Knee padsSun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)

Plant and equipment

ExcavatorSupported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)Circular saw (skill saw)Nail gun (pneumatic nailer)Concrete pump truck

Permits and plans

Written fall protection plan (only where guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest are not feasible, 1926.502(k))

Emergency

Call 911. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aid / cpr person for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this JHA.

Free JHA template for home addition

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 JHA

Pre-start checklist for home addition

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check the asbestos survey for the existing house and protect the occupants
  2. Set up fencing and dust screens between the work and the house
  3. Excavate and pour footings or slab
  4. Frame, brick and roof, with scaffold and edge protection
  5. Break into the existing house with propping as designed
  6. Coordinate trades for services and fit out
  7. Clean up daily and keep exits clear for the occupants

Hazards to watch on home addition

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

Step 3Trench or excavation collapseThe trench walls cave in and bury or crush a worker. Trenches 5 feet or deeper need a protective system, and shallower ones do too if there are signs of a possible cave-in.
Step 7Fire and emergenciesA fire, injury or other emergency happens and workers cannot get out, raise the alarm or get first aid in time.
Step 3Wet concrete and cement burnsWet concrete, mortar and cement burn skin and eyes. Burns can be deep and are often not felt until later.
Step 4Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.
Step 1Working in an occupied home or buildingResidents, staff or children wander into the work area and get hurt, or the work blocks exits or cuts off power or water while people are inside.
Step 5Structural collapse during alterationsRemoving a wall, beam, post or bracing makes part of the building fall on workers.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on home addition: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United States 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatality becomes unlikely and recordable / lost time).

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 6 feet or more above a lower level?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, fiberglass panel or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or rolling tower?

Licences and legal requirements in United States

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

  • Supported scaffold: Erected under a competent person (29 CFR 1926.451)

OSHA requires employers to find and fix hazards and to train workers on them. A JHA breaks the job into steps, lists the hazards in each step and the controls that protect the crew. General contractors often require one before you start.

Rules that apply: 29 CFR 1926.1101 and 40 CFR 61 Subpart M (NESHAP); 29 CFR 1926.651(b) and your state 811 law; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M; 29 CFR 1926.1153; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart K; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart F.

Why JHAs get rejected

General contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • Generic steps such as "work safely" or "use PPE" with no task-specific hazards or controls.
  • No OSHA standards referenced for the hazards that have them, such as fall protection, ladders, scaffolds or silica.
  • No competent person named for fall protection, excavation, scaffolds or silica where those hazards exist.
  • Equipment listed without inspection requirements, and no training listed for the people using it.
  • Respirators listed with no respiratory protection program, medical clearance or fit test.
  • Controls rely only on PPE when engineering controls such as guardrails, wet cutting or extraction are feasible.
  • No crew sign-off, or no date and revision when the job has changed.

Questions

Do I need a JHA for home addition?

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for home addition before you start.

Who signs the JHA?

The supervisor or competent person who prepared it signs, and every crew member signs to show they were trained on the hazards and controls before the job starts. Many general contractors also sign to accept it.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this JHA on site during the job, and keep it with the training and inspection records for at least 1 year after the job (longer if your state plan or general contractor requires it). OSHA does not set a retention period for JHAs themselves.

What PPE is needed for home addition?

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways), Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1), Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), N95 respirator, Personal fall arrest system (harness), Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges), Coveralls, Work gloves, Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety goggles (ANSI Z87.1), Knee pads, Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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Related jobs in other trades

RoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalElectrical Panel UpgradeAlso involves working in an occupied home or buildingExcavation and earthworksTrenching and ExcavationAlso involves hitting underground servicesWelding and fabricationSteel ErectionAlso involves structural collapse during alterationsPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves working in an occupied home or buildingConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves public entering the work area

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkWorking at HeightsToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkAsbestos AwarenessToolbox talkWorking in Cold Weather

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

Sources