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HVAC · United States

JHA for RTU replacement

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OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for RTU replacement 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 a roof edge, falling through a fragile roof or skylight, electric shock from live wiring and public entering the work area.

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JHA example: RTU replacement

This is a complete JHA for RTU replacement, with 6 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)
Rooftop unit replacement · HVAC · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Plan the crane lift and close the area below
  • Crane and lifting failure
  • Public entering the work area
  • Contact with overhead power lines
High
  • Barricade the lift zone and keep everyone out from under the load. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a crane rated for the load at the radius, set up on firm ground with outrigger pads. Engineering
  • Check slings, chains, shackles and hooks before use. Remove anything damaged or not tagged. Engineering
  • Plan the lift: weight, radius, ground, path and landing area. Use a written lift plan for complex lifts. Administrative
  • Use a certified crane operator who has also been evaluated by the employer, with the evaluation documented on site (29 CFR 1926.1427), plus a qualified rigger (1926.1425) and a qualified signal person (1926.1428). Administrative
  • 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
  • Ask the utility to de-energize, move or insulate the lines before work starts. Elimination
  • Use non-conductive (fiberglass) ladders near any power lines. Substitution
  • Mark the safe distance with flags, tape or warning lines and keep all equipment and people outside it. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep equipment at least 10 feet from lines up to 50 kV once the utility confirms the voltage, more for higher voltages, and 20 feet when the voltage is unknown (29 CFR 1926.1408). Administrative
  • Use a dedicated spotter whenever equipment moves or raises anything near lines. Administrative
  • Treat all lines as energized. If equipment touches a line, the operator stays in the cab and everyone else keeps well away. Administrative
Medium
2Set up roof edge protection or harness anchors
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
Critical
  • 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
  • Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Administrative
  • Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE
  • Work from underneath or from an aerial lift so nobody stands on the fragile roof. Elimination
  • Cover every skylight with a fixed, marked cover that can hold at least twice the weight it may carry, or guard it with a guardrail. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use crawl boards or staging to spread the load on fragile or rotten decking, and cover or guard any hole left where decking is removed (29 CFR 1926.501(b)(4)). Engineering
  • Use fall arrest on rated anchors when working near fragile areas. Engineering
  • Treat all roof sheets as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Old fiber cement and plastic sheets are fragile. Administrative
  • Put "Fragile roof" signs at every roof access point. Administrative
  • Never walk on sheets between purlins or along skylights. Stay on boards or staging. Administrative
  • Wear a full body harness clipped to a rated anchor. PPE
Medium
3Isolate power and gas, apply lockout/tagout
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Gas and fuel lines
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
  • Isolate and purge the line before work, with the owner's approval. Elimination
  • Lock off and tag the isolation valve. Engineering (guarding)
  • Check for leaks with a gas detector before and during work, and ventilate the area. Engineering
  • Only licensed gas fitters work on gas lines. Administrative
  • Remove ignition sources: no smoking, no hot work and no sparking tools near the line. Administrative
  • Know where the shut-off valve is and what to do if a leak happens. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses and gloves, and keep a fire extinguisher close by. PPE
Medium
4Recover refrigerant before disconnecting
  • Refrigerant leaks
Medium
  • Recover refrigerant into an approved cylinder before opening the system. Never vent it. Engineering (guarding)
  • Ventilate closed spaces and use a leak detector during the work. Engineering
  • Only EPA Section 608 certified technicians handle refrigerants. Administrative
  • With flammable refrigerants (such as R32 or R290), remove ignition sources and use spark-free tools. Administrative
  • Wear cold-rated gloves and safety glasses or a face shield. PPE
Low
5Lift out the old unit and set the new one, keeping clear of the load
  • Crane and lifting failure
  • Falling tools and materials
  • Strong wind and storms
High
  • Use tag lines to control loads and agree on clear radio or hand signals. Administrative
  • Stop lifting in high wind or when the operator cannot see the signal person. Administrative
  • Never ride on a load or hook. Administrative
  • Crane and lifting failure: see step 1 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
  • Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Elimination
  • Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Engineering
  • Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Administrative
  • Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Administrative
  • Check scaffold, fencing and edge protection after strong wind before anyone uses them. Administrative
Medium
6Connect, commission and clean the roof
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Critical
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative
  • 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
Medium

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1)Personal fall arrest system (harness)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Work glovesSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)Rubber insulating glovesArc flash PPE (NFPA 70E)Face shield (ANSI Z87.1)

Plant and equipment

Mobile crane: Operator certified by an accredited body or audited employer program (29 CFR 1926.1427) and evaluated by the employer, with a signed evaluation on site (1926.1427(f)); qualified rigger (1926.1425) and qualified signal person (1926.1428)Hand toolsElectrical test meterExtension ladder

Permits and plans

Critical lift planWritten fall protection plan (only where guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest are not feasible, 1926.502(k))Lockout/tagout (1926.417)

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 RTU replacement

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 RTU replacement

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Plan the crane lift and close the area below
  2. Set up roof edge protection or harness anchors
  3. Isolate power and gas, apply lockout/tagout
  4. Recover refrigerant before disconnecting
  5. Lift out the old unit and set the new one, keeping clear of the load
  6. Connect, commission and clean the roof

Hazards to watch on RTU replacement

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

Step 4Refrigerant leaksRefrigerant gas causes frostbite, pushes oxygen out of small rooms, and some types catch fire.
Step 2Falling through a fragile roof or skylightA worker steps on a skylight, clear sheet or old fiber cement roof and falls through to the floor below.
Step 1, 5Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.
Step 1Contact with overhead power linesA ladder, aerial lift, crane, dump truck or long length of material touches or gets close to an overhead line and electrocutes people.
Step 3Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
Step 5Strong wind and stormsWind blows sheets, panels and people off roofs and scaffolds, and storms and lightning make work at height and lifting unsafe.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on RTU replacement: 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 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 6 feet or more above a lower level?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Will you use a scaffold or rolling tower?
  • Will you use an aerial lift (scissor lift or boom lift)?

Licences and legal requirements in United States

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

  • Mobile crane: Operator certified by an accredited body or audited employer program (29 CFR 1926.1427) and evaluated by the employer, with a signed evaluation on site (1926.1427(f)); qualified rigger (1926.1425) and qualified signal person (1926.1428)

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 Subpart CC; 29 CFR 1926.1408 and 1926.416; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart K; 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F (Section 608); 29 CFR 1926.501(c).

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 RTU replacement?

OSHA expects employers to find and control hazards on every job, and many general contractors require a written JHA for RTU replacement 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 RTU replacement?

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Hard hat (ANSI Z89.1), Personal fall arrest system (harness), High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways), Work gloves, Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves), Rubber insulating gloves, Arc flash PPE (NFPA 70E), Face shield (ANSI Z87.1). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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

Sources