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Plumbing · United States

JHA for drain cleaning and jetting

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 drain cleaning and jetting 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 through a floor opening or void, public entering the work area, lifting and carrying heavy loads and loud noise.

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JHA example: drain cleaning and jetting

This is a complete JHA for drain cleaning and jetting, 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)
Drain unblocking and jetting · Plumbing · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Set up cones around open pits and keep the public and pets away
  • Public entering the work area
  • Falling through a floor opening or void
Critical
  • 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
  • Cover every hole with a secured cover marked "HOLE" or "COVER" that can hold twice the weight it may carry. Engineering (guarding)
  • Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, elevator shafts, floor holes and open edges. Engineering (guarding)
  • Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Engineering
  • Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Administrative
  • Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Administrative
  • Keep lighting good enough to see openings, especially on lower floors and in the evening. Administrative
  • Use a harness clipped to a rated anchor when working right next to an open void. PPE
Medium
2Open the inspection point, never enter pits or manholes without a confined space permit
  • Confined space entry
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
High
  • Do the work from outside the space where you can, using cameras or long-reach tools. Elimination
  • Isolate and lock out all pipes, power and moving parts going into the space. Engineering (guarding)
  • Test the air for oxygen, flammable and toxic gases before entry, and keep testing during the work. Engineering
  • Use forced ventilation to keep the air clean. Engineering
  • Use a permit-required confined space program with a written entry permit (29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA). Only trained workers enter. Administrative
  • Keep a trained standby person outside at all times, in contact with those inside. Administrative
  • Set up a rescue plan and rescue gear before entry. Never go in to rescue without the right gear. Administrative
  • Wear a harness for retrieval and the respirator the air test calls for. PPE
  • 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
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
Medium
3Check the jetter hose and fittings, then jet with the nozzle well inside the pipe before starting
  • High pressure water jetting
  • Stored energy
  • Loud noise
High
  • Set an exclusion zone around the jetting area. Engineering (guarding)
  • Use a dead man's trigger that stops the jet when released, and check hoses and fittings before use. Engineering
  • Only trained operators use high pressure jetting gear. Administrative
  • Never point the lance at anyone or put a hand in front of it. Administrative
  • Treat any jetting injury as serious and go to hospital, even if it looks small. Administrative
  • Release or block all stored energy before work: release the pressure in pipes, tanks and hoses, bleed hydraulics, release springs, lower loads. Elimination
  • Lock out and tag all energy sources with personal locks. Engineering (guarding)
  • Put mechanical blocks or props under raised parts like buckets, tipper bodies and doors. Engineering
  • Test that the system is dead and nothing can move before you start. Administrative
  • Follow the maker's procedure, for example for garage door and roller door springs. Administrative
  • Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitution
  • Keep noisy plant away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Engineering (guarding)
  • Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Engineering
  • Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Administrative
  • If you have to shout to be heard at arm's length, wear hearing protection. Administrative
Medium
4Clear the blockage, keeping face and hands away from splashback
  • Sewage and wastewater
  • Eye injuries
  • Slips and trips
Medium
  • Flush and drain the line before opening it, and plan the job to avoid contact. Elimination
  • Use drain cameras, jetters and long-handled tools to keep hands out. Engineering
  • Sewage and wastewater: see step 6 for the full controls Administrative
  • Use tool guards and screens to stop flying particles. Engineering
  • Use dust extraction and water to keep dust out of the air. Engineering
  • Keep others out of the area when cutting, grinding or chipping. Administrative
  • Keep an eye wash station or eye wash bottles on site. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses at all times, goggles for dust and chemicals, and a face shield for grinding. 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
Low
5Run a CCTV camera to confirm the line is clear
  • Sewage and wastewater
Medium
  • Cover cuts with waterproof dressings. Never eat, drink or smoke before washing. Administrative
  • Wash hands well and clean tools and boots after the job. Administrative
  • Sewage and wastewater: see step 6 for the full controls Administrative
Low
6Close pits, wash down, and wash hands before eating
  • Sewage and wastewater
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • Flush and drain the line before opening it, and plan the job to avoid contact. Elimination
  • Use drain cameras, jetters and long-handled tools to keep hands out. Engineering
  • Cover cuts with waterproof dressings. Never eat, drink or smoke before washing. Administrative
  • Wash hands well and clean tools and boots after the job. Administrative
  • Keep vaccinations such as tetanus and hepatitis A up to date, on medical advice. Administrative
  • Wear waterproof gloves, goggles or a face shield, and coveralls. PPE
  • 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
Low

PPE

Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Chemical-resistant glovesSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)Face shield (ANSI Z87.1)CoverallsHigh-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Work glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)

Plant and equipment

Sewer jetterHand tools

Permits and plans

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 drain cleaning and jetting

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 drain cleaning and jetting

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Set up cones around open pits and keep the public and pets away
  2. Open the inspection point, never enter pits or manholes without a confined space permit
  3. Check the jetter hose and fittings, then jet with the nozzle well inside the pipe before starting
  4. Clear the blockage, keeping face and hands away from splashback
  5. Run a CCTV camera to confirm the line is clear
  6. Close pits, wash down, and wash hands before eating

Hazards to watch on drain cleaning and jetting

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

Step 2Confined space entryBad air, toxic gas or engulfment in a tank, pit, sewer or manhole overcomes workers and the people who try to rescue them.
Step 3High pressure water jettingHigh pressure water cuts through skin and injects water and dirt into the body, or the hose whips.
Step 4, 5, 6Sewage and wastewaterContact with sewage spreads germs that cause stomach illness, hepatitis and skin infections.
Step 3Stored energyEnergy left in springs, hydraulics, compressed gas, raised loads or capacitors releases suddenly and crushes or injures workers.
Step 1Falling through a floor opening or voidA worker steps into an open hole, stairwell, elevator shaft or floor opening and falls to the level below.
Step 4Eye injuriesFlying chips, dust, chemicals or sparks get into the eye and cause damage or blindness.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on drain cleaning and jetting: Critical before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United States 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible 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?

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 drain cleaning and jetting?

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

Usually Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety goggles (ANSI Z87.1), Face shield (ANSI Z87.1), Coveralls, High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways), Work gloves, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1). The site rules may add more, so check with the general contractor.

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkHearing Protection and NoiseToolbox talkSlips, Trips and FallsToolbox talkConfined SpacesToolbox talkCrane and Lifting Safety

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

Sources