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Tiling · United States

JHA for patio tiling

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 patio tiling 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, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, public entering the work area and electric shock from cords and power tools.

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JHA example: patio tiling

This is a complete JHA for patio tiling, with 5 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)
Outdoor, balcony and pool tiling · Tiling · Example
Document JHA-001 · Rev 1

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the balcony railing is in place before working near an edge
  • Falling from height
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
  • Wear a full body harness with a shock-absorbing lanyard, clipped on at all times when using fall arrest. PPE
Medium
2Fence pools, as pools are a drowning risk for kids
  • Drowning
  • Public entering the work area
High
  • Work from the bank or a platform instead of in or over the water where you can. Elimination
  • Put up barriers or guardrails along water edges. Engineering (guarding)
  • Pump out flooded pits and excavations before work. Engineering
  • Never work near deep water alone. Keep a rescue person with a throw line or life ring ready. Administrative
  • Check water levels and the weather, and stop work in floods or fast-flowing water. Administrative
  • Wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket when working over or next to water deep enough to drown in. PPE
  • 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
Medium
3Cut tiles wet and keep leads dry
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Electric shock from cords and power tools
Critical
  • 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
  • Use battery-powered tools where you can. Substitution
  • Use GFCIs on all 120-volt, 15, 20 and 30 amp temporary receptacles, or a written assured equipment grounding conductor program run by a competent person with recorded tests (29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)). Engineering
  • Keep cords off the ground and out of water, using stands or hooks. Engineering
  • Check cords, plugs and tools before every use. Tag out and remove anything damaged. Administrative
  • Do not use tools in rain or wet areas unless they are rated for it. Administrative
  • Wear safety boots and dry gloves. PPE
Medium
4Lay tiles in shade or cooler hours
  • Heat stress
  • Sun exposure (UV)
  • Repetitive work and awkward postures
High
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Elimination
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in attics. Engineering
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Administrative
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Administrative
  • Let new and returning workers build up to full work in the heat over about a week. Administrative
  • In California, Washington, Oregon and Maryland, follow the state heat illness rule: written plan, shade, water, rest and high-heat procedures. Administrative
  • Plan outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when UV is lower. Elimination
  • Put shade covers over fixed work areas. Engineering
  • Check the UV index each day. Use sun protection when it is 3 or higher. Administrative
  • Check your skin regularly and see a doctor about any new or changing spots. Administrative
  • Wear a broad-brim hat or hard hat brim, long sleeves, sunglasses and SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours. PPE
  • 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
5Grout, seal and clean up
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
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 labels before use, following OSHA Hazard Communication. Administrative
  • Keep chemicals in labeled containers. Never pour them 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
  • 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

Knee padsSafety glasses (ANSI Z87.1)N95 respiratorChemical-resistant glovesSun protection (sunscreen, hat, long sleeves)High-visibility safety apparel, ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 or 3 (Type R near roadways)Half-face respirator (P100 cartridges)Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413)Work glovesSafety goggles (ANSI Z87.1)Coveralls

Plant and equipment

Wet tile sawAngle grinderHand tools

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 patio tiling

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 patio tiling

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 balcony railing is in place before working near an edge
  2. Fence pools, as pools are a drowning risk for kids
  3. Cut tiles wet and keep leads dry
  4. Lay tiles in shade or cooler hours
  5. Grout, seal and clean up

Hazards to watch on patio tiling

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

Step 2DrowningA worker falls into a river, pond, pool or flooded pit and drowns or is swept away.
Step 4Sun exposure (UV)Long hours in the sun cause sunburn, eye damage and skin cancer.
Step 3Electric shock from cords and power toolsDamaged cords, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 4Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot attics causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.
Step 4Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.
Step 5Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: First aid only to FatalityBA
Highest risk on patio tiling: 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?
  • 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 patio tiling?

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

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

More tiling JHAs

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Related jobs in other trades

ConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves public entering the work areaRoofingRoof ReplacementAlso involves public entering the work areaDrywallDrywall InstallationAlso involves falling from heightScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves public entering the work areaWelding and fabricationSteel ErectionAlso involves public entering the work areaPaintingLead Paint Removal (RRP)Also involves public entering the work area

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkHeat Stress

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

Sources