Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Template
This universal JSA template covers the full lifecycle of a typical work task — pre-start planning, work area setup, materials handling, plant and tool operation, execution of the work, managing changed conditions, housekeeping and demobilisation. Every step, hazard, risk rating and control is fully editable in Word, so you can adapt the worked example to any trade or task. Suitable for use across all Australian states and territories.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
A Job Safety Analysis breaks one task into its sequential steps, then identifies the hazards, initial risk, controls and residual risk at each step before work begins. This universal JSA template is built around a fully worked example — a typical construction task taken from pre-start planning through site setup, materials handling, plant and tool operation, the work activity itself, housekeeping and demobilisation. Every step, hazard and control is written as a realistic starting point that you edit to match your own trade, task and site conditions. The format follows accepted Australian WHS risk-management practice: hierarchy-of-controls tagging on every control, before-and-after risk ratings, worker sign-on, and prompts to stop and reassess when conditions change.
If the task you adapt this template to involves high-risk construction work as defined in regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations (in Victoria, the equivalent provisions of the OHS Regulations 2017), a Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared before that work starts. Completing this JSA does not discharge the SWMS duty — in those situations the JSA supplements the SWMS with task-level planning detail, and both should be in place.
Hazards identified
15 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Arises at step: Plan the task and walk the work area with the crew. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Plan the task and walk the work area with the crew. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Set up, barricade and sign the work area. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Set up, barricade and sign the work area. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Unload, move and stack materials. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Unload, move and stack materials. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect and operate powered plant and tools. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect and operate powered plant and tools. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect and operate powered plant and tools. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Carry out the main work activity. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Carry out the main work activity. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Manage changed conditions and interaction with other trades. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Progressive housekeeping and waste removal. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Progressive housekeeping and waste removal. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Demobilise, reinstate the area and sign off. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Obtain current service plans (Before You Dig Australia) and plan the task to avoid live services entirely where possible
- 2Isolation — Arrange de-energisation, isolation or physical barriers for services that cannot be avoided, confirmed before work starts
- 3Administrative — Visually locate, trace and mark service positions during the pre-start walk and record them on the JSA
- 4Administrative — Hold a pre-start briefing covering the JSA steps, site emergency plan, assembly point and any concurrent trades; all workers sign on to the JSA
- 5Isolation — Establish a physical exclusion zone with barricades or para-webbing around the work front before any work starts
- 6Administrative — Post signage at each approach and brief adjoining trades on the exclusion zone and its duration
- 7Engineering — Route leads and hoses overhead on lead stands or hooks, clear of walkways
- 8Administrative — Designate material laydown areas away from access routes and keep walkways clear throughout the task
- 9Engineering — Use mechanical aids — trolley, pallet jack or crane-assisted delivery to the work front — instead of manual carrying
- 10Administrative — Use two-person lifts for awkward or heavy items and store frequently used materials between knee and shoulder height
- 11Engineering — Stack on firm level ground using dunnage, restrain tall stacks, and keep stack heights within stable limits
- 12PPE — Wear gloves and safety boots when handling and breaking down stacks
- 13Engineering — Confirm guards are fitted and functional and anti-kickback features are engaged before each use; tag out defective tools
- 14Administrative — Only operators with a verified competency use the tool; maintain a firm two-handed grip and secure the workpiece before cutting
- 15PPE — Wear safety glasses and gloves rated for the task
- 16Engineering — Run all portable electrical tools through RCD protection
- 17Administrative — Check test-and-tag currency and visually inspect leads and casings before use; remove damaged items from service immediately
- 18Substitution — Select the quietest plant available for the task
- 19Administrative — Rotate operators to limit individual exposure time
- 20PPE — Wear Class 5 hearing protection (AS/NZS 1270) whenever noisy plant is running
- 21Elimination — Redesign the task to be done from ground level where practicable (for example, pre-assemble components before installation)
- 22Engineering — Use podium steps or platform ladders with guardrails instead of stepladders for sustained work at height
- 23Administrative — Maintain three points of contact on ladders and never overreach; reposition instead
- 24Engineering — Use on-tool dust extraction or wet-cutting methods to suppress dust at the source
- 25PPE — Wear a fitted P2 respirator (AS/NZS 1716) during dust-generating work
- 26Administrative — Stop work when conditions change, reassess, amend the JSA and re-brief the crew before resuming
- 27Isolation — Establish exclusion zones beneath any overhead work and around mobile plant paths before continuing
- 28Engineering — Locate waste bins at the work front so sharp waste goes straight into containment
- 29Administrative — Clean up progressively during the task rather than in one end-of-day push
- 30PPE — Wear cut-resistant gloves when handling waste
- 31Engineering — Use wheeled bins or a trolley to move waste to the disposal point
- 32Administrative — Do not overfill bags or bins; keep individual loads within comfortable lifting limits
- 33Administrative — Complete an end-of-task inspection against the JSA before leaving; supervisor signs off that the area is reinstated
- 34Isolation — Remove barricades only once the area is confirmed safe, or leave them secured if hazards remain and notify site management
Applicable Codes of Practice
The risk-management method this JSA applies — identify hazards, assess risk, control via the hierarchy, and review.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
If the task you adapt this template to involves high-risk construction work as defined in regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations (in Victoria, the equivalent provisions of the OHS Regulations 2017), a Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared before that work starts. Completing this JSA does not discharge the SWMS duty — in those situations the JSA supplements the SWMS with task-level planning detail, and both should be in place.
Who this is for
- →Sole traders and small contractors who need a professional, ready-to-adapt JSA format
- →Site supervisors and leading hands preparing task briefings and toolbox talks
- →Businesses tendering for work where JSAs are a contractual or principal-contractor requirement
- →Safety coordinators building a task-based risk assessment library across multiple crews
- →Maintenance and facilities teams documenting one-off or non-routine tasks
What you receive
- ✓Fully formatted, editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) Job Safety Analysis template
- ✓A complete worked example: a typical construction task broken into 8 sequential steps with concrete hazards, controls and hierarchy tags
- ✓Before-and-after risk rating columns using a simple High / Medium / Low scale, with a risk matrix included
- ✓Ready-to-adapt PPE, training, and emergency response sections referencing current Australian Standards
- ✓Worker sign-on and supervisor sign-off sections with review triggers built in
- ✓One-off purchase — edit and reuse the template for unlimited tasks within your business
Worked example
A Job Safety Analysis breaks one task into its sequential steps, then identifies the hazards, initial risk, controls and residual risk at each step before work begins. This universal JSA template is built around a fully worked example — a typical construction task taken from pre-start planning through site setup, materials handling, plant and tool operation, the work activity itself, housekeeping and demobilisation. Every step, hazard and control is written as a realistic starting point that you edit to match your own trade, task and site conditions. The format follows accepted Australian WHS risk-management practice: hierarchy-of-controls tagging on every control, before-and-after risk ratings, worker sign-on, and prompts to stop and reassess when conditions change.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations of your state or territory (in Victoria, the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017)
- How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice
- Where the task is high-risk construction work: the SWMS provisions of your jurisdiction (a JSA supplements, and does not replace, a required SWMS)
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a SWMS if I complete this JSA?
Sometimes, yes. If your task includes high-risk construction work as defined in regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations — for example work where a person could fall more than 2 metres, work in or near a trench deeper than 1.5 metres, or work near energised electrical installations — the law requires a Safe Work Method Statement before that work starts. A JSA does not satisfy that duty. In those cases the JSA supplements the SWMS with task-level detail; it never replaces it. For tasks that are not high-risk construction work, a well-completed JSA is an accepted way to meet your general risk-management duties.
What is the difference between a JSA and a SWMS?
A JSA is a general risk-management tool: it breaks one task into sequential steps and records the hazards, risk ratings and controls for each step. A SWMS is a specific document the WHS Regulations require for high-risk construction work under regulation 291, and it must describe the high-risk work, its hazards and the control measures. Many principal contractors ask for both — the SWMS to meet the legislated duty, and JSAs for day-to-day task planning.
Can I adapt this template to any trade or task?
Yes — that is what it is designed for. The worked example follows a typical construction task from planning through to demobilisation, but every step, hazard, rating and control is plain editable text in Word. Keep the step-by-step structure and the hierarchy-of-controls tagging, and replace the example content with the specifics of your own task, whether that is a trade activity, maintenance work, or a workshop process.
Who should complete and sign the JSA?
The supervisor or leading hand should prepare it together with the workers who will actually do the task — they know the practical hazards best, and consultation is a duty under WHS law. Before work starts, brief the crew on the final JSA and have every worker sign on. Anyone joining the task later should read and sign it before starting.
When should the JSA be reviewed or updated?
Review it before each use, whenever site conditions or the work method change, when new plant, substances or trades are introduced, and after any incident or near miss involving the task. If conditions change mid-task, stop work, amend the JSA, re-brief the crew and have them sign the revised version before resuming.