Written By: Eric Glover
Emergencies rarely happen at a convenient time. A power outage, equipment failure, severe weather event, or chemical release can interrupt work with little warning. That is why September is National Preparedness Month, a national campaign led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The 2026 theme, “Americans Stand Ready,” encourages individuals and organizations to plan ahead, understand risks, and take steps to reduce the impact of emergencies.
Source:
https://www.ready.gov/september
In the workplace, preparedness is not only about emergency kits or evacuation maps. It also depends on how well hazards are identified before work begins.
A Real-World Workplace Scenario
A maintenance technician is assigned to service a piece of equipment during a busy production shift. The job is familiar, so the team skips a formal review of hazards. While working, the technician unexpectedly encounters stored energy in the system that was not properly isolated. The result is a serious near-miss that stops work and requires an emergency response.
This type of situation is exactly what a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is designed to prevent.
What OSHA Says About Job Hazard Analysis
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines a Job Hazard Analysis as a process that:
- Breaks a job into steps
- Identifies hazards in each step
- Determines ways to eliminate or control those hazards
Source:
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3071.pdf
OSHA emphasizes that JHAs are most effective when they are completed before work begins and updated when conditions change.
Common Misunderstanding
A JHA is sometimes treated as paperwork completed after the fact. However, OSHA guidance makes clear that its purpose is prevention—not documentation.
A strong JHA is:
- Specific to the actual task being performed
- Completed with input from workers doing the job
- Reviewed when equipment, materials, or conditions change
A weak JHA is:
- Generic or copied from another job
- Completed without worker input
- Not used during actual work planning
3 Key Takeaways
-
Hazards should be identified before work begins
Waiting until after work starts increases the risk of injury or incident. -
Workers should be part of the process
Employees performing the job often understand real-world hazards best. -
Conditions change—JHAs should too
New equipment, weather, or procedures can introduce new risks.
Build Stronger Hazard Recognition Skills
If your organization relies on employees and supervisors to identify hazards in real time, formal training can help standardize that process and improve consistency across teams.
The OSHA Training Institute Education Center is offering:
OSHA #7515: Job Hazard Analysis
September 9, 2026 | 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Zoom)
This course covers OSHA guidance for developing Job Hazard Analyses, identifying workplace hazards, and applying practical methods to reduce risk before work begins.
Learn More
-
FEMA National Preparedness Month:
https://www.ready.gov/september -
OSHA Job Hazard Analysis Guide:
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3071.pdf -
OSHA Training Institute Education Center Courses:
https://osha4you.com/safety-training-courses/
Final Thought
Preparedness is not only about responding to emergencies—it is about preventing them. A well-developed Job Hazard Analysis helps ensure that workers understand risks before they step into the job.
The safest workplace is the one where hazards are identified before work begins—not after something goes wrong.