Describe how someone could get hurt
Hazard identification starts with the job in front of you. "Pressure" names a hazard category. "Trapped fluid could spray the worker opening this connection" describes an exposure that the crew can discuss. Add the equipment ID and exact location so another supervisor knows which connection you mean.
Use this writing pattern: source of harm, person exposed, event, and consequence. For example, "A reversing service truck could strike a pedestrian crossing behind it at the unloading area." The next question is what will prevent that interaction at this site.
Keep hazards, consequences, and controls separate. A crush injury is a consequence. "Be careful" does not explain how the crew will prevent it. A low risk score does not prove a control is in place.
Walk the job before filling the hazard column
OSHA's oil-and-gas JSA guidance connects job steps, potential hazards, and safe work procedures. Start with the people who will perform the task. Ask them to explain the planned sequence at the work area.
- Confirm the equipment, scope, work area, and people involved. Include delivery drivers and other crews who could enter the area.
- For each step, ask what can move unexpectedly, what energy can remain, and where hands and bodies will be positioned.
- Check access, walking routes, lighting, ground conditions, and work happening above or beside the task.
- Review relevant equipment instructions, safety data sheets, previous findings, and near misses.
- Ask what is different today. A changed product, tool, crew, or nearby operation can change the exposure.
This is the hazard-identification part of the job. Use the full JSA process guide for task breakdown, crew review, and the completed record.
Worked JSA excerpts for three field situations
| Job step | Hazard and exposure | Control check to record | Change requiring review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position a service truck for unloading | A worker walks behind the reversing truck where the driver cannot see them, creating a struck-by or crush exposure. | Confirm the site traffic plan separates pedestrians from the maneuvering area. Identify who controls access and the agreed communication method. | Another vehicle enters the area or the agreed communication fails. |
| Prepare to remove a transfer-pump guard for maintenance | Unexpected shaft movement could catch the mechanic's hand or clothing while the guard is removed. | Have the authorized person confirm the equipment-specific energy-control procedure and verification before access. A stopped motor alone is not evidence of isolation. | The isolation cannot be verified, equipment identity is uncertain, or the work scope changes. |
| Carry an inspection kit to an equipment pad | A temporary hose crosses the walking route. A worker carrying the kit could trip and fall onto nearby equipment. | Agree a clear route with the hose owner. Verify that the obstruction has been removed, rerouted, or protected through the site's approved method. | The hose moves, the route becomes obstructed, or lighting or ground conditions deteriorate. |
The useful detail is the connection between the step and the exposure. Repeating "struck by, pinch points, wear PPE" on every row leaves the crew guessing about where the danger is and how the plan addresses it.
Look beyond what a walkaround can show
A photograph can show an obstructed walkway. It cannot establish that an atmosphere is safe or that a worker's noise exposure is acceptable. OSHA's hazard-assessment guidance covers health exposures as well as visible safety hazards.
Consider gases and vapors, dust, noise, heat, vibration, and manual handling where the task creates those exposures. Identify what information is missing and who is qualified to assess it. Use the required monitoring, equipment, training, and site procedures. A completed checklist or normal-looking work area cannot replace an exposure assessment.
Name the control, its owner, and the evidence
OSHA recommends selecting controls using the hierarchy of controls. Consider removing the hazard or separating people from it before relying on instructions and PPE. Ask whether the proposed control introduces another exposure.
For an unresolved finding, record who will implement the control, when it must be in place, and how someone will verify it. A due date in a tracker is not permission to leave a serious hazard uncontrolled. Follow the site's immediate-control and stop-work procedures.
After the fix, record what changed and check that the control works. A photo can document a repaired guard; the required functional or technical checks may need separate evidence. The corrective-action tracker can help organize follow-up. The crew still has to verify the physical condition.
Recheck the exposure when the plan changes
Reopen the discussion when the scope, equipment, people, weather, access, or nearby operations change. If an unlisted hazard appears or a control fails, follow the site's stop-work and review process. Capture what changed and how the revised controls were communicated.
At a remote location, prepare the records your crew needs before leaving coverage. BasinCheck's offline inspection workflow saves findings locally for later sync. An unsynced record cannot notify the office, so use the site's established communication and emergency arrangements.
Once the crew has assessed the actual task, use the free JSA builder to draft the job steps, hazards, and controls. Review the result under your company and operator rules before work.
Primary sources
Regulations and guidance change. Use these links to check the current federal text, then apply the operator, state-plan, fire-code, and company rules that control your site.