Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
Updated 14 July 2026
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A job safety analysis (JSA) breaks one task into its steps, identifies the hazards at each step, and sets the controls before work starts. In Australian construction the legally required document for the 18 high risk construction work categories is the SWMS; the JSA is the flexible tool for every other task, and many principal contractors ask for one on jobs that fall outside the SWMS trigger. A good JSA fits on a page or two and gets signed by the crew who will do the work.
- 1
Break the task into steps
List the task as 5 to 10 steps in the order the work happens, from setup to pack-down. Each step is something you could watch someone do.
- 2
Identify the hazards at each step
For each step, name what could cause harm: energy sources, height, plant, manual handling, substances, other trades nearby.
- 3
Rate the risk
Score likelihood and consequence for each hazard so the serious ones get the attention. A simple 5x5 matrix works.
- 4
Set controls in hierarchy order
Eliminate or substitute first, then isolation and engineering, then administrative controls, with PPE as the last layer, not the first answer.
- 5
Assign and sign on
Name who implements each control, brief the crew against the finished JSA, and have everyone doing the task sign it before work starts.
JSA or SWMS: which one does this job need?
| Question | JSA | SWMS |
|---|---|---|
| Is it legally required? | No standard names it, but the duty to manage risks (regs 34 to 36) still applies | Yes, for the 18 high risk construction work categories (regs 291, 299 to 303) |
| When is it used? | Any task worth planning: deliveries, installs, service work | High risk construction work only |
| Who asks for it? | Supervisors, clients, principal contractors on lower-risk scopes | Principal contractors, before you start on site |
| Format | Steps, hazards, controls, usually 1 to 2 pages | Fuller document: HRCW categories, legislation, plant, permits, sign-off |
How to write a JSA
Write it with the person doing the task, not for them. The five steps below take 15 to 30 minutes for a typical trade task.
The mistakes that make a JSA useless
- ✓ Steps written at the wrong altitude: "do the job safely" is not a step, and 40 micro-steps is not a plan
- ✓ Hazards without controls, or controls that are all PPE when a higher-order fix exists (reg 36 puts the hierarchy in law)
- ✓ Copying last month's JSA and changing the date, so the hazards belong to a different site
- ✓ Nobody signs it, so there is no evidence the crew ever saw it
Build one free, or get the SWMS version
The free JSA builder walks you through steps, hazards, and controls and gives you a clean printable document, no signup. If the task turns out to be high risk construction work, generate the SWMS instead: site-specific, verified against your state legislation, A$39.
Common questions
▸Is a JSA legally required in Australia?
No regulation names the JSA. What the law requires is that risks are managed (regs 34 to 36) and that high risk construction work has a SWMS before it starts. The JSA is how many crews satisfy the first duty on tasks that do not trigger the second.
▸What is the difference between a JSA and a take 5?
A take 5 is a personal pre-start check done in the moment, usually on a card or app. A JSA is a planned document for a whole task, written before the day and signed by the crew. Most sites use both at different altitudes.
▸Can a JSA replace a SWMS?
No. If the job includes any of the 18 high risk construction work categories, a SWMS is legally required and a JSA does not satisfy the duty, no matter how thorough it is.
▸How long should a JSA be?
One to two pages. If it runs longer, the steps are probably too granular or the task should be split. The document has to survive being read on the tailgate of a ute.
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