What is the purpose of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) in BE work?

• A. Identify steps, hazards, and controls to reduce risk for a task
• B. Schedule tasks and assign hours
• C. Train workers in first aid
• D. Report accidents after they occur

Answer: (A)

A Job Safety Analysis is a planning tool used to make a task safer by breaking it down into steps, identifying hazards at each step, and defining controls to reduce the risk. By analyzing the task before work begins, you create a task-specific safety plan that communicates exactly how to perform each step with the appropriate protections, so workers know what could go wrong and how to prevent it. This focuses on preventing injuries and exposures from the outset, rather than just scheduling work, teaching first aid, or recording accidents after the fact. For BE tasks, this means examining steps like material handling, sampling, or equipment setup, pinpointing hazards such as chemical exposure, slips, or mechanical injuries, and specifying controls like engineering safeguards, PPE, and administrative procedures to keep people safe.