To prepare a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) for excavation work, you should follow these safety steps:

1. Select the job: Prioritize jobs for analysis based on incident frequency, potential for severe injuries, newly established or modified jobs, and infrequently performed tasks. [8] [8]

2. Break down the job into basic steps: Divide the job into a sequence of steps, ensuring each step is a necessary segment of the operation. A rule of thumb is to describe most jobs in less than ten steps, starting each item with an action verb. [8] [10] [10]

3. Identify potential hazards: For each step, identify potential hazards based on job observations, incident knowledge, and personal experience. Consider factors like caught-in/between hazards, equipment hazards, contact with moving objects, slip/trip/fall hazards, strains, environmental hazards (heat, cold, noise, vibration), falling objects, lighting, weather, radiation, and contact with harmful products. [9] [9]

4. Determine preventative measures: Determine ways to eliminate hazards or control risks using the hierarchy of controls. Prioritize elimination, containment, revised work procedures, and exposure reduction. Use specific statements describing the actions to be taken and how to perform them, avoiding general statements like "be careful". [6] [6] [12]

5. Communicate the results: Communicate the JHA results to all workers performing the job, using a narrative-style format for clarity. [11] [11]

For excavation work, specific hazards and control measures to consider include:

Hazards:

• Cave-ins or Collapses: Can trap or crush workers.
• Falling Equipment or Soil: Equipment or excavated soil falling on workers.
• Falling into the excavation: Workers falling into the trench or excavation.
• Flooding or Water Accumulation: Water accumulation in the excavation.
• Hazardous Atmosphere: Exposure to gas, vapor, dust, biological contaminants, or lack of oxygen.
• Contact with Buried Services: Contact with electrical, gas, water, or telecommunication lines.
• Contact with Overhead Electrical Lines: Contact with overhead power lines.
• Slips, Trips, and Falls: Slips and falls when climbing on/off equipment.
• Struck by Moving Machinery: Being struck by moving machinery or falling objects.
• Material Handling Hazards: Hazards related to lifting and being struck by materials.

[1] [4] Control Measures:

• Protective Systems: Use sloping, shoring, or trench boxes for trenches 1.2 meters (4 feet) or deeper, unless entirely in stable rock.
• Soil Type Determination: Identify the soil type to determine appropriate sloping angles and protective systems.
• Underground Services: Locate and de-energize buried services before digging.
• Overhead Power Lines: Identify and locate overhead power lines and ensure they are de-energized as necessary.
• Atmospheric Testing: Test for hazardous gases, vapors, and oxygen levels before and during work.
• Safe Access and Egress: Provide a safe means of entry and exit, such as a secured ladder within 8 meters (25 feet) of workers.
• Emergency Preparedness: Prepare an emergency plan and rescue procedures, and keep first aid equipment on-site.
• Competent Person: Have a competent person regularly inspect the excavation.
• Surface Watch: Station a competent person at the surface to warn of danger and provide emergency help.
• Housekeeping: Keep excavated material at least 1 meter away from the trench edge.

[3] [4] [4] [4] [7] [5] [3] [3] [5] [5] [7] Regularly review and update the JHA, especially when there are changes in the process, task, equipment, or workplace layout. [2]