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Safety·Lesson 25 of 28

Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for Shop Machines

Break a machine task into steps, identify hazards per step with a 5x5 risk matrix, and write controls - the industrial method, scaled to your shop.

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A Job Safety Analysis (JSA, also called Job Hazard Analysis) is the industrial technique for making a specific task safe by breaking it into steps, finding the hazard in each step, and assigning a control. OSHA's guide (publication 3071) frames it as focusing on job tasks to identify hazards before they occur. It maps perfectly onto an FRC shop's drill press, bandsaw, and lathe.

Method (industry standard):

  1. Pick a task and break it into 6-8 sequential steps (if it needs many more, split into two JSAs).
  2. For each step, identify hazards across the standard categories: struck-by, caught-in/between, electrical, chemical, ergonomic, temperature.
  3. Rate each hazard's risk with a 5x5 matrix (Severity 1-5 x Likelihood 1-5). Anything in the high-score cells needs a control before the task proceeds.
  4. Write the control using the Hierarchy of Controls (prefer engineering over PPE).

Worked example - JSA for the manual lathe:

Task: Face the end of an aluminum shaft on the lathe
Step 1 Mount workpiece in chuck
  Hazard: chuck key left in, ejected at startup | Sev 5 x Like 2 = 10
  Control: remove chuck key before starting; 'key in hand' rule (admin)
Step 2 Set spindle speed and start
  Hazard: struck-by chips; entanglement of sleeves/hair | 5 x 3 = 15
  Control: face shield + Z87 glasses; tie hair; no gloves on lathe (PPE+admin)
Step 3 Advance tool, take cut
  Hazard: caught-in moving chuck/stock | 5 x 2 = 10
  Control: stand clear of rotation; keep guards in place (engineering)
Step 4 Clear chips
  Hazard: laceration from sharp chips | 3 x 4 = 12
  Control: stop spindle first; use brush, never hands (admin)
Step 5 Stop and remove part
  Hazard: burns from hot part | 2 x 3 = 6
  Control: let cool / use gloves AFTER spindle stops

Why it matters: the JSA forces you to confront the dangerous reality of each step. A chuck key left in a powered lathe is the textbook lathe injury - it must be removed before starting. And 'no gloves on a lathe' is a counterintuitive rule a JSA surfaces: gloves can be caught and drag a hand into the rotating spindle, so the entanglement risk outweighs the protection. Post the finished JSA at the machine and require a sign-off before a student operates it unsupervised. A binder of machine JSAs is exactly the kind of substantive, industrial-grade safety documentation that demonstrates a serious program.

Key takeaways

  • Break a machine task into 6-8 steps, find the hazard per step, and rate it on a 5x5 severity x likelihood matrix.
  • Apply controls high on the hierarchy; surface counterintuitive rules like 'no gloves on a lathe' and 'remove the chuck key before starting.'
  • Post each JSA at its machine and require operator sign-off - a JSA binder is strong evidence of a mature program.

Go deeper

Lesson quiz

Required

Answer all 3 questions correctly to complete this lesson.

1.What is the core sequence of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for a shop machine?

2.When a JSA selects controls for an identified hazard, which framework should guide the choice?

3.Who should be involved in writing a JSA for a machine like a drill press or bandsaw?

Answer every question to submit.