I am looking for opinions on the subject of safe systems of work. I consider ourselves a safe company with the use of risk assessments and method statements as our normal literature when on site. I have now come a cross a company that has mandated that we now also require a Job Hazard Analysis form for each operation to be conducted. Is the world really this crazy? I have attempted to explain that a JHA is just another form of risk assessment and that our risk assessment and method statement contain far superior information on the hazards and controls required to conduct the tasks safely. Does anyone else think that this company have not really thought it through? A further point to note is that we also employ a robust permit to work system and last minute risk assessments. Yours Grant1962

DNW, that is exactly my thought but didn't wish to say so early in the blog. Thanks for your thoughts they are much appreciated

I find that to complete a suitable and sufficient RA properly one of the tools used to support the activity is a suitable and formal JHA/JSA [along with person spec/job spec details other supporting areas]. It is in some way an RA but it is also a much deeper and wider look at a job/person so U can get out more detail than simply using a buzz word list, a persons memory or similar Just a comment

Grant, I don't want to be a smart A.... but if you confront the person you are having trouble with, you need to avoid using SSOW in the context you have done so here. SSOW is a control low down in the Risk assessment control hierarchy Last minute RA are better described a point of work risk Assessments Hope this helps

Hi guys, thanks for all of your comments, they are much appreciated. In response to a couple of your remarks. When conducting a risk assessment, I already conduct a mental JHA /JSA and record it on a Risk assessment. The Client is a multi-national company who have no lateral movement in this issue, in that the systems are too deep and onerus to implement change or understanding, and god have I tried! The problem is generally that the UK arm of the company do not really know how to implement UK statute, years ago they said that a RA is the UK version of a JHA but since then many personnel have changed and these newcomers are going by the Global message! Ultimately I have to say yes sir three bags full sir as client are a major part of business, my work load has just increased yet again through total lack of understanding and it is frustrating. Grant1962

How many different types of "general" risk assessments are there? My last count was 9 including "point of work" and "dynamic" assessments - neither of which are defind in Regulations or ant ACOP. Perhaps Lord Young has a valid point after all!!!!! I find it all such crass nonsense. So - come on, can you beat 9? Jon

Would it not be a better idea to "educate" the clent instead of lying down and being rolled over by a tsunami of nonsense. Promote your professional competence in the face of such nonsense. Jon

For those who want to know what is a JSA, refer to:- http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071.pdf

Global businesses must adhere to local laws and that's it - but its not an easy 'thought' to get in place As for suitable and sufficient; only a court will decide what is S&S and the more sensible and logical stuff U have in place [in the brain is not enough!] the more a risk assessment will be seen as being S&S I cannot see what all the fuss is about as when procuring, designing, recruiting, specifying, work pricing, marketing, financing etc [the list goes on and on] the systems used and paperwork concerned is vast and complicated so why should the paperwork used for the most important thing of the lot [keeping people safe & healthy] be simple and uncomplicated? Simple and uncomplicated is not a bad way to go but balance is needed Irrespective of the use of JHA/JSA etc systems; some way of analysing a work activity etc is needed either in the head [in the head is no good in a court---they wany proof] or written down and I argue that once JHA etc is used as a formal part of the process people will see how simple it is and how easy the follow on specific RA will be ---- and as said before U can get other things out of an JSA etc that U cannot easily get out of a straight forward RA; things that will help management reduce £ as that's what they are after so it will show H&S as being more valuable. Additionally both the final RA and any pre works undertaken should aim at [I always do this] saving £ for a company as well as other things as again using that idea will make H&S professionals more valuable and a JHA etc are tools that will help in that quarter

I couldnt agree more!!!

I think where I put this in the order of where my priorities lie was quite clear but perhaps you failed to interpret it that way. In my industry, a lot of focus is put onto 18001, 14001 and 9001, so having these certificates means a lot to us, yes, but certainly not over priority of hazard identification and ultimately safety. So, I await an apology for your petty statement, if you will.

Thanks Garfield, much more eloquently put than I could manage on a Friday! What I'm basically saying is we run with a system (FPAL Verify), this is a huge database of major oil and gas suppliers, where we're assessed and scored and based on that, we're then offered to tender for the contract. Whether an indivdual agrees with the merits of certification or not is purely subjective, but in our industry, it is a major aspect of tendering for contracts, and if this is "our" way through with managers and directors, so be it. My job is to promote and facilitate a safe, healthy workplace.

Quote "A method statement is based on a RA, which is based on a JSA," is it? I would have thought the development of a methodology and sequence of work (critically analysed) would be the catalyst for a RA. When developing the methodology you could consider the hazards associated with each aspect of the work(Possibly call this a JSA/HIA!!) and from the identified hazards produce a risk assessment- what is so difficult?

Acronym barmy!!!!!!! no wonder the rest of the population think we are all NKUTS

Never thought about that connotation, just in case they do it was NOT intended as anything else other than KNUTS as in they properly spelt Nuts