JSA Template — Job Safety Analysis

This Job Safety Analysis template provides the standard format used across Australian industries for documenting task-level risk assessments. The template follows the established step-hazard-control methodology where each task is broken into sequential steps, the hazards at each step are identified, and the control measures to manage each hazard are documented.

The template includes a pre-formatted risk assessment matrix using a 5x5 likelihood and consequence grid that produces risk ratings from Low to Extreme. This matrix is consistent with the risk assessment approach used by major Australian employers, contractors, and regulators, ensuring your JSAs are compatible with client and industry requirements.

Unlike blank JSA forms that provide only column headers, this template includes instructional prompts and example content that guides the user through the JSA preparation process. This ensures that critical elements such as residual risk assessment, PPE specification, and competency requirements are not overlooked.

A JSA should be prepared for any work task where a documented risk assessment is appropriate. This includes new or unfamiliar tasks, tasks that have resulted in incidents or near misses, tasks with significant hazards, tasks performed in new environments, and tasks where workers, supervisors, or clients request a documented hazard analysis.

Many Australian industries require JSAs as standard practice for all non-routine work activities. Contractor management systems routinely require JSAs as a condition of site access. Major resource companies, utilities, and government agencies include JSA requirements in their procurement specifications.

The JSA should be reviewed before each time the task is performed, updated when conditions change, and revised when incidents occur or when workers identify additional hazards.

How This Is Different

This JSA template is authored by occupational hygiene professionals and structured to meet the expectations of Australian regulators, auditors, and major clients. The risk assessment matrix uses consistent definitions for likelihood and consequence that produce defensible risk ratings, unlike generic templates with undefined or inconsistent rating scales. The template is designed for practical use in the field, with a clear layout that workers and supervisors can complete efficiently. It includes instructional prompts that guide users through each section without being so prescriptive that it cannot be adapted to different tasks and industries.