Summary
How much did the controls reduce the risk?
- Hazards assessed
- --
- Highest initial risk
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- Highest residual risk
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- Average reduction
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- Controls at the top three levels
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- Steps needing attention
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Add a step to see the summary.
Calculator Library / Safety
JHA and Risk Assessment Builder
Break a job into steps, record hazards and controls by hierarchy level, score the risk before and after, and see where each hazard sits on the matrix. Flags show steps that need stronger controls.
Tool
Break the job into steps
Risk = severity × likelihood
List the steps of a job, the hazard at each step, and the controls, with the hierarchy of controls level for each. Score severity and likelihood from 1 to 5 before and after the controls. The builder calculates the risk, shows where it falls on the matrix, and flags steps that still carry high risk or rely on weak controls. Load the example to see a press-loading job.
Your entries are saved in this browser only, so you can come back to them. Nothing is sent to a server. Use the scales you have agreed for your site: this builder uses 1 to 5 for severity and likelihood and the bands Low (1 to 4), Medium (5 to 9), High (10 to 16), and Extreme (17 to 25). The example is made-up data.
Matrix
Where the hazards sit before and after
Each cell shows how many hazards have that severity and likelihood. Colors show the risk band. The controls should move hazards down and to the left.
Instructions
How to use this builder
- Name the job. List its steps in order, as what is done, not how.
- For each step, write the hazard and the harm it could cause.
- Score the severity of the worst credible harm and the likelihood, from 1 to 5, with the controls that exist now. Use the scoring scales your team has agreed.
- Choose the controls, and the level of each in the hierarchy of controls. Look for elimination, substitution, and engineering controls first.
- Score the residual severity and likelihood with the new controls in place.
- Read the flags. Fix steps that stay at High or Extreme, and steps that rely only on administrative controls or PPE.
- Print or copy the result, review it with the people who do the job, and review it when the job changes.
What This JHA and Risk Assessment Builder Does
A job hazard analysis breaks a job into steps, finds the hazards in each, and decides how to control them. This builder gives that analysis a structure: for each step you record the hazard, the harm, a severity and likelihood score before and after the controls, and the hierarchy of controls level of each control. It shows the result on a risk matrix and flags steps that still carry high risk or that depend on weak controls.
It matches the worked example in the Job Hazard Analysis guide and the method in the Workplace Risk Assessment guide.
How the Scoring Works
| Item | How it works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Risk score | Severity (1 to 5) × likelihood (1 to 5) | A simple, transparent product that a team can discuss |
| Bands | Low 1 to 4, Medium 5 to 9, High 10 to 16, Extreme 17 to 25 | Turns a score into a decision: act, plan, or accept with monitoring |
| Residual risk | The same scores, assuming the new controls are in place | Shows how much the controls actually reduce the risk |
| Hierarchy of controls | Elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE | Higher levels are more reliable because they depend less on people |
| Flags | Residual risk still High or Extreme; a High hazard that relies on administrative controls or PPE; no control for a Medium or higher hazard | Points the team to the steps that need more work |
Worked Example
The pre-loaded example is a press-loading job at an illustrative plant, with six steps. Before the controls, four steps score High (12, 15, 10, and 15) and two score Medium (9 and 8). After the controls, the highest residual score is 6, a Medium, and the average reduction is 55%. The two steps with the worst hazards, the die area and clearing a jam, move from 15 to 5 by engineering and administrative controls together.
The summary shows how many controls are at the top three levels. Four of the six controls are at the top three levels of the hierarchy. The press start and the jam-clearing step are High hazards that depend on administrative controls, so the tool flags them and the team asks whether an engineering control, such as an interlocked guard, is possible.
Limits and Good Practice
- A risk matrix is a thinking tool, not a measurement. Scores depend on the people who give them, so assess as a team that includes the people who do the job.
- Score the worst credible harm, not the worst imaginable one, and be consistent between steps.
- Residual scores are a judgment about controls that may not be in place yet. Verify them after implementation.
- A job with an Extreme or High residual risk should not proceed until it is controlled further.
- This tool supports your own assessment process. It does not replace legal requirements, standards, or expert advice for high-hazard work.
- Your entries stay in your browser and are saved there only. Nothing is sent to a server.
JHA and Risk Assessment Builder Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a JHA and a risk assessment?
A job hazard analysis follows a specific job step by step to find the hazards in each step. A risk assessment is the broader process of identifying hazards, evaluating the risk, and deciding on controls, and it can cover areas, equipment, and processes as well as jobs. A JHA is a detailed form of risk assessment for a task.
How do I choose severity and likelihood scores?
Agree the scales as a team before you start, with examples at each level for your site. Score severity as the worst credible outcome, and likelihood given the controls that exist now. Different people will score differently; discuss the differences, because the discussion is where hazards are found.
Why does the hierarchy of controls matter?
Because controls differ in reliability. Eliminating a hazard works every time. Engineering controls work without anyone remembering. Administrative controls and PPE depend on people doing the right thing every time, so they are less reliable and are the last resort for serious hazards.
What should I do about a hazard that stays High after controls?
Do not proceed with the job until it is controlled further. Look again for elimination or substitution, add engineering controls, and combine controls. If the risk cannot be reduced, stop the job and consult a qualified safety professional.
Are my entries saved?
They are saved in this browser only, so you can return to them. Nothing is sent to a server. Download or copy the CSV to keep a record, and clear the entries if you are using a shared computer.