JHA vs. Pre-Task Plan (PTP): What Each One Is and When You Need Both
A JHA (job hazard analysis, also called a JSA or, on federal work, an AHA) is a planning document written before a scope starts: it breaks the work into steps and lists the hazards and controls for each. A pre-task plan (PTP) is a short daily document written by the foreman and crew at the start of each shift for today's specific task, crew, location and conditions. The JHA is the general plan; the PTP checks it against this morning's reality. Most general contractor sites require both.
Side-by-side
| JHA / JSA / AHA | Pre-task plan (PTP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | A whole activity or phase (all slab pours) | Today's task (pour Level 2, east bay) |
| Written by | Sub supervision or safety staff | Foreman with the crew |
| When | Before the scope starts; revised when methods change | Every shift and when conditions change |
| Length | One to several pages | Half a page to one page |
| Reviewed by | General contractor safety or project team, sometimes owner | General contractor superintendent or site safety |
| Signed by crew | Often reviewed with crew | Always signed or acknowledged by crew |
| Captures | Steps, hazards, controls, equipment, training, permits | Today's steps, crew, conditions, adjacent work, top hazards |
The AGC of Washington's pre-task planning training draws the same line: JHAs cover a larger job scope and are completed before mobilization, while PTPs cover a single task and are completed by foremen daily and whenever conditions change. Source: https://www.agcwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PTP_Student_English.pdf
What goes in a JHA
- Activity and location
- Steps of the work in sequence
- Hazards at each step (name the hazard, such as "fall from deck edge," not the injury)
- Controls for each hazard, working down the hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, engineering, administrative, PPE
- Equipment and tools, with inspection requirements
- Training and competent person requirements
- Permits (hot work, excavation, confined space)
- Prepared by, reviewed by, date
What goes in a pre-task plan
- Date, crew, foreman, task, location
- Steps for today
- What changed since yesterday (weather, area, crew, adjacent trades)
- Top hazards for today
- Controls in place for each
- PPE and equipment checks done
- Emergency information (muster point, nearest hospital)
- Crew signatures or acknowledgment
Same task, both documents
JHA excerpt: elevated slab pour with pump
| Step | Hazard | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Pump setup | Outrigger failure, overhead lines | Cribbing on firm ground, 20 ft clearance from lines, spotter |
| Placing | Hose whip, fall at deck edge | Trained hose handler, no kneeling near hose end, guardrail at edge |
| Finishing | Silica if saw cutting, noise | Wet cutting, hearing protection |
| Washout | Chemical burns from wet concrete | Gloves, eye protection, designated washout |
Pre-task plan for the same pour, Tuesday
Task: Pour Level 2 deck, gridlines C to F. 6 crew. Changes today: Wind 15 to 20 mph forecast after noon. Electrician working below Level 2 at grid D. Top hazards: hose whip; deck edge on east side where guardrail was removed for pump boom; work below. Controls: Guardrail reinstalled east side before pour; controlled access zone below grid C to F, electrician moved to Level 1 west until 1 PM; pour paused if gusts exceed pump operator's limit. PPE checked: gloves, eye protection, boots. Signed: 6 of 6.
Common problems with both
- Copy-paste PTPs. Same text every day, signed without reading. Require the "what changed today" line.
- PPE as the only control. A JHA with "wear PPE" for every step will be rejected.
- Hazards written as injuries. "Cuts" is an outcome; "unguarded blade during rip cuts" is a hazard.
- No link to daily reports. If PTPs are not collected and filed with the day's record, they are hard to produce after an incident.
For trade-specific examples, see JHA examples by trade.
How JHAs and PTPs fit together on a general contractor site
A typical flow on a commercial job:
- Before mobilization: each sub submits JHAs for its scope with the site-specific safety plan. General contractor safety reviews and returns comments.
- At kickoff: the general contractor reviews site rules, emergency procedures and the PTP process with each foreman.
- Every morning: each foreman completes a PTP with the crew for the day's task, referencing the JHA, and submits it to the general contractor.
- When conditions change: the foreman updates the PTP, for example when weather turns, a new crew member arrives, or the crew moves to a new area.
- When methods change: the sub revises the JHA and resubmits.
- After an incident or near miss: both documents are reviewed and updated with what was learned.
Making PTPs meaningful instead of a signature exercise
- Require the "what changed today" line
- Have a crew member, not only the foreman, name the top hazard
- Have the superintendent spot-check two PTPs a day against the actual work
- Keep PTPs with the daily report so they can be found later
Build one with the free pre-task plan builder: steps, hazards, controls, PPE, permits and a crew sign-off sheet, printable with no login.
Collect pre-task plans by text
Collecting PTPs from every sub foreman each morning is a daily chore. Cascade is SMS-first field intelligence for general contractors and subcontractors: superintendents and foremen text in their day, along with their subs, and Cascade builds the daily report, including pre-task plans filed with the day's record. Product scope: Daily reports, manpower and hours by sub, photos, toolbox talks, pre-task plans (JHA), safety incidents and corrective actions, project + schedule planning, automatic sub reminders, analytics and plain-English answers.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a JHA the same as a JSA?
In practice, yes. Job hazard analysis and job safety analysis describe the same document: a task broken into steps with hazards and controls for each. Use the name your contract or owner uses. Federal projects often call it an AHA (activity hazard analysis).
How often is a pre-task plan completed?
Every shift, before the task starts, and again whenever conditions change, such as new crew members, weather, or a different area.
Who writes the JHA and who writes the pre-task plan?
The JHA is usually written by the subcontractor's supervision or safety staff before the scope starts and submitted to the general contractor. The pre-task plan is written each day by the foreman with the crew that is doing the work.
Does OSHA require JHAs or pre-task plans?
Neither name appears in OSHA's construction standards, but both help meet duties such as instructing employees on hazards (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)). Many general contractor and owner contracts require both by name.