JHA Projects Within Complex Environments: Risk Assessment, Implementation, Commitment

Anderson, Mollie
(BSI EHS Services & Solutions)

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Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) have broad applicability within high tech, complex environments, such as semiconductor, solar, biopharma, and global applications. Addressed are development, implementation, and desired project results over a diverse set of tasks and procedures–from process chemistries to energy isolation. Due to the nature of today’s industries, technology changes quickly and new tools and processes are brought into the manufacturing or site facilities routinely. As a result, we must continually evaluate, update, and reassess to ensure tools and facilities are safe. A JHA project is uniquely suited to this evaluation. Learning outcomes for this presentation include: 1) understanding JHAs and their unique applicability, 2) management engagement and support, and 3) facilitating open-forum discussions towards culture change for an environment of trust and shared ownership. Procedural safeguards are administrative controls, whereas a JHA is a formal documented hazard analysis with rationale for mitigation/controls selection, hazard ranking, and other components not present nor verified in procedures. To conduct a JHA, tasks and procedures are initially prioritized by perceived risk of tools, processes and hazards. JHAs are then conducted for each operation or maintenance procedure by observing work practices, interviewing workers, supervisors and engineers, and by reviewing maintenance and energy isolation procedures, and manufacturer’s specifications. Additionally, applicable regulatory requirements and industry best practices are reviewed. This effort culminates in a formal JHA for each procedure with mitigation or risk controls for each identified hazard. Two unique facets for large scale JHA completion are: 1) management engagement, and 2) risk assessment using probability of occurrence, severity and frequency. Engaging management provides greater understanding of tool usage, work rotations, existing hazards, and current EHS practices. This increases awareness, transparency, and employee participation, which in turn bolsters employee confidence that hazards, perhaps previously unaddressed, are recognized and can be controlled or eliminated. The probability of occurrence as a risk matrix component complements the commonly used measures of severity and frequency. Incorporating probability provides more accurate risk scores based on perceived likelihood that an exposure, and subsequently an adverse health or safety effect, may occur. The JHA process can demonstrate to the employees and management, that safety is not just a concept, but a fundamental tenant of a company’s structure and philosophy. Using this JHA process, an introduction towards a culture change or strengthening a positive EHS culture is advanced throughout all tiers of an organization.

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