Job Hazard Analysis · Excavation & Sitework

Job Hazard Analysis: Site grading

Rough and fine grading of an open site using a dozer, skid steer, motor grader, smooth-drum roller, and dump trucks. Covers cut and fill, hauling, compaction, and grade checking with a laser or GPS rover. Crew includes operators, a truck driver, and workers on foot (grade checker, spotter). Work is outdoors, often in heat and dust, near buried and overhead utilities. Trenching and excavations deeper than 5 ft need a separate JHA.

Published 2026-10-23

A general example for this task. Your JHA should reflect your crew, equipment and site — review it with a competent person before work starts.

Steps, hazards and controls

Step	Hazard	Risk	Controls
1. Walk the site and locate buried and overhead utilities	Hitting a buried gas, electric, or water line with a blade or bucket	High	Call 811 before work and wait until all utilities are marked. Expose lines near the marks by hand digging or vacuum excavation before cutting with a machine. Keep paint marks and flags visible; repaint them when grading wipes them out. If you find an unmarked pipe or cable, stop the machine and call the supervisor.
	Contact with overhead power lines by a raised blade, bucket, or dump bed	High	Flag overhead lines and set goalposts or warning lines under them. Keep every part of the machine at least 10 ft from lines up to 50 kV, and farther for higher voltage. Use a dedicated spotter whenever a machine works near the lines.
	Trips and ankle sprains on rough ground, stakes, and debris	Low	Walk on cleared paths and watch for holes and grade stakes. Wear ankle-high safety-toe boots.
2. Inspect and start the equipment (dozer, skid steer, grader, roller, trucks)	Machine defects such as bad brakes, dead backup alarm, or damaged seat belt	Medium	Do a pre-shift walk-around: brakes, steering, horn, backup alarm, lights, seat belt, ROPS, hydraulic leaks. Tag out any defective machine and do not run it until it is fixed.
	Falling while climbing on or off the machine	Medium	Keep steps and grab handles clean of mud. Use three points of contact and face the machine; never jump down.
	Fire or burns while fueling or checking hot fluids	Medium	Shut the engine off before fueling; no smoking within 50 ft. Keep a charged fire extinguisher on each machine and the fuel truck. Let the radiator and hydraulic system cool before opening caps.
3. Cut and fill with the dozer and skid steer	Workers on foot struck or run over by equipment	High	Set an exclusion zone around each working machine; no one on foot inside it without radio contact. Make eye contact with the operator before you approach; the operator stops and lowers the blade. Keep backup alarms working and wear a high-visibility vest.
	Rollover on slopes, soft fill, or near the edge of a cut	High	Work straight up and down slopes, not across them, and stay within the machine's slope limits. Keep tracks and wheels back from the edge of cuts and fills. Always wear the seat belt in a ROPS cab; if it tips, stay in the seat.
	Dust that can contain silica	Medium	Run the water truck to keep haul roads and cut areas damp. Keep cab doors and windows closed with the filter system on. Stop and wet the area if you see a dust cloud.
	Loud engine noise	Medium	Keep cab doors closed and mufflers in good repair. Wear earplugs or earmuffs in open-cab machines and near running equipment.
4. Haul and dump material with dump trucks	Backing trucks striking workers or other machines	High	Lay out a one-way haul route to cut down on backing. Use a spotter for backing when the driver's view is blocked; driver stops if the spotter is out of sight. No one walks behind a truck that is backing or dumping.
	Truck tipping over while dumping	Medium	Dump only on firm, level ground and away from cut edges. Lower the bed fully before moving the truck.
	Raised dump bed hitting overhead power lines	High	Set dump spots well away from overhead lines. Look up before raising the bed; use a spotter near any line.
5. Compact fill with the roller	Roller sliding or rolling over at slope edges	High	Keep the drum at least one drum width back from unsupported edges. Compact slopes up and down, never across, and wear the seat belt.
	Workers on foot near the roller	Medium	Keep foot traffic out of the compaction lane; use radios to call for entry. Wear a high-visibility vest.
	Whole-body vibration and noise	Low	Adjust the seat and take short breaks off the machine. Wear hearing protection.
6. Fine grade and check grade with the laser or GPS rover	Grade checker struck by the grader or skid steer	High	Grade checker stays where the operator can see them and keeps radio contact. Operator stops the machine before the checker steps into its path. Never turn your back to a moving machine.
	Heat illness from working in the sun	Medium	Provide cool water, shade, and scheduled rest breaks; drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Let new workers build up to full shifts over the first week. Watch each other for dizziness, confusion, or heavy sweating and report it right away.
	Tripping over grade stakes, laser tripods, and ruts	Low	Flag stakes and keep tripods out of travel paths.
7. Shut down, park equipment, and clean up	Parked machine rolling away or being started by someone untrained	Medium	Park on level ground, lower the blade and bucket to the ground, and set the parking brake. Chock wheels if parked on a slope and take the keys.
	Crushing or pinch points while greasing or cleaning tracks	Medium	Lower all attachments and shut the engine off before greasing or cleaning. Never work under a raised blade or bucket unless it is blocked.
	Public or children entering the site after hours	Medium	Close the gates, check the fence, and post warning signs.

Required PPE

Hard hat — Wear at all times outside the cab.
High-visibility vest — Class 2 or higher at all times for anyone on foot.
Safety glasses — ANSI Z87.1 glasses at all times; add goggles in heavy dust.
Safety-toe work boots — Ankle-high, slip-resistant boots at all times.
Hearing protection — Earplugs or earmuffs in open-cab machines and near running equipment.
Work gloves — Leather or cut-resistant gloves for handling stakes, fueling, and greasing.
Sun protection — Hard hat brim or neck shade, and sunscreen on hot, sunny days.

Training

Operators trained and authorized on each machine they run (dozer, skid steer, grader, roller, dump truck), including pre-shift inspection and seat belt use.
Commercial driver's license for dump truck drivers when required by the truck's weight class.
Utility locate and 811 procedures, and overhead power line clearance rules.
Spotter and hand-signal training for anyone guiding trucks or equipment.
Heat illness prevention: signs, water-rest-shade, and how to get help.
Silica dust and noise awareness, including how to use water to control dust.

Emergency

If someone is struck, run over, or caught in a rollover: sound the horn, stop all equipment, and call 911 with the site address. Do not move the injured person unless there is fire or other danger, and give first aid. If a machine touches a power line, the operator stays in the cab; if fire forces you out, jump clear with feet together and shuffle away. Keep everyone at least 35 ft back. For a gas line strike, shut down engines, move everyone upwind, and call 911 and the utility.

Official sources

29 CFR 1926.600 — Motor vehicles and mechanized equipment — equipment
29 CFR 1926.601 — Motor vehicles
29 CFR 1926.602 — Material handling equipment
29 CFR 1926.651 — Excavations — specific requirements
29 CFR 1926.21 — Safety training and education
29 CFR 1926.1153 — Respirable crystalline silica
29 CFR 1926.101 — Hearing protection
OSHA — Heat — hazard recognition and prevention

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General information, not legal advice. Templates and examples should be reviewed by a competent person before use. HardHat Binder is not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA.