# Job Hazard Analysis: Brick veneer installation URL: https://hardhatbinder.com/en/jha/masonry/brick-veneer Last updated: 2026-10-23 Laying full-size clay brick veneer over sheathed wood or steel stud walls on new or existing buildings. Includes frame scaffold setup, staging brick and mortar, mixing mortar in a powered mixer, cutting brick with a wet masonry saw, setting wall ties and flashing, tooling joints, cleaning brick with acid cleaner, and teardown. Work is outdoors and exposed to weather. > 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 ### 1. Set up the work area and erect the frame scaffold - **Scaffold collapse from soft ground, missing base plates, or missing braces** (High): The competent person picks the scaffold location and checks the ground before erection.; Set every leg on base plates and mudsills; level with screw jacks, never with brick or block.; Install all cross braces and tie the scaffold to the building when it is more than 4 times taller than its base width.; Competent person inspects the scaffold before each shift and tags it before anyone climbs. - **Falls while erecting upper lifts of scaffold** (High): Plank each level fully before climbing to the next.; Climb only on built-in ladders or attached ladders, never on cross braces.; Use guardrails or a harness tied to a proper anchor as set by the competent person. - **Struck by dropped frames, planks, or pins** (Medium): Barricade the area below with caution tape or cones while erecting.; Pass components hand to hand or hoist with a rope; do not throw them.; Wear a hard hat inside the barricaded zone. ### 2. Stage brick, sand, and mortar bags - **Struck by rough-terrain forklift moving brick cubes** (High): Set a marked travel path for the forklift away from where the crew works.; Only trained, authorized operators drive the forklift; use a spotter near the scaffold.; Stay out of the swing and travel path and make eye contact with the operator. Wear a high-visibility vest. - **Overloading scaffold planks with brick and mortar** (High): Competent person states the load limit; keep brick stacks small and spread out over the frames.; Do not set mortar boards or brick in the middle of a plank span. - **Back and shoulder strain from lifting brick and 80-lb mortar bags** (Medium): Have the forklift set pallets close to the mixer and the scaffold.; Use brick tongs and a wheelbarrow or cart; two-person lift for full bags.; Lift with your legs, keep the load close, and do not twist. ### 3. Mix mortar in the power mixer - **Caught in rotating mixer paddles** (High): Keep the grate guard on the mixer at all times.; Never reach into the drum or poke it with a shovel while it turns; shut it off first.; No loose sleeves, gloves with cuffs hanging, or drawstrings near the mixer. - **Cement and silica dust when dumping bags** (Medium): Set the mixer so wind blows dust away from the operator and the crew.; Slit bags low over the drum and pour slowly; add water first.; Wear safety glasses and an N95 respirator when dumping bags. - **Skin burns from wet mortar** (Medium): Keep clean water and soap at the mixer for washing skin.; Wear nitrile-coated gloves and long sleeves; wash mortar off skin right away. ### 4. Cut brick with the wet masonry saw - **Respirable crystalline silica dust from cutting brick** (High): Plan layout to cut as few brick as possible.; Use only a saw with water feed running; never dry cut.; Set the saw outdoors, away from other workers, and follow the company silica control plan. - **Cuts or kickback from the saw blade** (High): Keep the blade guard in place and use the right diamond blade for brick.; Hold brick on the sliding tray; keep hands clear of the blade line.; Unplug the saw before changing blades or clearing jams. - **Electric shock from saw cord in wet conditions** (Medium): Plug the saw into a GFCI outlet or GFCI cord.; Inspect the cord daily; take damaged cords out of service. - **Loud saw noise** (Medium): Set the saw away from where others work.; Wear earplugs or earmuffs while cutting. ### 5. Lay brick, set wall ties, and install flashing from the scaffold - **Falls from the scaffold work platform** (High): Fully plank platforms and keep them within 14 inches of the wall.; Keep guardrails on all open sides above 10 ft; never remove them to pass material.; Do not stand on brick stacks, buckets, or ladders on the platform. - **Falling brick, mortar, or tools striking workers below** (Medium): Install toeboards or debris netting on the scaffold.; Set a limited access zone below the wall and keep it barricaded.; Wear a hard hat at all times around the scaffold. - **Wall collapse of fresh brick in high wind** (Medium): Set wall ties at the spacing on the plans as you go.; Stop laying and keep clear of fresh, unbraced work when winds are high. - **Heat illness during summer work** (Medium): Schedule heavy work in the morning and provide shade near the mixer.; Drink water every 15 minutes and take rest breaks in the shade; new workers build up time in the heat.; Watch each other for dizziness, confusion, or stopping sweating. ### 6. Tool joints and clean brick with acid cleaner - **Chemical burns to eyes and skin from muriatic acid or masonry cleaner** (High): Use a milder detergent-type masonry cleaner instead of muriatic acid when the brick maker allows.; Read the SDS; always add acid to water, never water to acid; use a low-pressure sprayer.; Keep an eyewash bottle and clean water at the work area.; Wear chemical goggles, face shield, and chemical-resistant gloves. - **Breathing acid vapors** (Medium): Work upwind and keep other workers out of the spray area. ### 7. Clean up and dismantle the scaffold - **Falls while dismantling scaffold** (High): Competent person directs teardown from the top down.; Remove ties and braces only from the level being taken down.; Use fall protection as set by the competent person. - **Silica dust from dry sweeping mortar and brick debris** (Medium): Wet down debris or use a HEPA vacuum; no dry sweeping or compressed air. - **Trips and cuts from broken brick, banding, and loose planks** (Low): Cut banding and bin it right away; keep walkways clear all day.; Stack scaffold parts and planks flat in a marked area.; Wear leather gloves and safety boots. ## Required PPE - Hard hat — At all times on and around the scaffold. - Safety glasses — ANSI Z87.1 with side shields at all times. - Chemical goggles and face shield — When mixing or spraying acid cleaner. - Gloves — Nitrile-coated for mortar; leather for handling brick and scaffold; chemical-resistant for acid. - Respirator — N95 or better when dumping mortar bags; as required by the silica plan when cutting. - Hearing protection — Earplugs or earmuffs when running the saw or near the mixer. - Safety boots — Protective toe, slip-resistant soles. - High-visibility vest — When forklifts or trucks are moving on site. - Long sleeves and pants — To protect skin from wet mortar and acid. ## Training - Scaffold user training for all workers; erection and teardown only under a trained competent person. - Silica hazard training and the company written silica exposure control plan. - Hazard communication training on cement, mortar, and acid cleaner SDS. - Forklift operator training and authorization for anyone driving the forklift. - Respirator fit test and medical clearance for workers who wear tight-fitting respirators. - Heat illness recognition and first aid. ## Emergency If someone falls from the scaffold: stop all work, do not move the injured worker unless in danger, call 911 and give the site address, send a worker to meet the ambulance, and give first aid until help arrives. For acid in the eyes, flush with clean water for at least 15 minutes. ## Official sources - [29 CFR 1926.451](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.451) — Scaffolds — general requirements - [29 CFR 1926.1153](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.1153) — Respirable crystalline silica - [29 CFR 1926.706](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.706) — Requirements for masonry construction - [29 CFR 1926.701](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.701) — Concrete and masonry — general requirements - [29 CFR 1926.59](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.59) — Hazard communication - [29 CFR 1926.250](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.250) — Materials storage - [29 CFR 1926.102](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.102) — Eye and face protection - [OSHA](https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure) — Heat — hazard recognition and prevention --- Source: HardHat Binder, operated by Leadspire LLC. Templates to be reviewed by a competent person before use; not legal advice; not affiliated with OSHA.