Free preliminary hazard analysis template

Screen a maintenance task or change for credible hazards before detailed design or execution. The worksheet connects each scenario to causes, consequences, initial risk, controls, residual risk, an accountable owner, and a corrective work-order reference.

System, asset, or task

The equipment, change, activity, or boundary being screened.

Hazard scenario

A credible source, initiating event, and unwanted outcome written without assuming a control works.

Causes and consequences

What could initiate the scenario and what could happen to people, equipment, operations, or the environment.

Initial risk

Severity and likelihood before crediting new recommendations.

Controls and recommendations

Existing safeguards plus actions that eliminate, reduce, detect, or respond to the hazard.

Residual risk and owner

Risk remaining after controls, the accountable role, due date, and linked work order.

Define the boundary

Name the equipment, task, lifecycle phase, operating state, and interfaces included in the review so the team analyzes the same scope.

Describe credible scenarios

Pair a hazard source with an initiating event and consequence. Consider normal work, startup, shutdown, maintenance, abnormal conditions, and foreseeable misuse.

Rate risk consistently

Use your organization’s approved severity and likelihood matrix. Record the initial rating before recommendations and the residual rating only after a control owner accepts the action.

Turn recommendations into controlled work

Give every action an owner, due date, status, and work-order or project reference. Escalate any risk that exceeds the organization’s acceptance criteria.

What is a preliminary hazard analysis?

A preliminary hazard analysis is an early, structured screen that identifies credible hazards, causes, consequences, risk levels, and recommended controls before more detailed design or task analysis.

When should a maintenance team use a PHA?

Use a PHA for new equipment, process changes, unfamiliar maintenance tasks, major modifications, or early project decisions. It does not replace required job hazard analysis, LOTO, engineering review, or regulatory processes.

How should PHA recommendations be tracked?

Assign an accountable owner, due date, status, and verification method. Link implementation work to a corrective work order or project action, then document the accepted residual risk.