The Two-Minute Hazard Check Before Work Begins

Know the hazard

Team: General Small Business. Topic: Safety Leadership.

A familiar job deserves a fresh look. The room may be the same, but the delivery stacked beside the doorway, the new chemical on the cart, or the contractor working overhead can change the risk. Before we begin, we will identify what could hurt someone, what could leave our work area, and what protection must be in place.

Use the controls

Start with the task, then look at the surroundings. Consider people, equipment, materials, access, and conditions such as lighting or weather. Ask what happens if a hose disconnects, a load shifts, or someone enters unexpectedly. A useful hazard check names a specific event and a specific control. 'Be careful' is not a control; moving the delivery out of the exit route is.

Work within the safe plan

Each person should know the work boundary, the reporting contact, and the conditions that mean stop. When the job changes, repeat the check. A missing control is a reason to pause and resolve the issue with the supervisor. Our goal today is to start with the protection already working, rather than discover the problem halfway through the task.

Discuss with the crew

A crew arrives to clean a lobby and finds an electrical contractor has opened a floor access panel beside the planned work route.

Question: What changed in this job?
Answer guidance: An opening and another trade now affect access; the original plan needs review.

Question: What must happen before cleaning starts?
Answer guidance: Coordinate with the contractor and supervisor, establish a protected route and work boundary, and verify the opening is controlled.

Prepare, act, and follow up

Leader preparation: Bring today's work order and identify a real work area the group can observe without entering a hazardous location.

Put it into practice: Have the team identify one condition that differs from the work order and agree on the control before starting.

Supervisor follow-up: Record the changed condition, responsible person, and verification that the control is in place.

Official reference: OSHA — Hazard Identification and Assessment
https://www.osha.gov/safety-management/hazard-identification

Awareness briefing. Apply current site procedures and applicable requirements. This talk does not replace required qualification, practical training, exposure assessment, medical evaluation, or a written program.

Suggested session: 5-7 minutes, including discussion and activity. Prepared October 18, 2026; recheck current requirements before use.

Show the crew

Have the team identify one condition that differs from the work order and agree on the control before starting.