What an FLHA is
A field level hazard assessment (FLHA) is a short, written check done at the work location by the people about to do the job. It looks at what's in front of the crew today: weather, ground conditions, other trades working nearby, equipment on site and anything that's changed since yesterday.
Alberta's government guidance calls this a site-specific hazard assessment and treats it as an administrative control. Many employers across Canada use the terms FLHA, FLRA (field level risk assessment) and tailboard or toolbox hazard assessment for the same thing.
FLHA vs formal hazard assessment vs JSA
| Document | What it covers | When it's done |
|---|---|---|
| Formal hazard assessment | The employer's overall operations, broken into jobs and tasks, with hazards and controls for each | Before work begins at a site, and repeated at set intervals or when processes change |
| Job safety analysis (JSA) | One job broken into steps, with the hazards and controls for each step | Before a new, high-risk or changed task, then reviewed when the task changes |
| FLHA | The hazards at this location, today, for this crew, including anything the formal assessment or JSA didn't foresee | Start of shift, and again whenever conditions or the work change |
An FLHA doesn't replace the formal assessment or the JSA. It sits on top of them. If the FLHA turns up a hazard the formal assessment missed, update the formal assessment too. For the difference between the other document types, see JSA vs JHA vs SWMS.
Which rules drive it
Canada regulates workplace safety province by province, and no province uses the word FLHA in its legislation. The duty comes from the general hazard assessment rules.
- Alberta is the main driver. Part 2 of the OHS Code requires the employer to assess the work site and identify hazards before work begins (section 7(1)), prepare a written report with the controls (7(2)), date it (7(3)), and repeat it when a new process is introduced, when a process or operation changes, before significant site alterations, and at reasonably practicable intervals (7(4)). Affected workers must be involved (section 8). Section 9 sets out the order of controls. See Alberta hazard assessment requirements.
- British Columbia has no single FLHA rule, but employers must identify and control hazards under the Workers Compensation Act and the OHS Regulation, and WorkSafeBC guidance says to assess each work location separately. See what WorkSafeBC expects.
- Ontario has no general written hazard assessment duty for construction, but employers and supervisors must take every reasonable precaution and tell workers about hazards. Many constructors require an FLHA as a site rule. See Ontario construction supervisor duties.
- Other provinces and territories have their own general duty to identify and control hazards. CCOHS publishes plain-language guidance on hazard identification and risk assessment that applies anywhere in Canada.
When to do one
- At the start of every shift, before work begins
- When the crew moves to a new location or a new part of the site
- When conditions change: weather, lighting, ground, traffic or a new trade starting nearby
- When non-routine work is added, or the plan or equipment changes
- After a near miss or incident, before work starts again
Canada / JSA drafts
Doing this every shift adds up.
Explain the job out loud and SOPmate drafts an editable FLHA your crew can check and sign on site.
iPhone and iPad. Not on iPhone? Email support@sopmate.ai to hear about Android.
Fields to include in an FLHA template
Job details
Date, time, site or location, job or work order number, employer, supervisor or crew lead, and a one-line description of the task.
Conditions today
Weather, lighting, access and egress, ground conditions, other trades or public nearby, and any permits that apply (hot work, confined space, lockout).
Task steps and hazards
List the main steps and the hazards for each. Use a short checklist (overhead lines, fall exposure, mobile equipment, energized systems, chemicals, lifting) with space to write in anything site-specific.
Controls
For each hazard, the control you'll use. Work down the order: eliminate, then engineering controls, then administrative controls, then PPE. Note who is responsible for each control.
Emergency information
Muster point, nearest first aid and first aider, emergency contact numbers and the rescue plan if anyone is working at height or in a confined space.
Sign-offs
Every crew member prints and signs to confirm they've reviewed the hazards and controls. The supervisor or crew lead signs and reviews it.
Review and close out
Space to record changes during the shift, re-signs when the FLHA is updated, and any hazards left for the next crew.
Who signs
Usually a foreman, crew lead or supervisor leads the FLHA. Alberta's guidance says the leader should be competent in the task and understand the site and the workers' skill levels. Each worker doing the job signs before starting, and anyone joining partway through reads it and signs before they start. Keep completed FLHAs with your job records.
Fines and penalties
A missing or poor FLHA usually shows up as a failure of the underlying hazard assessment or supervision duty. What you can face depends on the province.
| What goes wrong | What you can face |
|---|---|
| Alberta: no written, dated hazard assessment, or workers not involved | An administrative penalty of up to $10,000 per day, per contravention. Officers can also issue violation tickets of $100 to $500 per violation to employers, supervisors and workers, plus a 20% victim surcharge (2026). |
| Alberta: prosecution under the OHS Act | Up to $500,000 and 6 months in jail for a first offence, and up to $1,000,000 and 12 months for a second or subsequent offence, plus daily fines for continuing offences. |
| British Columbia and Ontario | WorkSafeBC can issue citations and administrative penalties, and Ontario inspectors can issue orders and set-fine tickets. Both provinces can prosecute. See the BC and Ontario articles for current figures. |
| An inspector finds work under way with uncontrolled hazards | An order to stop the work or stop using equipment until the hazard is dealt with, in every province. |
| Someone is seriously hurt or killed | Prosecution of the employer, supervisors and sometimes directors. A missing or ignored hazard assessment is strong evidence that reasonable precautions weren't taken. Criminal Code charges are also possible. |
Penalty amounts change, and some are indexed every year. Check your provincial regulator for current figures.
Common mistakes
- Pre-filling the form at the office. An FLHA has to reflect what the crew actually sees at the location.
- Ticking every box the same way every day. If nothing ever changes on the form, nobody is really looking.
- Not updating it when conditions change. A new trade, a new piece of equipment or a storm means a new review and new signatures.
- Treating it as a substitute for a JSA. For high-risk tasks, do a full JSA first and use the FLHA for today's conditions.