Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA (Job Hazard Analysis / Activity Hazard Analysis)
Updated 2026-06-23
A Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA (Job Hazard Analysis / Activity Hazard Analysis) is the plan that keeps the crew installing built-up roofing from being burned by the hot asphalt, exposed to the asphalt fumes, or falling off the roof. Built-up roofing installation builds up multiple plies of felt and hot asphalt (or coal tar) into a roof membrane — combining the severe hot-asphalt burn hazards, the asphalt-fume exposure, and the fall hazards, plus the kettle and hot-material handling. This guide walks through building a Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA that names the hot-asphalt, fume, and fall hazards and assigns the hot-asphalt, fume, and fall controls that hold up in the field.
Why built-up roofing installation needs its own JHA
Built-up roofing (BUR) installation builds a roof membrane from multiple plies of roofing felt/ply sheets mopped or applied with hot bitumen (asphalt or coal tar pitch), heated in a kettle to high temperatures and carried to the roof, then applied hot and topped with a surfacing — the traditional "tar and gravel" roof. The defining hazards are the hot bitumen and its fumes. The hazards combine the hot asphalt/bitumen (heated to very high temperatures in the kettle and applied hot — severe burn hazards from the hot bitumen, the kettle, and hot-material transport, with hot-asphalt burns being severe and a leading BUR injury), the asphalt fumes (heating and applying hot asphalt/coal tar releases fumes — a respiratory and, for coal tar, carcinogenic hazard), the falls (the roof-work fall hazards, complicated by the hot-material handling), and the kettle (the hot kettle, fire, and the kettle operation). The hot asphalt and the fumes justify a dedicated JHA.
Breaking built-up roofing installation into steps
The steps for a Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA follow the installation:
- Set up the kettle and heat the bitumen safely
- Establish fall protection on the roof
- Transport the hot bitumen to the roof
- Apply the hot bitumen and plies (mopping/application)
- Manage the hot-asphalt burn and fume hazards
- Apply the surfacing
- Manage the kettle, fire, and hot-material hazards
- Inspect and verify
Each step carries a hazard, and the hot asphalt, the fumes, and the falls are where the most serious risks concentrate.
The hazards step by step
Hot asphalt/bitumen
The bitumen is heated to very high temperatures in the kettle and applied hot — a severe burn hazard from the hot bitumen (splashes and contact cause severe burns that are hard to remove from skin), the hot kettle, and the hot-material transport to the roof. The controls are burn PPE (long sleeves, gloves, face/eye protection appropriate to hot bitumen), safe hot-bitumen handling and transport (hot luggers, hoists — not carrying open hot buckets up ladders), maintaining safe temperatures (not overheating — overheating raises burn, fume, and flashpoint hazards), keeping clear of hot-bitumen splashes, immediate burn first aid, and the hot-material controls. The hot-asphalt burns are severe and the defining hazard. (These build on the hot-work and molten-material fundamentals.)
Asphalt/coal-tar fumes
Heating and applying hot asphalt (or coal tar pitch) releases fumes — a respiratory hazard, and coal tar pitch fumes are carcinogenic (coal tar is a recognized carcinogen). The controls are managing the asphalt fumes (positioning to avoid the fume plume, working upwind, ventilation), respiratory protection where exposure warrants (especially for coal tar), maintaining correct temperatures (overheating increases fumes), special precautions for coal tar (its carcinogenicity), and the fume controls. The fumes, especially coal tar, are a defining exposure hazard.
Falls
The roof-work fall hazards, complicated by the hot-material handling (workers handling hot bitumen near edges, and the distraction/encumbrance of hot-material work). The controls are fall protection appropriate to the roof, protecting edges and openings, keeping hot-material work coordinated with fall protection, and the working-at-height controls. (These follow the roof-work fundamentals.)
Kettle and fire
The kettle heats the bitumen with a burner — a fire hazard (the hot bitumen and burner, and bitumen can flash/ignite if overheated), and the kettle operation. The controls are safe kettle operation (correct temperatures, not overheating to the flashpoint, fire extinguishers at the kettle, trained kettle operator), kettle placement (away from combustibles and building), and the fire controls. The kettle is a fire hazard.
A simple Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA structure
| Step | Hazard | Control | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate kettle | Fire / burn | Safe kettle operation, correct temp, fire extinguishers, placement | OSHA 1926.150 |
| Transport hot bitumen | Severe burn | Safe transport (luggers/hoists), burn PPE, not up ladders | OSHA 1926.95 |
| Establish fall protection | Fall | Fall protection per roof, protect edges/openings | OSHA 1926.501 |
| Apply hot bitumen | Severe burn | Burn PPE, keep clear of splashes, safe application | OSHA 1926.95 |
| Manage fumes | Respiratory / carcinogen | Work upwind, ventilation, respiratory protection (esp. coal tar) | OSHA 1926.55 |
| Control temperature | Fume / fire / burn | Maintain correct temp, don't overheat | OSHA 1926.150 |
Hot-asphalt burn control and fume management
A Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA centers on hot-asphalt burn control and fume management, plus fall protection. The hot-asphalt burn control addresses the defining hazard — bitumen heated to very high temperatures and applied hot, with severe burns from splashes and contact — controlled by burn PPE, safe hot- bitumen handling and transport, maintaining safe temperatures, and keeping clear of splashes. The fume management addresses the asphalt and coal-tar fumes — respiratory and, for coal tar, carcinogenic — controlled by working upwind, ventilation, respiratory protection where warranted, and correct temperatures. And the falls get fall protection coordinated with the hot-material work. A JHA built on hot-asphalt burn control, fume management, and fall protection, with kettle controls, addresses the hazards that define built-up roofing installation.
From the field: what actually goes wrong
In fourteen years across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects, built-up roofing is the traditional hot-applied roof, and its defining hazard is exactly that — the hot bitumen. The asphalt or coal tar is heated to very high temperatures in a kettle and applied hot, and hot-bitumen burns are severe: a splash or contact causes deep burns, and hot bitumen sticks to skin and is hard to remove, making the burns worse. This is a leading BUR injury. The controls are burn PPE appropriate to hot bitumen (long sleeves, gloves, face and eye protection), safe hot-bitumen handling and transport (using hot luggers and hoists, never carrying open buckets of hot bitumen up ladders), maintaining safe temperatures without overheating, keeping clear of splashes, and having immediate burn first aid ready. The hot asphalt demands respect.
The fumes and the falls are the other defining hazards. Heating and applying hot asphalt releases fumes that are a respiratory hazard, and coal tar pitch fumes are carcinogenic — coal tar is a recognized carcinogen — so working upwind of the fume plume, ventilation, respiratory protection where exposure warrants (especially for coal tar), and maintaining correct temperatures (overheating increases fumes) matter. On the projects I have run, the falls are complicated by the hot-material handling — workers move hot bitumen near edges — so fall protection coordinated with the hot-material work is essential. And the kettle itself is a fire hazard, requiring safe operation, correct temperatures below the flashpoint, fire extinguishers, and placement away from combustibles. The JHA built on hot-asphalt burn control, fume management, and fall protection is the one that protects the BUR crew.
The bottom line
A Built-Up Roofing (BUR) Installation JHA names the hot-asphalt, the fume, and the fall hazards with specific controls — burn PPE and safe hot-bitumen handling/transport at controlled temperatures for the severe burn hazard, working upwind with ventilation and respiratory protection for the asphalt/coal-tar fumes (coal tar being carcinogenic), and fall protection coordinated with the hot-material work. The hot asphalt and the fumes are the defining hazards. The JHA that manages them, with kettle fire controls, is the one that protects the crew.
Frequently asked questions
Why are hot-asphalt burns so severe?
The bitumen is heated to very high temperatures and applied hot, so a splash or contact causes deep burns, and hot bitumen sticks to skin and is hard to remove, making the burns worse — a leading BUR injury. Controls are burn PPE (long sleeves, gloves, face/eye protection), safe hot-bitumen handling and transport (luggers and hoists, not open buckets up ladders), maintaining safe temperatures, keeping clear of splashes, and immediate burn first aid.
Why are BUR fumes a hazard, especially coal tar?
Heating and applying hot asphalt (or coal tar pitch) releases fumes that are a respiratory hazard, and coal tar pitch fumes are carcinogenic (coal tar is a recognized carcinogen). Controls are managing the fumes (working upwind, ventilation), respiratory protection where exposure warrants (especially for coal tar), maintaining correct temperatures (overheating increases fumes), and special precautions for coal tar's carcinogenicity.
Why is the kettle a fire hazard?
The kettle heats the bitumen with a burner, and the hot bitumen and burner are a fire hazard — bitumen can flash or ignite if overheated to its flashpoint. Controls are safe kettle operation (correct temperatures below the flashpoint, not overheating), fire extinguishers at the kettle, a trained kettle operator, and kettle placement away from combustibles and the building.
How is hot bitumen safely moved to the roof?
Hot bitumen is transported using hot luggers and hoists designed for the purpose — never by carrying open buckets of hot bitumen up ladders, which risks severe burns from spills. Controls are safe transport equipment, burn PPE, maintaining safe temperatures, and coordinating the hot-material transport with the fall protection and roof access.
Related JHAs
- Modified Bitumen Roofing Installation JHA — the related asphalt-based membrane
- Roof Work JHA — the general roof-work fundamentals
- Hot Work JHA — the fire and hot-material fundamentals
- Roof Insulation Installation JHA — the insulation beneath the BUR
Written by Mustafa Tok, CSP, ASP, CHST — OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer with 14+ years of international construction safety experience across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects.