Glued-Laminated Construction AHA (Activity Hazard Analysis / Job Hazard Analysis)

Updated 2026-06-23

A Glued-Laminated Construction AHA (Activity Hazard Analysis / Job Hazard Analysis) is the plan that keeps the crew erecting glued-laminated construction safe through the heavy glulam member rigging and erection, from the fall during erection, and around the member stability and connection. Glued-laminated construction erects large glulam timber members — combining the heavy-glulam-member-rigging and erection hazard, the fall-during-erection hazard, and the member-stability and connection hazard. This guide walks through building a Glued-Laminated Construction AHA that names the heavy-glulam-member-rigging/erection, fall-during-erection, and member-stability/ connection hazards and assigns the rigging, fall-protection, and stability controls that hold up in the field.

Why glued-laminated construction needs its own AHA

Glued-laminated construction (glulam) is the erection of glued-laminated timber members — the large engineered timber beams, arches, columns, and members made of laminated wood layers glued together, used for large-span and architecturally exposed heavy-timber structures (long-span roof beams, arches, and frames). This closes the engineered-lumber cluster, Division 06, and the batch (order 200). The defining feature is that glulam members are large and very heavy structural timber members that are erected much like structural steel — hoisted by crane, set, and connected at height — so the hazards resemble a heavy-timber erection: the heavy member rigging and erection (large heavy glulam members hoisted and set), the fall hazard of erecting at height, and the member stability during erection (a large glulam beam/arch must be stable and connected — bracing during erection). The hazards combine the heavy-glulam-member-rigging and erection (glulam members are large and very heavy — the rigging/erection hazard (large heavy timber members hoisted by crane and set — rigging, crush, dropped-load, struck-by)), the fall-during-erection (erecting the glulam structure at height — the fall hazard), the member- stability and connection (the erected glulam members must be stable and connected — the stability hazard (a large glulam member must be braced/connected during erection — an unbraced/unconnected member can fall) and the connection hazard), and the tool/handling. The heavy-glulam-member-rigging/erection and the fall-during-erection justify a dedicated AHA.

Breaking glued-laminated construction into steps

The steps for a Glued-Laminated Construction AHA follow the erection:

• Plan the glulam erection (rigging, sequence, stability, fall protection)
• Set up fall protection for the erection
• Rig and hoist the heavy glulam members (crane, crush)
• Land, connect, and brace the members (stability)
• Verify the member stability at each stage
• Manage the rigging, fall, and stability hazards
• Complete the connections and bracing
• Complete

Each step carries a hazard, and the heavy-glulam-member-rigging/erection, the fall-during-erection, and the member-stability/connection are where the most significant risks concentrate.

The hazards step by step

Heavy-glulam-member-rigging and erection

Glulam members are large and very heavy — the rigging/erection hazard (large heavy timber members hoisted by crane and set — rigging, crush, dropped-load, struck-by). The controls are safe rigging and erection of the heavy glulam members (glulam beams, arches, and columns are large and very heavy structural timber members, erected much like structural steel — hoisted by crane and set into position; rated rigging, qualified crane/rigging/signaling, controlled setting, keeping hands/body out of crush points, exclusion under the suspended member, and tag lines for control), and the rigging/erection controls. The heavy-glulam-member-rigging/erection is the primary defining hazard — glulam members are large, heavy, crane-erected members. (These follow the heavy-member rigging/erection fundamentals.)

Fall-during-erection

Erecting the glulam structure at height — the fall hazard. The controls are fall protection for the glulam erection (erecting and connecting the glulam members at height — fall protection, safe access on the structure), and the fall controls. The fall-during-erection is a defining hazard — glulam erection is at height. (These follow the fall-protection fundamentals.)

Member-stability and connection

The erected glulam members must be stable and connected — the stability hazard (a large glulam member must be braced/connected during erection — an unbraced/unconnected member can fall) and the connection hazard. The controls are ensuring member stability during erection (a large glulam member is not stable until it is adequately connected and/or braced — the member must be connected or temporarily braced before releasing it from the crane, and the frame must be stable through the erection sequence, since an unbraced/unconnected glulam member can fall and injure the crew), safe connection (bolting/connecting the members), and the stability/connection controls. The member-stability/connection is a defining hazard — glulam members must be stable and connected during erection. (These follow the erection-stability fundamentals.)

Tool/handling

The tool and handling (tools for connections, incidental handling) carries the tool/handling hazard. The controls are safe tool use and handling, and the tool controls. (These follow the tool fundamentals.)

A simple Glued-Laminated Construction AHA structure

Glulam rigging/erection control and fall-protection/stability safety

A Glued-Laminated Construction AHA centers on glulam rigging/erection control and fall-protection/stability safety. The glulam rigging/erection control addresses the large heavy members — controlled by safe rigging and erection of the heavy glulam members (rated rigging, qualified crane/rigging/signaling, controlled setting, crush awareness, exclusion under the suspended member, tag lines). The fall-protection/stability safety addresses the at-height erection and the member stability — controlled by fall protection for the glulam erection and ensuring member stability during erection (connected/braced before releasing from the crane). And the tools and handling get tool controls. An AHA built on glulam rigging/erection control and fall-protection/stability safety, with tool controls, addresses the hazards that define glued-laminated construction.

From the field: what actually goes wrong

In fourteen years across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects, glued-laminated construction erects the large glulam timber members — the long-span beams, arches, columns, and frames of heavy-timber and architecturally-exposed structures — and it closes the engineered-lumber cluster, Division 06, and this batch at order 200. Its defining hazards resemble a heavy structural erection more than ordinary carpentry, because glulam members are large and very heavy and are erected like structural steel. The heavy-glulam-member-rigging and erection hazard is the primary defining concern — glulam beams, arches, and columns are large and very heavy structural timber members (a long-span glulam roof beam or arch can be enormous and weigh a great deal), erected by hoisting with a crane and setting into position, so the work brings the rigging, crush, dropped-load, and struck-by hazards of a heavy crane erection, controlled by safe rigging and erection (rated rigging, qualified crane, rigging, and signaling, controlled setting, keeping hands and body out of crush points, exclusion zones under the suspended member, and tag lines for control). The large, heavy, crane-erected glulam members are what distinguish glulam construction from lighter carpentry.

The fall-during-erection and the member-stability/connection are the other defining hazards. On the projects I have run, erecting the glulam structure is at height (setting and connecting the members high on the structure), so fall protection for the glulam erection (fall protection and safe access on the structure) is a control. And the member-stability/connection hazard is critical: a large glulam member is not stable until it is adequately connected and/or braced, so the member must be connected or temporarily braced before releasing it from the crane, and the structure must be stable through the erection sequence — because an unbraced or unconnected glulam member can fall and injure or kill the crew, just as with structural steel. The tool use for connections rounds it out. This closes Division 06 and the batch at order 200. The AHA built on glulam rigging/erection control and fall- protection/stability safety is the one that protects the glulam-erection crew.

The bottom line

A Glued-Laminated Construction AHA names the heavy-glulam-member-rigging/erection, the fall-during-erection, and the member-stability/connection hazards with specific controls — safe rigging and erection of the large, heavy glulam members (rated rigging, qualified crane/rigging, controlled setting, crush awareness, exclusion under the suspended member), fall protection for the at-height erection, and ensuring member stability during erection (connected/braced before releasing from the crane, stable through the sequence — an unbraced member can fall). The glulam rigging/erection control and the fall-protection/stability safety are the defining concerns. The AHA that manages both is the one that protects the crew.

Frequently asked questions

Why is glulam rigging/erection the defining hazard?

Glulam beams, arches, and columns are large and very heavy structural timber members (a long-span glulam roof beam or arch can be enormous and weigh a great deal), erected by hoisting with a crane and setting into position, much like structural steel, so the work brings the rigging, crush, dropped-load, and struck-by hazards of a heavy crane erection. Controls are safe rigging and erection of the heavy glulam members (rated rigging, qualified crane/rigging/signaling, controlled setting, keeping hands/body out of crush points, exclusion under the suspended member, tag lines), and the rigging/erection controls.

What fall hazards apply?

Erecting the glulam structure is at height (setting and connecting the members high on the structure). Controls are fall protection for the glulam erection (fall protection, safe access on the structure), and the fall controls.

Why is member stability during erection critical?

A large glulam member is not stable until it is adequately connected and/or braced, so the member must be connected or temporarily braced before releasing it from the crane, and the structure must be stable through the erection sequence — because an unbraced or unconnected glulam member can fall and injure or kill the crew, just as with structural steel. Controls are ensuring member stability during erection (connected/braced before releasing from the crane, stable through the sequence), safe connection, and the stability/connection controls.

What is glued-laminated construction?

Glued-laminated construction (glulam) is the erection of glued-laminated timber members — the large engineered timber beams, arches, columns, and members made of laminated wood layers glued together, used for large-span and architecturally exposed heavy-timber structures. Because glulam members are large and very heavy and crane-erected (rigging/crush), the erection is at height (fall), and the members must be stable/connected during erection, those hazards apply.

Related AHAs and JHAs

• Parallel Strand Lumber AHA — the related PSL engineered lumber
• Laminated Veneer Lumber AHA — the related LVL engineered lumber
• Pre-Manufactured Wood Trusses AHA — the related engineered-wood trusses
• Wood Framing AHA — the wood-framing fundamentals

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.