Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA (Activity Hazard Analysis / Job Hazard Analysis)

Updated 2026-06-23

A Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA (Activity Hazard Analysis / Job Hazard Analysis) is the plan that keeps the crew erecting temporary concrete shoring safe in the shoring load capacity, through the reshoring and premature removal, and during the erection stability at height. Temporary concrete shoring supports formwork and curing concrete until it can carry its own load — combining the shoring-load-capacity and collapse hazard, the reshoring and premature-removal hazard, and the erection-stability and at-height hazard. This guide walks through building a Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA that names the shoring-load-capacity/collapse, reshoring/premature-removal, and erection-stability/at-height hazards and assigns the capacity, reshoring, and erection controls that hold up in the field.

Why temporary concrete shoring needs its own AHA

Temporary concrete shoring is the temporary support system (shores, posts, frames, towers, and their bracing) that supports elevated formwork and the fresh, curing concrete until the concrete gains enough strength to carry its own weight — and the reshoring that supports newly-cured slabs while the levels above are constructed. The defining feature is that shoring carries the full load of fresh concrete and formwork (a load-critical system whose failure is catastrophic), and the reshoring/removal sequence is critical (premature removal drops still-weak concrete). The hazards combine the shoring-load-capacity and collapse (shoring supports the heavy load of formwork and fresh concrete — the shoring-failure/collapse hazard (inadequate capacity, improper erection, or overload causes catastrophic collapse — a leading concrete-construction fatality)), the reshoring and premature- removal (the shoring/reshoring sequence and timing — removing shoring before the concrete has gained adequate strength drops the still-weak concrete (progressive collapse), and reshoring must support newly-cured levels), the erection-stability and at-height (erecting the shoring (stable, plumb, braced, on adequate foundation) and the at-height work erecting tall shoring), and the load-path/foundation. The shoring-load-capacity/collapse and the reshoring/premature-removal justify a dedicated AHA.

Breaking temporary concrete shoring into steps

The steps for a Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA follow the shoring:

• Review the shoring/reshoring design (rated for loads)
• Verify the foundation/load path below the shoring
• Erect the shoring (plumb, braced, stable)
• Verify the shoring before the pour (hold point)
• Support the pour and cure (monitoring)
• Manage the capacity, reshoring, and stability hazards
• Strip and reshore per the strength-based sequence
• Complete

Each step carries a hazard, and the shoring-load-capacity/collapse, the reshoring/premature-removal, and the erection-stability/at-height are where the most significant risks concentrate.

The hazards step by step

Shoring-load-capacity and collapse

Shoring supports the heavy load of formwork and fresh concrete — the shoring-failure/collapse hazard (inadequate capacity, improper erection, or overload causes catastrophic collapse — a leading concrete-construction fatality). The controls are an engineered shoring design (rated for the full formwork and fresh-concrete load plus construction loads — designed by a qualified engineer), using shoring components within their rated capacity (not overloading shores/towers), erecting per the design, verifying the shoring before the pour (a hold point), and the capacity/collapse controls. The shoring-load-capacity/collapse is the primary defining hazard — shoring carries the full concrete load, and its failure is catastrophic. (These follow the shoring-design fundamentals.)

Reshoring and premature-removal

The shoring/reshoring sequence and timing — removing shoring before the concrete has gained adequate strength drops the still-weak concrete (progressive collapse), and reshoring must support newly-cured levels. The controls are not removing shoring until the concrete has gained adequate strength (a strength-based removal sequence — verified concrete strength, not just time), proper reshoring (reshoring newly-cured levels to distribute loads while upper levels are built — the reshoring must be engineered too), and the reshoring/removal controls. The reshoring/premature-removal is a defining hazard — premature shoring removal drops still-weak concrete. (These follow the reshoring fundamentals.)

Erection-stability and at-height

Erecting the shoring (stable, plumb, braced, on adequate foundation) and the at-height work erecting tall shoring. The controls are erecting the shoring stable and plumb (properly braced, plumb within tolerance — out-of-plumb/unbraced shoring can buckle), fall protection for erecting tall shoring at height, safe access, and the erection/at-height controls. The erection-stability/at-height is a defining hazard — improperly erected shoring can buckle, and tall shoring is erected at height. (These follow the shoring-erection fundamentals.)

Load-path/foundation

The load path and foundation (what the shoring bears on) carries the foundation hazard. The controls are ensuring an adequate foundation/load path below the shoring (the shoring must bear on adequate support — mudsills, adequate slab capacity below, not soft ground), and the foundation controls. (These follow the shoring-foundation fundamentals.)

A simple Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA structure

Shoring-capacity control and reshoring-sequence discipline

A Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA centers on shoring-capacity control and reshoring-sequence discipline. The shoring-capacity control addresses the shoring carrying the concrete load — controlled by an engineered shoring design (rated for the full formwork and fresh-concrete load), using components within their rated capacity, erecting per the design, and verifying the shoring before the pour (a hold point). The reshoring-sequence discipline addresses the removal timing — controlled by not removing shoring until the concrete has gained adequate strength (a strength-based removal sequence, verified strength not just time) and proper engineered reshoring of newly-cured levels. And the erection stability and foundation get plumb/bracing and load-path controls. An AHA built on shoring-capacity control and reshoring-sequence discipline, with erection controls, addresses the hazards that define temporary concrete shoring.

From the field: what actually goes wrong

In fourteen years across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects, temporary concrete shoring supports the formwork and fresh concrete until the concrete can carry itself, and it is one of the most load-critical temporary systems on a concrete project — its failure is catastrophic. The shoring-load-capacity and collapse hazard is the primary defining concern — shoring supports the full weight of the formwork and the fresh concrete (plus construction loads), which for an elevated slab is an enormous load, and if the shoring has inadequate capacity, is improperly erected, or is overloaded, it fails, and shoring collapse is a leading cause of concrete-construction fatalities (a shoring failure under a fresh elevated slab brings down tons of concrete and formwork, often onto workers below and progressively onto lower levels). So an engineered shoring design (rated for the full formwork and fresh-concrete load plus construction loads, designed by a qualified engineer), using the shoring components within their rated capacity (not overloading the shores or shoring towers), erecting exactly per the design, and verifying the shoring before the pour as a hold point are the controls. Shoring carries the full concrete load, so its capacity and correct erection are life-critical.

The reshoring/premature-removal and the erection-stability/at-height are the other defining hazards. On the projects I have run, the reshoring and removal sequence is critical and is a frequent point of failure: shoring must not be removed until the concrete has gained adequate strength to support itself, and the key discipline is that this is strength-based, not just time-based (the concrete strength must be verified, because concrete cures at different rates depending on conditions) — removing the shoring too early drops the still-weak concrete, which can collapse (a progressive collapse if it drops onto lower levels). And reshoring (placing shoring back under newly-cured levels to help carry the loads while the upper levels are constructed) must itself be engineered. Premature shoring removal is a classic and deadly mistake, which is why the removal is tied to verified concrete strength. The erection-stability/at-height hazard is erecting the shoring stable and plumb (out-of-plumb or unbraced shoring can buckle under load) with fall protection for tall shoring, and the load-path/foundation hazard is ensuring the shoring bears on adequate support below (mudsills, adequate slab capacity below — shoring that bears on soft ground or an inadequate lower slab can settle or punch through). The AHA built on shoring-capacity control and reshoring-sequence discipline is the one that protects the shoring crew.

The bottom line

A Temporary Concrete Shoring AHA names the shoring-load-capacity/collapse, the reshoring/premature-removal, and the erection-stability/at-height hazards with specific controls — an engineered shoring design used within capacity and verified before the pour (shoring failure is a leading concrete-construction killer), a strength- based removal and reshoring sequence (premature removal drops still-weak concrete), and stable plumb erection on an adequate foundation. The shoring-capacity control and the reshoring-sequence discipline are the defining concerns. The AHA that manages both is the one that protects the crew.

Frequently asked questions

Why is shoring collapse catastrophic?

Shoring supports the full weight of the formwork and fresh concrete (plus construction loads), which for an elevated slab is an enormous load, and if the shoring has inadequate capacity, is improperly erected, or is overloaded, it fails — a leading cause of concrete-construction fatalities, because a shoring failure under a fresh elevated slab brings down tons of concrete and formwork, often onto workers below and progressively onto lower levels. Controls are an engineered shoring design (rated for the full formwork and fresh-concrete load, designed by a qualified engineer), using shoring components within their rated capacity, erecting per the design, verifying the shoring before the pour (a hold point), and the capacity/collapse controls.

Why is the reshoring/removal sequence strength-based?

Shoring must not be removed until the concrete has gained adequate strength to support itself, and this is strength-based not just time-based (concrete cures at different rates depending on conditions) — removing the shoring too early drops the still-weak concrete, which can progressively collapse onto lower levels. Controls are not removing shoring until the concrete has gained adequate strength (a strength-based removal sequence — verified concrete strength, not just time), proper engineered reshoring of newly-cured levels, and the reshoring/removal controls.

What erection and foundation hazards apply?

Erecting the shoring stable and plumb matters because out-of-plumb or unbraced shoring can buckle under load, tall shoring is erected at height (fall hazard), and the shoring must bear on adequate support below (soft ground or an inadequate lower slab can let it settle or punch through). Controls are erecting the shoring stable and plumb (properly braced, plumb within tolerance), fall protection for erecting tall shoring, ensuring an adequate foundation/load path below, and the erection/foundation controls.

What is temporary concrete shoring?

Temporary concrete shoring is the temporary support system (shores, posts, frames, towers, and bracing) that supports elevated formwork and fresh, curing concrete until the concrete gains enough strength to carry its own weight, plus the reshoring that supports newly-cured slabs. Because shoring carries the full concrete load (collapse), the removal sequence is strength-critical (premature removal), and erection stability and foundation matter, those hazards apply.

Related AHAs and JHAs

• Structural Cast-in-Place C.F. AHA — the structural forming the shoring supports
• Concrete Forming AHA — the concrete-forming fundamentals
• Formwork Installation JHA — the formwork and shoring fundamentals
• Precision Concrete Slab Placement JHA — related elevated-slab work

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.