Key Features of an Effective Permit to Work

1. Key Features of an Effective Permit to Work System

2. What is a Permit to Work System? • A permit to work system is the system, which ensures that work is performed efficiently and safely. It typically finds application in skilled jobs in risky sectors. • A permit to work system helps manage hazards in jobs involving higher levels of risk. Discussed here some key components that are necessary to make a permit to work system effective.

3. Salient Features of a Permit to Work System • To understand how a permit to work system functions in a work environment, we need to know what this system does and why it is necessary. Here are some key features of a health and safety permit system you should know about:

4. #1. Never Begin Without One • No matter how obvious it may sound, research has shown that a number of workplace accidents happen because of insufficient use of permit to work systems. That is to say, the electronic permit system was in place, but the accidents occurred as the system was not used as it should be. • This could happen because of several reasons with probably the most common one being the unpredictability around whether or not a permit to work is applicable to a given task. Clearly, not all tasks require a permit to work. So, distinguishing between tasks in which a permit is needed and the ones that don’t require any permit is often not quite straightforward. For instance, several tasks that include work at height would require a permit, such as working on roofs.

5. However, just stepping off the ground is categorised as work at height, but such a work is unlikely to need a permit. Clearly, this may result in a grey area where it may not be quite clear whether or not permit to work software is needed. So, it’s best to always double-check if a permit is required. • In general, if the job includes any of the following, it is likely to include a permit to work system:

6. Work at height • Heat – such as welding or grinding • Handling flammable materials, like explosives • Handling hazardous materials • Exposure to electric power supplies • Work in confined areas • Work involving exposed parts of machinery People involved in such tasks must avoid presuming that they don’t require a permit to work, simply because a power source has been isolated. A permit to work system may still be needed. For instance, how will others working in the adjacent area know about the work progress? And, how will they know when to turn the power supply on again?

7. # 2. Understand How the Permit Works • Only a permit to work system will not ensure safety. Many workers are known to lose their lives because of their ignorance to understand how the system works and its role within the task. • So, it is important that everyone involved in a permit to work system must have undergone relevant health and safety training. Before getting started with a given task, everyone involved – be it the worksite supervisor, frontline worker or permit issuer – must get the details of how the permit to work system functions and understand the specifics of the work at hand. • It is important to remember that the same common principles are followed by nearly all permit to work systems, but there could be some particular details that may differ from system to system.

8. #3. Keep Everyone Informed When it comes to ensuring the effectiveness of a permit to work system, remember that communication is the key. This, at least, should include appropriately displaying the permit at the site and posting of the paperwork in control zones. However, verbal communication is equally important that backs the health and safety permit to work system. There’s no effective alternative to talking in order to ensure that all people involved in the work are well-informed.

9. #4. Pay Special Attention at Temporary Suspension/Shift Handovers • Accident research depicts that a permit to work system is specifically at risk at the time of temporary permit suspensions and/or shift handovers. • Poor communication during a shift handover could mean a new set of workforce without any knowledge of a permit to work-involving tasks that began in the last shift. • Misunderstandings and other similar mistakes during such periods are commonplace. Hence, it is all-important to remind everyone involved in the task to be extremely attentive at these times.

10. #5. The Workforce Must Have Relevant Skills • Understanding how safety work permit system functions is only the half battle won, when it is about being competent to work safely. • To win the rest of the battle, it is crucial to involve people with the right job skills. Tasks that require permits to work inherently involve higher levels of risk. So, the extent to which the workforce is trained is extremely important. • Remember that any training delivered through toolbox talks alone will not be enough. It doesn’t mean that such informal training is unimportant, but there is no way to confirm the quality or content of such training.

11. So, job-specific training for tasks, requiring permit to work, must be recognised by safety organisations, examination boards or trade bodies. This will give every concerned person the assurance of the training standards as well as the degree of competence of the workforce involved. • Another key facet of such training is in relation to job skills vs. health and safety skills, needed to perform a task – and the workforce requires both. • Regardless of the role of persons involved in issuing permits – be it overseeing the task or working up the job – everyone has the accountability to verify that the training meets the required standards of the job in question and put forth their suggestions should there be any issues.

12. This could mean carrying out a comparison between training records and the task-specific risks assessment that have considered the major hazards involved in the task. • If you are unable to find the necessary training records, the message: “do not proceed until the issue has been resolved” must be clear to everyone involved.

13. #6. Work With a “What If” Mindset • Having a permit to work system does not guarantee that the task is safe and one can start with it, without any further considerations. In simple words, it means that everyone involved must proceed with extra care and vigilance. • Safety not only relies on following the conditions established by the e permit to work system – but it also depends on continuously tracking things that allow the system to work efficiently and effectively. Unanticipated modifications are commonplace in worksites and jobs – and therefore the terms and conditions of a permit to work system may quickly become redundant.

14. Hence, a “what if” mentality is necessary to ensure safety – and the people involved must constantly be asking questions like: “What could possibly go wrong?”, “Are the safety precautions in place enough?” and so forth. • This is what makes health and safety competence and courses essential. Experienced professionals look for the answers to such questions – and they are capable of figuring out when not to avoid risks.

15. #7. Stop As Soon As the Situation Changes or Appears Suspicious • What if a person performing an assigned task, which is managed by an electronic permit system, thinks that there is an issue? Will they have the authority and confidence to stop working right away? • Another crucial facet of tasks overseen by permit to work systems is that they come with a tight deadline. Power sources and areas are regularly isolated while the work is under progress – with a predefined deadline to turn the services on again. • For instance, construction projects tasks are typically scheduled tightly. Stopping a task due to safety concerns is easier said than done. However, this is actually what is needed, or else a permit to work system will become a pointless tool.

16. In Conclusion • We have put together above some key elements of a permit to work system that must be in place to ensure that it operates efficiently. • Having a permit to work system in place does not mean a task is safe or anyone involved can continue doing it without any considerations. • For a permit to work system to be effective, everyone involved must understand their assigned roles; have the competence to perform the tasks; follow the guidelines at all times; stay cautious; and, act immediately as soon as a problem arises – even if that requires temporarily ceasing the task at hand.

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