2. Permit to
work
Permit to work is a formal document used to control
hazardous jobs that ensures that all workers are safe
while working and keeping the hazards under control
before the start of the work.
A signed statement by an authorized person that a
non-routine job may be carried out under stated
precautions.
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3. How is work controlled within the
Permit To Work System
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Work is controlled by
following various steps
detailed in the permit to
work procedures and by
using special documents
called WORK PERMIT.
WORK PERMITS are not
simple permission to
carryout work, but they
determine how the work
can be carried out safely.
4. Systematic
Approach
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A systematic , disciplined approach is needed for control all non-routine
activities in Industries & Construction facilities. Such an approach
included the following steps:
• Specifying the work to be done and the equipment to be used, when
applying for the permits.
• Specifying the precautions to be taken, by completing the relevant
section of the work permit.
• Completing preparatory work, including certificates, checking that
the facility can safely be worked on and that prescribed persona
safety precautions are taken.
• Giving permission for work to start by signing the work permit.
• Checking the safety of work in progress, the validity of permits and
certificates (Clearance, Gas Test, Excavation, Electrical, Scaffold,
Lifting tools etc. ) , the adherence to the precautions specified.
• On the completion of work, checking that the job has been left in a
satisfactory condition and with-drawing the work permit.
The work permit system should formalize this step-wise approach, each
step only being started when the preceding step has been completed.
The system should be applied to all non-routine activities.
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5. Types of Permit To Work
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• Height Work Permit
• Hot Work Permit
• Cold Work Permit
• Confined Space Entry Permit
• Electrical Permit (Energizing and De-
energizing)
• Excavation Permit
• Radiography Permit
• Lifting permit
• Man-basket Operation
• Chemical Work Permit
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Organization can introduce additional work permits and per the
work Environment and requirement .
6. Height Work Permit
Authorization to work on elevated spaces (1.8 m from
the ground) be it ladders, scaffolds, Mobile Elevated
Work Platforms (MEWP) and other spaces that are off
the ground
Work at height permit is an authorization to work on elevated areas
above 1.8 m. The 1.8 meter is mainly what the standard said it
should be. The activities that involve working at height are when
you’re using a ladder, MEWP-Mobile Elevated work platforms,
scaffolds, scissors lift, cherry pickers or the use off the ground.
Working at height activity presents hazards such as falls. Falls
contribute to 25 per cent of fatalities in the industry.
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7. Hot Work Permit
Classified as any type of work which involves actual or
potential sources of ignition and which is done in an
area where there may be a risk of fire or explosion, or
which involve the emission of toxic fumes from the
application of heat.
Issuance of a hot work permit is for work that generates heat during
the process. Such work activities are welding, cutting, soldering and
brazing of tanks, vessels, pipelines and others.
Welding activities in tanks and vessels have the potential for
Flammable atmospheres. So, using a Hot work permit will help
identify those areas, and such situations that can pose a danger are
put under check with the necessary control measures in place.
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8. Cold Work Permit
Authorization to operating machinery or doing any
other functions at work that do not generate heat is
a cold work activity.
Activities like bending, shearing, drawing and
squeezing are under Cold work.
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9. Confined Space Entry Permit
Is normally used to specify the precautions to be taken to
eliminate the hazards of dangerous fumes, gases liquids,
or solids of lack of oxygen, harmful residues radiation or
moving machinery from confined space or from any other
source before a person is permitted to enter a confined
space.
Confined work permits are authorized to perform work in a confined
space. There are non-permit confined spaces. Those places do not need
any PTW for you to access them.
Confined space poses a lot of danger. And for that, a permit is necessary
to control those hazards to prevent harm.
In confined spaces, there are possibilities of toxic atmospheres, the
ability of the confined space to engulf persons and asphyxiation.
Confined spaces include vents, shafts, sewages, tanks, silos and others.
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10. Electrical Permit
(Including Energizing and De-energizing)
Is normally used to cover any work on electrical
equipment and precautions to be taken to eliminate
the risk of electric shock / electrocution to people
carrying out the work or damaged to property
This permit is issued when the work involves an electrical
source contact with the worker.
Electrically energized circuits can harm an employee, if
necessary, controls are not in place.
In some cases, the lock-out tag-out procedure is deployed in
addition to the electrical work permit to prevent any risk to
harm.
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11. Excavation Permit
• Is required for any work to be carried out where existing lines or
services may be buried or encountered.
• Any excavation deeper than 0.3 meter
• Excavation activities near existing structures (i.e., Electrical
post, buildings, Permanent Equipment's, etc.…)
• Excavation activities in area classified as safe area for
excavation, a blanket permit maybe requested for long
duration of time
An excavation permit comes during any excavation episode or for an
ongoing excavation on site. And such activities include mining and
digging the land to build or extract resources from the earth.
The PTW takes care of the risks involved in the excavation. Hazards of
excavation may include falls, being trapped in the trench, the collapse
of the walls, and airborne contaminants.
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12. Radiography Permit
Is normally used to cover industrial radiography – safe
working practice and precautions to be taken to eliminate
the risk associated with radioactive sources.
Periodic inspections of the work site are conducted by the
Radiation Safety Division.
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13. Lifting Permit
It provides details for an upcoming lift, including the date and time,
equipment to be used, load details, location, supervisor in charge,
riggers involved, and a checklist to ensure safety precautions are
followed before commencing the lift.
The checklist verifies that the area is clear and barricaded, the crane
is on level ground with outriggers extended, rigging equipment is
inspected, pickup and drop paths are identified, and the crane has a
current inspection. The permit must be prepared by a foreman, noted
by an HSE officer, and ensures all safety items are checked before
any lifting begins.
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14. Man-Basket Operation
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Prior to the use of any man-basket suspended from a crane for hoisting
personnel, the highest level of Project management must determine and be sure
that conventional means is more hazardous or impossible due to structural design
or worksite conditions, approval must be signed.
A trial lift is required prior to actual riding of personnel inside the basket to make
sure that operator can safely position the man- basket in the intended location
15. Chemical Work Permit
Authorization to work with harmful chemical
substances or in a chemically induced atmosphere
that is either toxic or corrosive by nature. Chemical
engineers that mostly work in chemical plants and
labs.
Some chemicals are hazardous. Aside from the
safety data sheets that serve as an additional
document to control the use, a chemical work permit
is highly needed when handling chemicals.
Chemicals can be toxic and corrosive.
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16. What do we have in
the permit to work?
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They are the content of the work permit template.
• The PTW type.
• The location of the work.
• The description of the work.
• The hazards of the work.
• The responsible signatories. For example, Signatories of the
HSE manager, plant manager, PTW personnel and others.
• The equipment for the activity.
• The PPE for the work.
• Workers who will carry out the task
• PTW time, duration and closure.
• Other adjoining documents such as the task hazard analysis
and safety data sheet
• Control measures in place for the hazard
17. What happens when there is an issuance of a PTW?
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When given the PTW, it shows that
work must commence for that
particular activity.
The responsible parties must be on
alert to ensure that the job
progresses in line with what the
PTW says. They ought to provide
constant supervision and
monitoring throughout the work
process.
18. Situations
that can make
the PTW be
withdrawn or
suspended
away from
the site.
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• There is an emergency when the job is ongoing -
Emergencies such as fire, entrapment or medical
emergencies involving persons.
• Blow of a fire alarm.
• The work presents a more hazardous situation as not
been previously captured in the permit to work.
• When there is an accident which has the great potential
to affect the work
Suspension of a PTW is the best thing a worker can do if the
above conditions present themselves. Human lives are
precious. Therefore, enough measures and carefulness
should be in place to ensure a safe worker.
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19. Permit to
work
closure:
After doing the job, the PTW has to be
signed off, closed and returned for
documentation.
All workers have to leave the job site in a
safe condition with good housekeeping.
Also, you restore the work area in its
original form, except if the work activity
is for a permanent change in the area
20. Permit Receiver Responsibilities
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In the case of operational plant, the Company normally has its own permit system. The Operation Manager
of the affected section of the plant or his designated representative shall be the permit issuer. In a non-
operational area but existing facilities are already in place, The Contractor Area Construction Managers or
Company Section head shall be the issuers of the permits.
• The Issuer has the sole authority to issue the permit.
• The Issuer shall be fully aware of site conditions, the type of work to be carried out and all the
requirements stated in the permit.
• The Issuer shall conduct an onsite inspection jointly together with the Receiver to ensure that site
conditions are safe to permit the work and all requirements stated in the permit are implemented
prior to the issuance of the permit.
• The Issuer shall withhold the issuance of the permit if the requirements are not met, or site
conditions are not safe for the work to carry out.
• The Issuer shall, if noticing the presence of any other potential hazards, risks that may jeopardize the
safety of the worker, tools or equipment advice the Receiver of appropriate countermeasures to be taken.
• The Issuer shall ensure that all required safety- monitoring measurements are properly done and so
stated in the permit.
• The Issuer shall ensure all personnel involved in the work are fully aware of Emergency procedures.
• Once informed the work is completed, the Issuer shall visit the site jointly with the Receiver to ensure that
the work is ceased, and the site is kept clean and tidy without any smoldering exist
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21. Permit Receiver Responsibilities
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Task supervisors who are directly responsible for the work stated in the permit shall be the Receiver of the
Permit. He shall clearly define the job to be done, the exact location and nature of the work. Also to ensure
that the conditions on the permit are met in full
• The Receiver shall be fully aware of all requirements stated in the permit and always comply with
them.
• The Receiver shall fully brief the work crew to ensure that requirements are clearly understood by
the crew under his supervision.
• The Receiver shall ensure the work is performed in accordance with the conditions specified in
the permit. He shall remain at the work site to supervise the work.
• The Receiver shall ensure that under no circumstances shall by his own discretion or his crew
change the original scope of the work, which is described in the permit.
• The Receiver shall request a new permit in the event a change in the scope of the work becomes
necessary.
• Whenever site conditions are drastically changed, the Receiver shall immediately stop the work
and inform the Issuer of the change for further instruction from him.
• Upon the occurrence of an emergency the Receiver shall immediately stop the work and shut
down all equipment.
• The Receiver shall report the completion of the work or the expiration of the validity of the permit
to the Issuer and ensure that the site is kept clean and tidy without any smoldering/ignition
sources.
• If the work in progress requires extending the validity stated in the permit, the Receiver shall
suspend the work and request an issuance of new permit.
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22. Permit Coordinator Responsibilities
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The Department / Area Permit Coordinator designated by the
management is responsible for daily coordination of the work permits.
He is responsible for full clerical control of the system including
retention of the closed-out Work Permits for one-month period.
Has the full overview of the planned, open and suspended work
permits on visual display in his permit to work office.
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Operational Procedures for the Work Permit System
1. A Work Permit consists of a set of minimum 3 copies . The First page shall be kept by the
Receiver and kept at the work location, Yellow page shall be kept by the Issuer and Green
page shall be kept by the HSE Permit Coordinator.
2. The description of the work shall be a precise statement of the planned activity, the location of
the work by identification of the area or equipment to be worked upon. Broad scopes of work
of a general nature are not acceptable.
3. Method Statements, Risk Assessments and/or Job Safety Analyses will be produced for
critical activities and shall be attached to and form part of the permit. Such additional
documentation shall be attached to the original of the Permit.
4. Where additional Permits or Certificates are required, they will be attached to and form part of
the Permit to Work.
5. The Receiver shall produce the permit to Contractor responsible personnel for the work
requested in the permit for review and verification by prior to the commencement of the work.
6. As soon as the review and verification has been made, the Receiver shall bring the verified
permit to the HSE Permit Coordinator.
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Operational Procedures for the Work Permit System
7. The HSE Permit Coordinator shall scrutinize the permit including safety precautions and
requirements stated in the permit and deliver it to the Receiver. The HSE Permit Coordinator
should consult HSE personnel for professional advice or suggestions required to work safely.
8. The Receiver shall bring the permit to the Issuer who shall review the permit to ensure that all
required safety precautionary measures are stated and authorizes the permit.
9. On the day of the work, the Issuer in the person together with the Receiver shall go to the site
to ensure that all requirements in the permit are met and hand over the permit to the Receiver
10. Issuance of the permit to the Receiver in the office shall not take place.
11. Upon receipt of the permit from the Issuer, the Receiver can commence the work.
12. When no further work is to take place under a permit, the Receiver shall sign off and
return the permit to the Issuer to close the permit.
13. Upon receipt of the permit, the Issuer and the Receiver shall inspect the work site to
ensure that no smoldering is present, the work site is clean and tidy, and equipment is
left in a safe condition.
The issuer shall return the invalid permit to the HSE Permit Coordinator for file
25. Revalidation of the Permit
When the work calls for any extension
of the permit, the Receiver shall
suspend the work and request an
extension of the validity to the Issuer.
The Issuer is responsible for ensuring
that all precautions and requirements
are still in place and the conditions in
the work site are maintained safe for
personnel and equipment.
If the issuer agrees to extend the
permit, he shall define the time of the
expiry and sign in the permit to
authorize the extension.
The Receiver returns the extended
permit to the work site and resumes
the work.
26. Emergency Situation
Prior to the issuance of a new permit, the Issuer shall visit the work site to ensure that
there is no imminent hazard/risk present and that the work site is safe for work.
All permits shall be nullified and no work shall be resumed unless new permits have
been issued out by the Issuer.
When an emergency, such as a fire incident, Toxic Gas Release, Natural calamities has
taken place the Receiver shall immediately stop all works and shut down all equipment.
27. Work Permit Flow Chart
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Issuer
HSE Permit
Coordinator
Permit
Receiver
Responsible
Supervisor
Permit Receiver
& Issuer
HSE Permit
Coordinator
Ye
s
No
Originate Permit
Review/Verify Permit
Accept Permit
Authorize Permit Carry Out Work
Re-Validate
Permit
Work Finished
File Permit
Close Permit
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28. Summary
The Permit to Work is designed to provide a safe system of work
that can be applied to works identified by virtue of perceived
risks.
This shall be applied to the Contractor controlled Construction
activities on the Project.
Permit requirements for activities other than those mentioned
in this procedure will be re-evaluated especially for potentially
hazardous activities where an extra degree of work control is
felt to be appropriate.
29. Conclusion.. Its just beginning
QUESTIONS
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