Every organisation must keep their employees and independent contractors safe. Several safety procedures have been put in place to act as a guideline for companies to operate. One great example is the permit to work system.

A permit to work system (PTW) is a formally documented system implemented in high-risk activities and often found in high-risk industries. Examples of such sectors where a permit to work systems are relied on heavily are Construction and Manufacturing.

Usually, a permit to work system is issued by a manager, supervisor or project manager. The purpose of the document is to allow employees to carry out required tasks under specific conditions. In other words, the document authorises workers to carry out high-risk functions at specific times and under specific conditions.

The primary purpose of a permit to work system is to eliminate risk. Risky tasks such as working on electrical systems, working with hot equipment, excavations, certain lifting operations and working at height or in confined spaces. A detailed permit to work system eliminates any associated risks and gives you the peace of mind required to take your tasks forward.

How a Permit to Work System cuts down operational risks

There are several ways through which a permit to work system makes a high-risk task safe to handle. We cover the basics below.

A permit to work system gives written permission to carry out a task

Project managers or supervisors sign off a permit to work systems after ensuring certain parameters are met on the site premises. Also, because the permit to work is continuously updated as tasks are carried out, it serves as a form of evidence or paper trail. Information captured includes the description of the task that was done and the name of the worker(s) involved.

A permit to work system ensures every aspect of the work is planned and checked

For a project to run efficiently and also meet health and safety standards, it needs to have a tried and tested framework. A permit to work system captures every aspect of the framework and walks worker(s) through it. This ensures every aspect of that framework is adhered to and makes the workplace safer.

A permit to work system provides a procedure to support a risk assessment

Specific high-risk work needs to go through a risk assessment before action can be carried out. A permit to work system prevents workers from working on that project until the risk assessment has been carried out and the necessary changes implemented.

A permit to work system provides a procedure for returning the work area to a safe state on completion of the work

Ensuring that a workplace is safe to return after the high-risk work has been completed is essential. A permit to work system makes that a breeze. Using Beakon’s permit to work software enables your workers to follow the necessary procedure to return a work area to its original safe state.

Conclusion

Every organisation operating in a high-risk industry ought to implement a permit to work system in their company. The system enables them to keep their workers safe.

Additionally, the permit to work system serves as a guideline for independent contractors to operate in a manner that adheres to your organisation’s health and safety procedures.

Are you using software to streamline your company’s permit to work system? If not, then you should take advantage of a free trial of our software.