Published 31 Jan 2023
What are Permit To Work Templates?
Permit to work templates are tools used by contractors and safety officers to ensure critical safety checks and emergency procedures are followed before hazardous work commences. Common tasks that require permit to work forms are those with high safety risks including working in confined spaces, hot and cold work and electrical maintenance activities.
General Permit to Work Template
This general permit to work template covers the entire Permit to Work System. Start by recording job details, tools and equipment to be used, and other work which may affect the tasks at hand. Next clearly identify tasks which are considered hazardous. You may conduct a risk assessment to evaluate uncontrolled or undetected hazards present on site. After which, ensure that precautions are being taken such as wearing proper PPE. Next endorse the Permit to Work to the Authorizing Officer for review before commencing work. Ensure that the permit information has been explained to all workers involved. Complete the audit by confirming that all necessary processes were rolled out and that it is safe to carry out the work defined. After the task is accomplished hand back the audit to the Authorizing personnel for confirmation and future reference.
In this article
- What is a Permit to Work System?
- Safety Permit to Work Format
- FAQs About Permit to Work Templates
- Technology to Streamline Permit To Work System
- 6 Featured Digital Permit to Work Templates
What is a Permit to Work System?
A permit to work system typically involves the team performing such activities to begin the form with details of the hazardous activity and safety checks to be performed. It is then handed to a safety officer to review and approve before work can commence. Upon completion of work, the permit form then needs to be handed back to the safety officer to sign-off and retain a record of the form. This is often used as part of a control of work system.
Safety Permit to Work Format
A safety permit to work should be straightforward and comprehensible. It should follow a standard format to record accurate information in providing a clear overview of the task at hand. Here are four main elements of a standard safety permit to work:
- Job overview – this records the job to be done, tools and equipment to use, and other work is currently undertaken that may affect the permit.
- Hazards and precaution – this involves the potential hazards associated with the job and the necessary actions to prevent injuries and accidents from happening.
- Authorization and acceptance – this confirms that it is safe to carry out the work defined and communicated to all affected workers on site.
- Hand back and cancellation – this section should be accomplished after the work has been performed. It details the confirmation from the person in charge and the authorizing personnel.
FAQs About Permit to Work Templates
Aside from containing all the necessary details for a Permit to Work, managers, contractors, and workers can utilize ready-to-use templates such as this as a guide when performing the audit. Leveraging a Permit to Work template increases efficiency and ensures no critical elements are missed.
Permit to Work is typically issued by a manager, supervisor, safety officer, or someone competent in the field or industry. Ideally, the issuer should not be a part of the team performing the task to avoid bias and eliminate the possibility of inaccurate audits.
There’s no specific or uniform timeframe when it comes to the duration and validity of a Permit to Work. This is heavily dependent on the needs of the project and is usually decided by the authorized personnel involved in the completion of the task.
Technology to Streamline Permit To Work System
Paper-based permit to work can be time-consuming and inefficient because of the back and forth process of authorizing permit to work to key persons. Using a mobile app like SafetyCulture (iAuditor), you can transform your current permit to work system and workflows into a digital platform. With SafetyCulture you can:
- Electronically share permit to work forms. No more back and forth.
- Experience better data capture through multimedia tools.
- Sync all your data in an accessible and safe cloud.
Get started with this free collection of 6 permit to work templates that you can download and customize.
6 Featured Digital Permit to Work Templates
Permit to Work Template
This permit to work template was divided into 3 sections: Permit request, person engaging contractor or worker review and authorization. Each section entails confirmation from the persons-in-charge in accordance with key processes and protocols to ensure a safe working environment. Use SafetyCulture (iAuditor) to create checklists with mandatory signature fields to validate audits and inspections.
Confined Space Permit Template
Working in confined spaces poses numerous hazards to workers and entrants such as asphyxiation or loss of oxygen which leads to suffocation. Commencement of work must not begin until the appropriate level of authority has endorsed the Permit to Work. This template can be used record the mode of communication and rescue procedures to determine the team’s preparedness during emergencies. Next conduct a pre-work check to assess if safety equipment and measures are in place to prevent accidents and injuries. Capture photo evidence of equipment defects or non-compliances to confined space protocols. List all people involved in the work being performed.
Cold Work Permit Template
Cold work or plastic deformation of metals can cause extreme physical injury caused by over pressing and rolling. Other factors like electrical and mechanical hazards, like the use of hand and power tools, add up to the overall risk which workers may encounter during operation. This template covers potential hazards which need to be checked in the work area. Also select appropriate protective equipment to be used by workers. Use SafetyCulture (iAuditor) to customize this template based on your business needs and requirements.
Hot Work Permit Template
Hot work includes forging, extrusion, hot rolling, and other processes which involves deforming metals by the use of fire. This hazardous task requires permit before any type of hot work commences. Use this template to evaluate is necessary precautions are taken such as conducting equipment checks, checking if combustible materials are properly stored, and evaluating fire safety systems and emergency procedures if installed and in place. Use SafetyCulture (iAuditor)’s scoring feature to determine failing items and underlying factors.
Maintenance Permit to Work Template
All equipment should be isolated, locked out and tagged out to prevent accidents like electrocution, explosion, cuts, etc. Use this checklist as a guide to which equipment or materials should be locked out before any maintenance work. Record and take a photo of the point of isolation. List the precautions, tools, and equipment to be used during the procedure.
SafetyCulture Content Specialist
Jona Tarlengco
