The problem of Permit to Work Systems and Facilities Management

Organisations, including those involved with the management of premises, are increasingly relying on contractors.

This is true for day to day activities (such as security, cleaning and catering) as well as for the provision of more specialist assistance (equipment and machinery servicing, window cleaning, etc.). With this use of contractors comes a requirement to manage the use of contractors in a safe and professional manner. In certain instances, a part of that control of contractors may involve the use of a Permit to Work System.

The Permit to Work System may be also be used to control similar activities being carried out by employees rather than by contactors.

Permit to Work

A Permit to Work is a formal system of controls, using documentation and supervision, that is intended to safeguard the health and safety of workers (and others) involved in particularly hazardous activities.

The main purpose of a permit-to-work system is to ensure that proper and specific consideration is given to all the risks of a particular work activity and that all of the risks are assessed and controlled before work starts.

The permit to work system does not replace the need for suitable and sufficient risk assessments or for method statements from contractors, but is intended to work in conjunction with these documents.

The types of work that may be subject to a Permit to Work System include:

• lift maintenance work
• work at height:
  • high level light changing (especially in common areas)
  • roof work
  • window cleaning
  • façade cleaning
  • canopy cleaning
• work in areas where there may be vehicle movement
• work involving access to plant rooms
• confined space entry
• electrical work
• work involving excavations
• etc.

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Authorised Person and Responsible Person

The organisation should appoint at least one Authorised Person to control and issue the Permit to Work documentation.

The Authorised Person:

1. needs to be sufficiently senior so as to be able to enforce the permit to work system, in accordance with the organisation’s policy
2. should be aware of (or should be able to foresee) the hazards and potential risks involved in the activity to be carried out under the permit
3. should issue the permit to work to a Responsible Person.

This Responsible Person should either be the person in charge of the activity to be carried out or should be the person who is actually going to do the work. The permit must be issued to a named person and not to a position or group. This is essential to pinpoint the responsibility of the control.

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The important elements of a permit to work system

Different activities and different circumstances will require different elements to be incorporated into the permit to work, but there are several important elements that should be a part of most permit-to-work systems. These include:

• all those involved in the activity must be aware of the hazards involved with the work to be carried out
• the Responsible Person must have appropriate technical knowledge of all the processes involved in the operation under the permit
• the work to be carried out is properly and fully detailed and understood by those involved in carrying out the work
• the area or location where the activity is to be carried out is identified clearly and segregated or isolated in some appropriate way (if appropriate)
• the person who requests the permit must be in charge of the area where the work is to be carried out and the whole operation
• appropriate signage should be displayed in and around the area
• the responsible person must be competent and must sign the permit to state that they are satisfied that any necessary precautions have been completed (such as isolation or blanking off of services, etc) and that it is safe to enter the work area and commence work
• all workers should sign the appropriate section of the permit to indicate that they have read and understood all the instructions and information regarding the process
• any (gas) monitoring or sampling required before, during and after the operation must be specified and results recorded on the permit
• after completion of the work
  • the responsible person must sign off the permit accordingly and state that the place or plant is left in a safe state to return to operations
  • the permit should then be returned to the authorised person
  • the authorised person should withdraw (sign off) the permit after checking that the work has been completed and the plant/place is safe to return to its normal operations

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Typical information that should be recorded on the Permit to Work paperwork

There is no definitive correct format for a permit to work. The permit, however, should define:

• the exact location of the work
• the day, date and duration of the permit
• the activity or activities to be carried out
• who is to supervise (if applicable) and who is to carry out the work
• the types of tools and PPE, as applicable, required for the activity
• any special or specified precautions that may be required, such as
  • the number and types of fire extinguisher for hot work permit
  • the use of non-sparking tools for work in potentially explosive atmospheres,
  • specific isolations that may be required (valves, electrical supplies, gas, etc.)
  • the life line for confined space entry,

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A Common Problem facing some Landlord and Facilities Management Companies

There is a common problem with the role of the Authorised Person in Facilities Management organisations.

In many cases, contractors will turn up to do work that should be covered on a Permit to Work and there will not be a representative of the Landlord (or Facilities Management Company) present.

In other instances, the person present does not have suitable training or experience.

In many cases, the permit will be issued by House Manager, Building Manager or Facilities Manager, but in other cases they will be issued by the Receptionist or, in the absence of a site presence, by nobody at all. Often the person signing the Permit has not received training and so is not truly an Authorised Person.

In other cases, the permit is issued by email, without true confirmation that the site is ready for the work and that all arrangements have been made and are fully in place. There is no easy solution to this issue.

Organisations must review their Health and Safety Policy and associated Policies and Procedures on a regular basis. As part of this review, it is recommended that they look carefully at their Permit to Work Systems, especially the issue of who issues them. The permit to work is intended to act as a safeguard to the safety of workers, contractors, tenants, visitors and members of the public, but they can only do so if the system is robust and short cuts are not taken.

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