Permit to work for construction
Permit to work (PTW) systems are formal procedures used to control activities that are considered high-risk. Permits only allow authorised personnel to perform those activities at specified times and in a way set out in the permit and referenced documents.
A permit to work might be required for activities such as:
- Electrical works.
- Hot works.
- Excavation.
- Lone working.
- Lifting operations.
- Work in confined spaces.
- Work to high risk spaces such as laboratories, or industrial plant.
- Work at height.
- Work to roofs.
- Temporary works.
- Work with asbestos.
- Demolition.
- Work to high pressure systems.
A permit to work system should:
- Only allow permits to be issued by authorised, competent personnel.
- Prevent high-risk work being carried out without a risk assessment having been undertaken.
- Consider whether any other work will impact on, or be impacted by, the permitted work.
- Ensure control measures and supervision are in place.
- Ensure method statements and emergency procedures are prepared.
- Ensure work is checked and returned to a safe state.
- Provide information to other parties that might be affected by the work.
- Include a system for handing back and cancelling permits.
Permits should:
- Describe the work and its location.
- Provide information about foreseeable risks.
- Provide information necessary for working safely.
- Set out requirements for personal protective equipment.
- Set out the time when the work can be carried out.
- Provide information about other permits.
Issuing permits to work can be a complicated and time-consuming process and so adequate notice should be given before a permit to work is required.
Permit to work systems do not in themselves make activities safer, this is only possible through the implementation of the correct procedures. It is important therefore that systems not box-ticking exercises, that they are explained at site inductions and that they are continuously monitored, reviewed and kept up to date.
NB BG 87/2024, Useful Information Guide, written by Chin Hang “Kay” Lam and published by BSRIA in 2024, defines a Permit-to-Work system as: ‘A documented management system that includes specific processes to record and authorise tasks to be carried out by designated parties, including employees and contractors, so that they are aware of their risks and responsibilities.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Asbestos.
- CDM.
- Demolition.
- Gangmaster.
- Health and Safety.
- Method statement.
- Permit.
- Personal protective equipment
- Risk assessment.
- Safe2Torch.
- Site induction.
- Site records and registers.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Introducing or next Guest Editor Arun Baybars
Practising architect and design panel review member.
Types of rapidly renewable content
From forestry to agricultural crops and their by-products.
Terraced houses and the public realm
The discernible difference between the public realm of detached housing and of terraced housing.
Put digitalisation and sustainability at the core of curricula
Project management educators are urged.
Looking back at the influence of climate events
From a designer and writer: 'There are limits to growth but no limits to development'.
Terms, histories, theories and practice.
Biophilic design and natural light
Letting in the light and natural elements into spaces.
APM Programme Management Conference 2024
Strategies for Success.
Residential takes the reins as contract awards even out
Contracts down, but remain above the last quarter of 2023.
Celebrating Eid and the largest mud-brick building.
Barry Kingscote claims prestigious CIOB CMYA Award.
The British Mosque: an architectural and social history
The story of some 1,500 mosques or more in Britain.
Heat pump refrigerants, efficiencies and impacts
R12 to R1270 what are the differences?
Global heat pump market in 2023
Challenging times with positive but modest outlook.
Beyond the infrastructure pipeline
Opportunities and chokepoints.