Safe Work Permits PDF

Objective 4 Explain the purpose of safe work permits, and describe typical hot and cold work permit systems. SAFE WORK PERMITS A safe work permit is a written document that authorizes specific work at a specific work location during a defined time period. Permits are used to control and coordinat...

Objective 4 Explain the purpose of safe work permits, and describe typical hot and cold work permit systems. SAFE WORK PERMITS A safe work permit is a written document that authorizes specific work at a specific work location during a defined time period. Permits are used to control and coordinate work and to establish and maintain safe working conditions. They ensure that foreseeable hazards are considered an that appropriate precautions are defined and carried out in the correct sequence. The safe work permit is an agreement between the issuer and the receiver that documents the conditions, preparations, precautions, and limitations that must be clearly understood and performed before work may commence. The permit records the steps required to prepare the equipment, building, or area for the work plus all safety precautions, safety equipment, and specific procedures that must be followed to ensure the workers complete the work safely. The safe work permits aids and the identification and control of hazards but does not on its own make the job safe. Benefits of a Safe Work Permit Program All work exposes the worker to some degree of hazard. The degree of hazard determines the kind of safeguards required to protect the worker. Workers engaged in maintenance can be at risk if the machinery they are working on is started unexpectedly. It is necessary to isolate such machinery, equipment, or process by blanking, blinding, and locking out the system. These procedures are clearly identified by a safe work permit system. Special work permits are essential for work that involves confined space entry, flammable or explosive substances, toxic or otherwise harmful substances, or high voltage electrical equipment. A safe work permit program can benefit the following types of employers: • An industry with a significant risk factor from particular hazards (such as oil and gas) • An organization with its own maintenance program and personnel • A principal contractor who sub-contracts maintenance or other hazardous projects to others • Organizations that have individual employees working in isolated areas Page 13 of 56 Types of Safe Work Permits The type of safe work permit required for a particular job is determined by the nature of the work and the hazards that must be eliminated or controlled. The wide range of activities and locations make it impossible to have a single type of permit that is suitable for all situations. Each type of permit provides a checklist for the person preparing the equipment. It also informs the workers who are actually doing the work of the hazards present and the precautions to be taken. The following are the most commonly-used types of work permits: • Work clearances are for work that requires no preparation by operations personnel, such as oiling, greasing, garbage pickup, delivery, and meter reading. • Hot work permits are used when heat or sparks generated by the work (such as welding, cutting, grinding, vehicle) could cause the ignition of any flammable or explosive vapours or materials that may be present. • Cold work permits are used for maintenance work that does not involve hot work or any other special hazard. Cold work permits are issued when there is no source of ignition and when contact with harmful substances are eliminated or appropriate precautions are taken. • Confined space entry permits are used when entering a confined space, such as a tank vessel, tower, pit, or sewer. Since several extra precautions are necessary in this case, the permit has extra requirements. • Special permits are used by some companies to cover specific hazards. These hazards include things like extremely hazardous locations, radioactive materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), excavations, and power supplies. Contents of a Safe Work Permit A safe work permit is a fillable form that has sections identifying and verifying the following: a) The date, time of issue, and time of expiry of the permit. The time of expiry is important because it is unsafe to work with an expired permit. A regularly-issued permit gives the permit issuer an opportunity to review and update the permit to ensure it is safe. b) The location of the work, which must be as specific as possible c) The department or company doing the work Page 14 of 56 d) A description of the work to be done e) Any toxic, corrosive, flammable, or potentially hazardous materials in the immediate work area f) Whether the work area has been inspected and found free of hazardous materials g) The need for fire protection h) The need for isolation: verifying that electrical and mechanical hazards are locked out and tagged, and piping blanked off, tagged, disconnected, drained, or vented i) The need for ventilation and purging (whether with air, steam, inert gas, etc.) j) The need for testing prior to (or during) the work in harmful conditions, such as working with combustible gases, oxygen deficiency, or other hazards such as radiation k) Any specific health hazards: safety data sheet (SDS) information required 1) The specific personal protective equipment to be worn by the workers m) The need for emergency procedures and competent rescue personnel n) A special instruction or comment section that lists special procedures and precautions o) A general instruction to receiver section p) Who issued the permit (persons job title), with the date and time issued q) Who received the permit (persons job title), with the date and time issued r) The name (s) and signature(s) of the person(s) who have signed off on the permit and whether or not the work was completed Page 15 of 56 Using a Safe Work Permit Only a competent person who is completely familiar with the work or situation covered by the permit and who has control over changes in that work area should issue a safe work permit. The permit issuer must be sure that the work situation identified on the permit is as described. The permit issuer must review the work and all safety requirements with the worker before work begins. Any special precautions not normally associated with the particular work should be identified to the worker, who must fully understand the reasons for these precautions (e.g. the work to be done is in an area where there is a possible exposure to H2S gas, so a breathing apparatus may be needed). The permit issuer must be sure the worker understands the hazards. If not, the permit issuer must review the safety data sheet (SDS) or other information with the worker to ensure an understanding of the dangers of the product and the precautions to be taken. The person receiving the permit must be completely sure of the work situation, the potential hazards, and the precautions required before accepting the permit. CAUTION Written instructions alone are often insufficient and ineffective. Practical training exercises must be held with people who issue and receive permits. HOT WORK PERMIT In a hot work permit situation, possible examples of sources of ignition include operations such as welding, burning, cutting, riveting, grinding, and drilling. Possible ignition sources also include the operation of pneumatic hammers and chippers, non-explosion-proof electrical equipment (lighting, tools, and heaters), and internal combustion engines. The static electricity on clothing can also be a source of ignition. Three kinds of hazardous situations must be considered when performing hot work: 1. The presence of flammable materials in the equipment 2. The presence of combustible materials that burn or give off flammable vapours when heated 3. The presence of flammable gas in the atmosphere (or entering from an adjacent area, such as sewers) that has not been properly controlled. Portable combustible gas detectors can be used in the area to warn of possible gas incursions. Page 16 of 56 A hot work permit must detail all testing that is required before and during the work. This type of permit must also describe the appropriate isolation of the equipment to prevent explosive conditions in the work area. In addition, a hot work permit should detail any protection that must be given to other equipment in the area that might be exposed to ignition sources from the hot work. Hot work permits generally require more (as well as higher-level) approvals and signatures than cold permits Pitfalls of Ineffective Safe Work Permit Systems The following are factors that lead to ineffective permit systems: a) The format of the permit does not cover all the potential hazards. b) The issuing procedure is defective c) The person signing the permit has not inspected the operation to see if the isolation, lockout, or testing has been done. Permit issuers are not properly trained. d) The workers are not following (or do not understand) the requirements of the permit, especially the expiry time. Workers are not properly trained in permit procedures. e) Management is not enforcing or auditing the work permit system. f) Permits are prepared too far in advance, or after the work has commenced. g) The operation is not inspected by a responsible person after the permit has been issued. h) The system is too complex, causing shortcuts. i) The planning before a job is scheduled is inadequate. Page 17 of 56