Safe Work Permits

Safe Work Permits

Why are we here?

The company requires evaluation of very

hazardous, non-routine jobs for which there are
no Safe Job Procedures or approved Job Safety
Plans.

Certain jobs always require that a Safe Work

Permit be issued by a qualified individual.
 Safe Work Permits

Goals and Objectives:

At the end of this session you will:

• Be familiar with jobs requiring safe work permits.

• Be generally familiar with the Safe Work Permit
system.
• Pass a quiz with a score of 100%.
 Safe Work Permits
Cutting / Welding
Permit
Confined Space Entry Permit

Location: Location
Job No. and description of confined space:
Reason for entry:
Permit issued to:
Supervisor’s Name:
Attendant’s name:
Date: Permit
Job No.issuer’s name:
% oxygen: % lower explosive limit: ppm CO: H2S:

Requirements

Emergency Rescuer yes no

Continuous Gas Monitor yes no
Barrier for ground openings yes no
Warning Signs yes no

There are currently three documents which are

called “safe work permits.”
 Safe Work Permits
Cutting / Welding
Permit
The Hot Work Permit is a form
of Safe Work Permit issued by
Location: Job No.
the Fire Marshal or other
Date: Job No. person responsible for fire
Location & Building:

Nature of Job:
Floor
safety.
Welder’s Name:

The above location has been examined. The precautions checked

on the reverse of this card have been taken to prevent fire.
Permission is granted for this work.
This permit is required for all
Permit
Expires
Date: Time:
AM
situations which may result in
PM
fires or explosions.
 Safe Work Permits
Confined Space Entry Permit

Location and description of confined space:

Reason for entry:
Permit issued to:
Supervisor’s Name:
Attendant’s name:
Permit issuer’s name:
% oxygen: % lower explosive limit: ppm CO: H2S:

Requirements

Emergency Rescuer yes no

CAUTION Continuous Gas Monitor yes no
Barrier for ground openings yes no
Opening in Ground Warning Signs yes no
Safety Harness with life line yes no
Keep Out ! Tripod / Hoist / Pulley yes no

The “Confined Space Entry

Permit” is another form of
safe work permit regulating
entry into pits, tanks, and
vessels.
 Safe Work Permits
Cutting / Welding
Permit Confined Space Entry Permit

Location and description of confined space:

Location: Job No.
Reason for entry:
Permit issued to:
Supervisor’s Name:
Attendant’s name:
Permit issuer’s name:
Date: Job No.
% oxygen: % lower explosive limit: ppm CO: H2S:

Requirements

Emergency Rescuer yes no

Continuous Gas Monitor yes no
Barrier for ground openings yes no
Warning Signs yes no

Confined Space Entry Permits and Hot Work

Permits will be discussed in detail in other
training sessions.
 Safe Work Permits

The objective of the Safe Work Permit system is

to identify hazards associated with a non-routine
job, and to develop precautions required to
control each hazard identified.
 Safe Work Permits
Let’s begin with a look at the hazards
associated with specific jobs, and
examine how Safe Work Permits can
help to prevent them from causing
damage or injury.
 Safe Work Permits
Examples of jobs requiring permits are:

1. Hot Work - the use of open flame, oxyacetylene

burning, tar kettles, etc...., and the use of
portable spark or heat producing equipment in
flammable storage or handling areas.
2. Confined Space Entry
3. Excavations
4. Blasting
 Safe Work Permits
Examples of jobs requiring permits are: (cont’d)

5. Whenever required by existing company or

contractor procedures or required in the
contractor’s Project Safety Plan.
6. Use of internal combustion engines, or vehicles
with internal combustion engines inside
company buildings.
7. Use of company owned equipment, such as
personnel lifts, fork trucks, vehicles, etc., by
employees of a contractor
 Safe Work Permits
Excavations can result in:

• Head Injuries from materials falling from

overhead surfaces.

• Rupture of high pressure hydraulic lines

used on backhoes, shovels, and drills.

• Excessive noise from concrete breaking

and cutting equipment, and collapse of
excavation walls and piles due to poorly
secured soil, sudden weather changes, or
other factors.
Permits are written to ensure that necessary equipment is present and in
good working order.
 Safe Work Permits
Excavations:

Poorly planned excavations can result in

damage to underground services, such as
electrical lines, natural gas lines, water
lines, sewers and drains.

The consequence of damaged service

lines
is often complete shutdown of operations
resulting in major business losses.

Permits are written to prevent damage to underground equipment

and services.
 Safe Work Permits

Excavations may expose hazardous materials, which have

leaked and are contaminating the soil.

Permits ensure that procedures to protect workers from exposure to

toxic substances have been identified.
 Safe Work Permits

Blasting can cause damage

to adjacent operations and
personnel.

Permits are issued to ensure procedures are followed that prevent

injury to neighboring facilities, equipment and employees.
 Safe Work Permits
Internal combustion engines produce poisonous
gases
such as carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen.
Permits ensure that procedures are followed that will prevent
equipment emissions from contaminating air inside buildings and
confined spaces.
 Safe Work Permits

Unauthorized use of company

equipment can result in lost
production and injury to
untrained operators.

Permits prevent company equipment from being taken by

contractors without the permission of area management, and require
verification of equipment operator training.
 Safe Work Permits
Work which ordinarily does not require safe work
permits may be included at the discretion of the
Safety Representative, the Contractor, or the Contract
Administrator.
 Safe Work Permits
Following are examples of situations which may
require discretionary safe work permits.

There could be many others:

Safe Work Permits
Movement of large pieces of
equipment, especially while
other personnel are working
nearby, can result in
employee injury.

Permits may be issued to

ensure the use of procedures
that will prevent employee
injury from falling material, or
being struck by rigging
equipment.
 Safe Work Permits
Abandoned tanks, pipe lines,
drums, and vessels may contain
hazardous vapors and gases.

Permits may be issued to prevent

toxic or corrosive exposures to workers
when working on abandoned
equipment, complementing hot work
and confined space permits.

?
Safe Work Permits

Many construction processes

create noise levels high enough
to cause hearing loss.

Permit requirements may be issued

to reduce noise to acceptable limits,
or to provide both construction and
other employees with required
hearing protection.
Safe Work Permits
Boilers, high pressure
vessels, tanks, and reactors
can undergo sudden failure
resulting in disastrous
consequences.

Permits may be issued requiring

precautions and equipment to
prevent system failures not
covered by safe job procedures
or project safety plans.
Safe Work Permits
Permits may be required
where the consequence
of noncompliance with
fall protection
requirements is severe,
or where dropped
materials may endanger
other workers below.
Safe Work Permits

Permits are required

before work begins near
energized lines which
cannot be shut off if
there is danger of fire,
shock or electrocution.
 Safe Work Permits

CAUTION
Hazardous Materials!
“Safe Work Permit Required!”

Permits are mandatory where signs are posted which

require them.
 Safe Work Permits

Permits are issued:

• For a specific date and time range,

• For a specific job, and
• To specific individuals.
 Safe Work Permits

Permits must be reviewed and signed by:

• The safety representative issuing the permit,

• The workers’ supervisor,
• Affected workers, and
• The work area manager.
 Safe Work Permits

Workers must be informed of required emergency

procedures, location and operation of emergency
equipment,and area inherent hazards.

Material Safety Data Sheets must be supplied and

special precautions reviewed with workers and their
supervision.
 Safe Work Permits
Required special precautions must be clearly
indicated and communicated to workers, and
their supervision.

It is the safety representative’s responsibility

to determine if and when special measures
are required.
 Safe Work Permits

Personal protective equipment and other safety

equipment required is specified.

For each hazard present at the work site, the

safety representative must specify a hazard
control.
Safe Work Permits
The safety representative must verify
that all underground utilities have been
located and staked out.

Provisions must be made to barricade

the open trench, prevent collapse of
trench walls, provide employees with a
means of exit, reroute ground water,
and all other requirements of
excavating.

If soil is contaminated, the safety

representative will ask for a written
safety and health plan.
 Safe Work Permits
Summary
• Hot work, confined space entry, excavations,
blasting, use of internal combustion engines inside of
buildings, use of company owned or leased equipment,
and areas where “Safe Work Permit Required” signs
are posted always require a safe work permit.

• Other safe work permits may be required at the

discretion of the Safety Representative, the Contract
Administrator, or the Contractor.

• Permits will be issued by a qualified safety

representative.
 Safe Work Permits
Summary
• Hot work permits are issued by the Fire Marshal.
• Permits are issued to specific persons for a specific
time period and for a specific job.
• Permits must be signed at the time issued by the
safety representative, job supervisor, affected
workers, and the manager of the area in which work
is being done.
 Where to Get Help?

Your supervisor is responsible for providing

equipment necessary to comply with Safe
Work Permit requirements.

The safety representative is responsible for

completing the job hazard analysis and issuing
the permit.