What to Include in a Permit to Work
Whether you are a safety professional seeking to refine your understanding of permit management, or an industry newcomer eager to grasp the fundamentals, this guide aims to empower you with the knowledge needed to create and implement permits to work that stand the test of real-world challenges.
Core Elements Every Permit to Work Should Cover
Let’s delve into the essential elements that should typically be included in a permit to work:
Scope and job definition
Clearly describe the nature of the work to be performed. This includes details such as the location, equipment involved, and specific tasks to be carried out.
Hazard identification and risk context
Identifying and assessing potential hazards associated with the work intended in pivotal. This should incorporate both general and specific risks, such as electrical hazards, confined spaces, chemical exposure, etc. A thorough hazard identification process in a permit work lays the groundwork for a safe working environment.
Control measures and safe systems
Controls must be explicit, verifiable, and linked to identified hazards. This includes isolations, lock-out/tag-out, PPE, permits dependent on other permits, and environmental controls such as ventilation or fire watches.
Roles, responsibilities and authorisation
The permit must define who is responsible for issuing, approving, supervising, and carrying out the work. Named accountability reduces ambiguity and strengthens compliance during audits and investigations.
Validity period and work windows
Permits must have defined start and end points. This ensures conditions are re-checked when circumstances change, such as shift handovers, delays, or changes in site activity.
Communication and briefing requirements
Outline the communication procedures, including how information will be relayed to workers, supervisors, and other relevant personnel. This includes outlining the channels through which the information will be relayed, and ensuring comprehension at all levels.
Emergency procedures
Detail the steps to be taken in case of an emergency. This should include evacuation procedures, emergency contact information, and the location of emergency equipment.
Sign-off, handover, and closure
Permits must record formal acceptance before work begins and structured closure once work is complete. Handover requirements are critical where work spans shifts or teams, preventing unsafe assumptions about plant status.
Different types of work permits for different tasks
There are different types of work permits tailored to specific hazardous tasks. These types include:
Hot Work Permit: This is for any activities that involve open flames, sparks, or high temperatures. This could be activities such as soldering, welding, or torch cutting.
Confined Space Permit: This permit is individuals working in confined spaces where there may be risks of asphyxiation, exposure to toxic substances, or other hazards.
Isolation Permit: This permit is designed for activities that require the isolation of equipment or systems to ensure safety.
Electrical Work Permit: This permit is for tasks where individuals are working with electrical systems or electrical equipment.
Excavation Permit: This is for digging, trenching, or other excavation works.
The future of permit to work systems
Permit to work processes are moving away from static, paper-based controls toward connected, digital workflows.
Modern smart permit systems focus on:
- Linking permits directly to risk assessments, isolations, and method statements
- Preventing permits from being issued unless prerequisite controls are complete
- Providing real-time visibility of active permits across sites and teams
- Creating a permanent audit trail for inspections, investigations, and compliance reporting
Digital permit platforms such as AssessNET support this shift by embedding permits into wider safety management workflows rather than treating them as standalone documents. This reduces duplication, improves consistency, and makes it easier to maintain control in complex or high-risk environments.
As regulatory expectations and operational complexity increase, permit systems that are connected, visible, and enforceable will become the baseline rather than the exception.
Why strong permit design matters
Regardless of format, a permit to work only protects people when it is clear, enforced, and understood. Strong permits reduce uncertainty, control risk at the point of work, and provide defensible evidence that safety was actively managed.
Organisations typically adapt permit templates to suit their operations, but the underlying principles remain constant. Well-designed permits support safer decisions, smoother operations, and stronger compliance outcomes.
Grant permission to conduct work on-site using AssessNET permit to work tools that integrate authorisation, risk, and evidence into one controlled process.
