Scenario without permit to work ?
Hey, where is your permission to work in this area? Sir, during my round i found that contractor workers are working without permission and even without PPE ? hello sir, there is an accident in production area ? Sir, I investiagate the incident and found that before starting the work, no risk is assessed ?
The meaning of above statement and scenarios is that if we will not implement necessary different control measures, there will be no end of confusion, and we are unable to protect the working employee as well as worker of outside contractor. To solve the problem and take overall control on work, activity and operations at site whether it supposed to performed by factory staff or outsourced staff, Managment shall have a control on that. No one can do any work in anywhere in factory without prior permission or without safety risk assessment or without implementation of safety control before starting the work.
Inroduction of permit to work system or Work Permit System
As we know that, it is a universal truth that each and every activity, operation, job and task whether performed by men or machine, have a hidden or detectable hazard and associated risk also. While work on these machines or performing work, if this hazard realizes the risk of impact or consequences is faced by human being as injury, ill health or disability or property loss. Morally, it is our duty to protect them from such risk and save human life. that’s why, we put or implement different type of control measures to overcome or reduce the risk at acceptable level. One of among is known as administrative control measures, in this method of control, we make some policies, make SOP and Make some documented framework to control the hazard and risk. One of them is Permit -to – work system. it is a formal Permission as a document. The permit is a document that tell us how to perform the work? , what do the hazard exist and what is the level of risk ? , what control we need to perform the task safely? , who are the responsible person and for what? What resources required to get complete the given task etc. it is a printed document with some written safety precaution ro be completed before start the work.
Some Charactristic of Work Permit
- it is job specific
- it is area or locaton specific
- it is machine or equipment specific
- it is applicant or no of person specific.
- it is company or site socific or department.
- it is service prvoder secific.
- it is documeneted evidence as all the controls are taken before start the written work on it.
- it is evidence that all the cocnern person have been informed and work is done after their approvals.
Why does the work permit is so important?
As we previous discuss that each and every activity, operations and task have hazard and associated risk. if these hazards are not eliminated or controlled, it will realize and convert in incident or accident. because in a factory, there are so many activities or operation going on. Some of operations are performed by technical and skilled employee and some of are non-technical and unskilled employee and worker.in today’s era most of repairing, maintenance and project works are performed by contractor services and contractor worker are not so much trained and skilled. so in that case, the safety of these workers and employee is become more crucial while working. we have to take utmost care of plant and personal as preventive measures. So, we need a special and dedicated control measures to overcome this problem and work permit system is only way to control and minimize the above risk. through work permit system, we ensure the safety of plant and personal.
What types of work permit in practices now a days?
As we know, hazard and risk are job and activity specific. each and Every job have their own hazard and risk and required specific controls. So, through a single work permit is not advisable for all the Job. as per Job and current Practice, following work permits are used: –
- Hot work Permits
- Cold Wok Pemits
- Confined Space work permit
- Excavation work Permit
- Work at height work permit
- Electrical work Permit
What does it mean the different types of work permit?
- Hot work Permits
Hot work permits, name itself explain the meaning of hot work, where hot works has to be performed, Hot work permit should be used. hot Work means all the work, activity and Operation which generate the direct spark or release such amount of heat which could be able to ignite the explosive mixture if present in workplace. In Chemical or Petro- chemical industries where hazardous chemical as flammable or highly flammable are stored handled or processed, in such area the use of spark generating tools also considered as hot work. Example of hot work are Welding, cutting, hammering, chipping, use of non-flameproof tools in designated area etc.
- Cold Work Permit
All other work where hot work hazard do not exist known as Cold work activity and permit to perform that activity known as Cold work permit.
- Work At Height permit
When Activity or work is to be performed at height more than 1. 8 Meters or 2 Meters form nearest stable floor whether it is cold work or hot work, known as Work at height work and Permit for this is known as Work at height Permit. in this Permit all the Safety Precaution including hot or cold work also taken along with work at height hazard.
- Confined Space work Permit
Confined Space means a Tank, chamber, pit, Reactor, Storage tank, silo, chimney, Trench, via duct etc., these spaces are not meant for human occupancy and have a limited space to access in and egress from, Improper illumination and ventilation and have harmful, dangerous and life threatening gases inside. Confinde spaces are most hazardous palces for work. if someone has to work in confined space then, he has to obtain a Confinded space work permit to overcome all the possible hazard and associated risk.
- Electric Work Permit
Electric Work permit used when some one has to work on electric installation and electric equipment where electric hazard is exist and risk of electric shock and electrocusion may exist. electrical hazard are more dangerous so that before start the work , one has to take all possible control measures to eliminate the risk by implement electric work Permit .
Who are the different stakholders in Permit – To – Work System ?
As we know the Permit to work system is inter department activity and it is not a single department function. generally, the followings are involved in Permit-To -work system.
A. Permit Applicant: –
The department or Person one who has to perform or actually to do work is known as Permit applicant. It may be a Person or department or Outside service provider.
Responsibility of Permit Applicant: – Permit applicant is responsible for followings
- Arrangement of all required Resources.
- Deploy the trained and skilled person in job.
- Strict follow the Permit’s term and condition against which permit issued.
- Continues Supervise and Monitoring of Job.
- Continue Communication with permit issuer.
- Arrange safe tools and secure tool for job.
- Provide all required PPE to Persons.
B. Permit Issuer: –
Permit issuer is department or section or custodian of specific location where work to be performed. Generally, the permit issuer is department HOD, manager or specific appointed Person. Permit issuer is main and vital part of Permit To work System. Without signature of Permit issuer, Work Permit is not considered valid.
Responsibility of Permit Issuer:-
- Issue the Work permit to perform the work.
- To avail site ready for work and honadover to work performer.
- Suggest some special Precaution as per location specific and Equipment specific.
- Appomit a Superviosor for close monitoring of work
- Liasion with other concern authoity while work in progress.
- Strict adherence to SOP while work in porgress.
- Check and ensure the site for final work and close the permit.
C. EHS Incharge:
EHS Department is solely responsible for EHS concern for Work Permit System. All the EHS aspect should be assessed and decide all the hazard control measure to implement before and while work is in progress as applicable.
Responsibility of EHS Incharge
- Identify all the hazard and assess all the risk associated in Job to be performed .
- Decide and implement the Control Measures to eliminate the risk .
- make arrangement for Fire figting equiment when hot work to be done.
- Ensure the All required PPE being used while work is being performed
- Monitor the area for presence of exlosive environment and do necessary provision to elimiante the risk of fire and explosion.
- Measure and monitor the confined space for Oxygen level and presence of dangerous and life threatning gases and remove it out if present.
- Appoint Fire Man or Offcier for continues monitoring of work.
- Special Precaution to be taken for any violation of EHS standard.
What type of some Prominanat hazard while work agaisnt Work permit Sytem ?
The Following are some Major hazard considered when we works against Permit To Work System:
- Presence of flammable gases in work enviroement
- Improper light and illumination in workplace
- Deploy unskilled person in work
- use of improper and defective tools for work
- Not using the PPE
- Violation of Safety standard while work
- Improper Housekeeping at site.
- Haphazard condition of site.
- Work without Mechanical isolation and electrical isolation.
- Work at pressurized line
- Work at line or equipment having material inside .