Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
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➤
who is authorized to do the work
➤
the steps which have already been taken to make 
the plant safe
➤
potential hazards which remain, or which may arise 
as the work proceeds
➤
the precautions to be taken against these hazards
➤
for how long the permit is valid
➤
that the equipment is released to those who are to 
carry out the work.
In accepting the permit, the person in charge of doing 
the authorized work normally undertakes to take/main-
tain whatever precautions are outlined in the permit. The 
permit will also include spaces for:
➤
signature certifying that the work is complete
➤
signature confi rming re-acceptance of the plant/
equipment.
6.7.3 Principles
Permit systems must adhere to the following eight 
principles:
1. wherever possible, and especially with routine jobs, 
hazards should be eliminated so that the work can 
be done safely without requiring a permit to work
2. although the Site Manager may delegate the 
responsibility for the operation of the permit system, 
the overall responsibility for ensuring safe operation 
rests with him/her
3. the permit must be recognized as the master 
instruction which, until it is cancelled, overrides all 
other instructions
4. the permit applies to everyone on site, including 
contractors
5. information given in a permit must be detailed and 
accurate. It must state:
(a) 
which plant/equipment has been made safe and 
the steps by which this has been achieved
(b) what work may be done
(c) the time at which the permit comes into effect
6. the permit remains in force until the work has been 
completed and the permit is cancelled by the per-
son who issued it, or by the person nominated by 
management to take over the responsibility (e.g. at 
the end of a shift or during absence)
7. no work other than that specifi ed is authorized. If it 
is found that the planned work has to be changed, 
the existing permit should be cancelled and a new 
one issued
8. responsibility for the plant must be clearly defi ned at 
all stages.