Work Permit System in industries

1. Made by:
Gagan Kumar Tanwar
NCFSE

2.  A work permit system spell out:
1. Nature of job
2. Equipment involved
3. Time limitations
4. Location
5. Personnel involved
 It is technical measured document to prevent
hazards and accidents

3.  Permit to work is a written record document
raised by shift incharge/ area incharge and
authorised by safety personnel, permitting
the work in a specified time in define area
 It ensures the responsibility of individuals for
performing the work
 These work permits will identify the hazards
full to personnel, equipment and property

4. Following aspects should be considered w.r.t.
permit to work systems:
 Human factors
 Management of WPS
 Poor skilled manpower
 Lack of Knowledge
 Incompetence
 Objectives of WPS
 Types of Work permit required
 Contents of work permit

5.  Whether staff have been sufficiently informed,
instructed, trained and supervised to minimise a
human failing operation of WPS
 Whether the work permit contains sufficient
information about the type of work
 Whether there is sufficient provision available to
fulfill the requirements of WPS
 Whether the employees responsible for control of
maintenance work are identified within the WPS
and that the work is properly authorised by
responsible person
 Whether the WPS is managed, regularly inspected
and received and reviewed

6.  Whether all the permits are kept in file for
future analysis
 Whether sufficient precautions are taken prior
to initiating a work permit (draining, flushing,
environmental monitoring, risk assessments)
 Whether staff are aware of the environment
they are working induring the operation of
work permit (flammable, corrosive, explosive)
 Whether the person responsible for operating
the plant is aware of the type of maintenance
involved and how long it is likely to take

7.  Wrong type of work permit used
 Wrong information about the work required
on the work permit
 Failure to recognise the hazards where work
is carried out
 Introduction of ignition source is controlled
flame proof area (e.g. welding, non-spark
proof tools)
 Instruction of work permit not adhered ( e.g.
failure to isolate plant, drain lines of
hazardous substances)

8.  Failure to have over plant in safe condition on
completion of work/ cancelling of work
permit
 Unauthorised staff performing work permit
functions
 Poor management of permit to work system
 Insufficient monitoring of WPS

9.  Hot work permit
 Safety Entry work permit
 Acid area work permit
 Working at height work permit
 Cold working permit
 Excavation permit

10. During process of work where ignition comes
out or heat generates its own is considered as
hot work.
The permit is required for following jobs:
1. Welding
2. Flame cutting
3. While using pneumatic/ hydraulic power
tools

11. Precautions
1. Equipment of the area should be tested to
determine the explosive range (through
explosive meter/ by taking air samples).
Cleaning or ventilating can clear explosive
content
2. Cover all pits, sumps, opening etc. with
fireproof material to prevent spark entering and
causing explosion or fire. Area and surrounding
are sufficiently wetted to facilitate
extinguishments of sparks, hot slag etc.
3. Adequate fire fighting equipment should be
kept ready along with the person who know the
operation of the euipment.

12.  A vessel entry permit will only authorise entry
into vessel.
 Separate hot work permit should be issued, if
such work is done on the vessels
 Examples of vessels are tanks, drums,
boilers, furnaces, barrels, pipelines, sewer,
pits etc.
 The hazard may be presence of toxic
inflammables vapours of gases, suffocation
due to lack of oxygen, slipping and falling
etc.

13. Precautions
1. Isolate the equipment/ vessel from all source
through which any energy, stock or harmful
substance can get introduced by disconnecting,
blinding, blanket etc.
2. Drain clear, wash the equipment vessel to make it
free from toxic/ flammable gases and other harmful
substances
3. Test the vessel inside and determine the presence
of explosive mixture and deficiency of oxygen and
further ventilate the workroom till the oxygen
content increased to 17%
4. In case of deficiency of oxygen cannot be improved
, entry of explosive should be restricted

14. Hazards in excavation are breaking of pipe
likely carrying hazardous substances, breaking
of electrical / telephone cables etc.
It results into:
1. Accidents
2. Disruption/ delay in production
3. Loss of life
4. Loss of property
5. Disruption in communication

15. Precaution
 Permits can be prepared with the help of
factory plan and sent to the engineer / plant
in charge for counter signing
 Plant incharge/ Engineer would suggest
special precaution to avoid accident, damage
etc. before counter signing
 After counter signing permit can be used to
executer/ receiver.
 Suitable PPE are to be used

16.  It is defined a science of preservation and
improvement of the health and comfort of the
workers
 The overall goal of the industrial hygienist
must be to protect workers from health
hazards of their working environment

17.  Presence of toxic/ hazardous chemical in
environment in the form of dust, mist, fumes,
vapours, smokes etc.
 Excessive heat environment
 Excessive noise
 Emission of radiation ( UV, IR, X-rays,
radioactive radiations)
 Vibrations at work place
 Improper lighting
 Process involving handling of poisonous/
hazardous substances

18. Risk from chemical are:
 It is injurious to health because of their toxic
properties.
 These chemicals enter the body through
inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption
which gives toxicity effect on body such as:
1. Acute effect- immediate effect (NH3, acid
bases
2. Chronic effect- effect due to prolonged
exposure ( toxicity by chromium)

19. 3. Local effect- effect confined to the affected
part
4. Systematic effect- effect on complete one or
more than one system ( CO inhalation, H2S
inhalation, Benzene and aniline poisoning)

20. Fire and Explosion
 Some chemicals have flash point less than or
equal to 27 ºC give out vapours just sufficient
to ignite in air (petrol, benzene)
 Some chemical burn with the explosion or
some gases under pressure carry possibility
of explosion ( H2, LPG)

21. Solid particles generated by handling, grinding,
rapid impact, deformation of organic or
inorganic materials such as rocks, ores, coal,
grain, wood etc.

22.  No permit is required where work is carried
out with standard operating procedure (SOP)
which will be issued by manufacturer through
servicing manuals
 Competent personnel or site supervisor
perform the task

23. No objection certificate are the documents are
required to satisfy a permit issuer regarding
the safety precautions taken before the start of
work:
1. Confined space entry certificate
2. Clearance for excavation certificate
3. Clearance to move heavy equipment
4. Movement of heavy vehicles
5. Isolation confirmation certifcate

24. Log books are for maintaining the records of
movement of personnel in restrained and
hazardous zones