February 15, 2024
Every organisation should use a permit to work system. Not only can these systems help to prevent accidents, but they can also mitigate risk and ensure worker safety. Remaining compliant and protecting your workers should be a top priority for every company—that’s why you need to devise an effective permit to work system.
A Permit to Work (PTW) is a formal written system used to control certain types of work that are potentially hazardous. It is a safety management tool designed to ensure that work is carried out in a safe and controlled manner, minimising risks to workers, the environment, and the workplace.
Although they can be used across a wide range of sectors, permit to work systems are commonly used in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and oil and gas. It is much easier to manage permit to work systems if you use risk management software, like Meridian.
Having understood what a permit to work system is, it’s important to understand the benefits and why they are essential for businesses. A permit to work system allows you to:
Before starting any high-risk work, a thorough assessment can help you identify potential hazards associated with the job.
Once hazards are identified, control measures can be put in place to reduce risk. This could involve using personal protective equipment, engineering controls, or other safety measures.
A permit to work serves as a communication tool, ensuring that everyone involved in the work is aware of the risks, control measures, and any specific instructions or precautions.
A Permit to Work is a formal authorisation from a responsible authority, such as a supervisor or safety officer, that grants permission to carry out the specified work under the outlined conditions.
A permit to work helps in coordinating activities and ensuring that multiple work activities occurring simultaneously do not interfere with each other and create additional hazards.
A Permit to Work System encompasses various types of work permits, each tailored to specific hazardous tasks. These types include:
Permit to work software provides an easy way for businesses to manage permits for all types of work. These platforms can streamline the process of creating, issuing, and managing permits. This ensures the safe execution of high-risk tasks by providing a centralised platform for requesting, recording, and reviewing permits.
Implementing software for Permit to Work systems offers several benefits over traditional paper-based or manual processes. Here are some key benefits of permit to work software:
Permit to work software allows for quicker processing of permits, reducing delays associated with manual paperwork. This is particularly crucial in situations where time is a critical factor. This software also drives efficiencies by automating workflows to streamline the permit approval process; this ensures that each step is completed efficiently and in the correct sequence.
Digital systems to manage permits to work reduce the risk of errors associated with manual data entry. This improves the accuracy of information recorded in permits, minimising the likelihood of incidents due to incorrect details. Many permit to work software solutions are designed to align with industry regulations and standards, helping organisations maintain compliance with safety requirements.
Permit to work software allows for real-time updates and notifications, ensuring that all relevant parties are informed promptly about changes or updates to permits. This means that communication within the PTW system is centralised, leading to less miscommunication and increased transparency.
Software allows for the collection and analysis of data related to permit performance, safety incidents, and other relevant metrics. This data can be valuable for identifying trends, areas for improvement, and making informed decisions. PTW software also tends to include reporting tools that enable organisations to generate customised reports, demonstrate compliance, and provide insights for continuous improvement.
Many PTW software solutions can integrate with other safety and management systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) systems. These integrations can streamline overall safety management processes.
PTW Software allows for the storage of permits and associated documents electronically, reducing the need for physical storage space and making it easier to retrieve information when needed. This is especially important for sharing data with internal and external stakeholders.
Digital systems also allow for role-based access controls, ensuring that only authorised personnel have access to specific information and functionalities. This ensures security across your business and protects company data and information.
PTW software systems often provide an audit trail, allowing organisations to trace the history of changes made to permits; this is especially helpful in giving you full visibility of your permits.
With cloud-based solutions, authorised personnel will be able to access the PTW system remotely, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness. This is especially important in situations where on-site presence may not be possible.
If you choose a user-friendly software, you can easily navigate and interact with the system—this makes it much simpler to store and locate your permits.
A compliance management system, also known as risk management software, is a platform that centralises, automates, and streamlines an organisation’s processes, files, and documentation to help them adhere to government and professional standards and regulations.
It helps businesses mitigate risk and ensure compliance across the board. This software will also help you:
Depending on which compliance management system you choose, you can access a variety of features that help you manage:
Compliance management software is essential in helping you reduce organisational risk, ensure staff safety, and protect your professional reputation. Ultimately, having a risk management software helps you avoid legal pitfalls and financial penalties due to non-compliance.
Meridian is our state-of-the-arts online risk and compliance management software. This platform is designed to give you total visibility of your health and safety performance, allowing you to:
With a range of configurable modules available, you can tailor the Meridian platform to your specific business needs.
The Permit Module in Meridian allows approved contractors to log on to Meridian and make a request to visit a site. The contactor will then be presented with information about the property, including details of any site hazards and will be required to download specific documents, such as the latest asbestos management survey.
All the required information about the visit is entered by the contractor, including RAMS. Next, the responsible person can review and approve the request. Meridian provides automated emails throughout each stage of this process to ensure all relevant parties are informed about the visit.
Ultimately, it’s crucial for organisations to have a clear and well-implemented Permit to Work system as part of their overall safety management program. This helps in preventing accidents, protecting workers, and maintaining a safe working environment.
Implementing software for Permit to Work not only improves the efficiency of safety processes but also contributes to a safer work environment by minimising the risk of errors and ensuring that safety protocols are followed consistently.
If you’re ready to simplify permit to work management, book a Meridian demo today!
At William Martin, we bring unparalleled health & safety expertise and powerful technology to the table. Whatever your sector and wherever you are, we give you the support you need to keep compliant, strong, and successful. For all enquiries, please contact us or call our team on 0203 819 8829.
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