What is a permit to work system? Everything you need to know

A contractor shows up at an industrial site on a Monday morning, toolbox in hand, ready to start some routine maintenance work. Meanwhile, just a few floors above, another crew has already started welding. Nobody realises these two jobs are happening simultaneously, or that the maintenance work below involves cleaning with flammable solvents. It’s a recipe for disaster, and it’s completely preventable. 

This is exactly why permit to work systems exist. 

A permit to work (PTW) system is a formal, written safety procedure designed to control hazardous work and prevent accidents. It’s a documented permit specifying exactly what work will be done, when, and which parts of the site are safe. High-risk activities such as welding, hot work, confined space entry, cutting pipework with dangerous substances, or electrical isolation typically require permits. 

The permit functions as more than just permission. It’s a detailed plan that brings risk assessments to life, ensuring safety measures are implemented at the job site. Key components include standardised procedures defining how permits are requested and authorised, hazard assessments and safety briefings before work begins, communication protocols bridging management and workers, and formal handover procedures when work completes. 

Crucially, permit to work procedures don’t replace risk assessments or common sense. They build upon them. The permit creates accountability and traceability, ensuring that every high-risk job is planned, authorised, and completed under documented, controlled conditions. 

Table of contents

Click on a specific section below to navigate to that area:

• 1. Why permit to work systems matter
• 2. Common types of permits to work
• 3. Challenges with manual permit procedures
• 4. How digital systems improve safety and efficiency
• 5. Implementation guide
• 6. Final thoughts

1. Why permit to work systems matter

Many serious and fatal workplace accidents occur during non-routine or maintenance activities. A tragic UK chemical plant incident illustrates the risks. A 37-year-old contractor erecting scaffolding without proper permits slipped into a trough of corrosive chemicals that wasn’t properly secured. His wounds were treated but he later died from complications of his injuries. The company received a £1.125 million fine, with HSE inspectors stating that, ‘Little proper thought had been given to the risks involved by those responsible for ensuring staff safety.’  

In another case, a construction worker was electrocuted while working on a power line. The investigation found that the permit to work issued for the task was inadequate because it failed to properly address the risk of induction from an adjacent live circuit. The company admitted to health and safety offences and was fined £133,000 following the HSE investigation. 

Without consistent PTW systems, work is not only incredibly dangerous for workers, but organisations face reputational damage, financial losses, and delays. Work halts due to confusion over isolations or approvals. Unsafe interactions (like welding igniting vapours from adjacent cleaning) can cause fires, injuries, and unplanned shutdowns. 

Regulatory compliance matters too. Under laws like the UK’s Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers must maintain safe systems for hazardous tasks. PTW systems help meet these legal obligations while aligning with international standards like ISO 45001. 

When implemented effectively, permit systems do more than just tick compliance boxes. They prevent accidents by forcing teams to pause and plan properly rather than rushing into high-risk work. They coordinate multiple crews so dangerous conflicts don’t arise. They keep projects on schedule by avoiding the costly disruptions that come with incidents or last-minute safety scrambles. Additionally, if something does go wrong, they provide a clear paper trail showing exactly what was authorised, who was involved, and what precautions were supposed to be in place.

2. Common types of permits to work

• Hot Work Permits cover activities involving open flames, sparks, or high heat like welding, cutting, grinding or soldering. These permits ensure fire hazards are controlled: flammable materials cleared, fire watches positioned, extinguishers ready, and gas testing completed before work begins. 

• Confined Space Entry Permits apply to tanks, silos, pits, sewers, or enclosed spaces with limited access. The permit verifies the space has been tested safe for oxygen and toxic gases, isolated from hazards, ventilated, and that rescue arrangements are ready.

• Electrical Work Permits control high-voltage work where shock, arc flash, or unintentional energising risks exist. They certify that circuits or equipment have been properly isolated, locked out, and proven dead before work proceeds.

• Permits for Working at Height address work above two meters or any fall hazard. They ensure proper fall protection like guardrails, harnesses, anchor points, covered holes, and weather condition assessments.

• Excavation Permits govern trench digging and ground penetration. They confirm competent persons have surveyed and marked utilities, planned trench support or sloping, and arranged safe access and spoil placement. 

Other permit types include cold work maintenance, breaking containment, lifting operations, and hazardous substance handling. Regardless of type, each permit outlines the specific job, location, duration, hazards, and required safety measures. 

3. Challenges with manual permit procedures

Paper-based permit systems come with a host of practical problems that undermine both safety and efficiency. From missing paperwork to approval bottlenecks, these manual processes often create the very risks they are meant to prevent.  

Here are some of the most common issues with manual permit procedures: 

• Lost paperwork: Paper permits get misplaced, damaged, or become inaccessible (i.e. left on dashboards and ruined by rain or misfiled). Lost permits create dangerous gaps without records of checks or approvals.

• Approval delays: Physical signatures require chasing managers or waiting for on-site presence. Job changes mean rewriting permits or obtaining new signatures, with crews idle 30-45 minutes for modifications that should take five minutes.

• Limited visibility: Once issued, paper permits stuck on clipboards or pinned to walls prevent management from seeing all ongoing high-risk work. There’s no central dashboard showing active permits, their status, or conflicts.

• Poor tracking: Paper generates stacks requiring filing and storage. Retrieving information for audits or investigations becomes difficult, with gaps often discovered only after incidents occur.

• Unsecure authorisation: Paper forms struggle to verify only competent, authorised personnel sign off. There’s no systematic way to confirm if contractors have current training or valid insurance. 

These challenges increase safety risks through communication breakdowns and oversight gaps which costs companies in downtime and administrative effort. 

4. How digital systems improve safety and efficiency

The good news? Digital permit to work systems solve virtually all of the problems that plague paper-based processes. Here’s how modern platforms transform permit management from a daily headache into a strategic safety tool: 

Real-time visibility: Digital systems provide live dashboards showing all permits (approved, in progress, or closed) with locations visible instantly. Software also automatically flags conflicting permits, preventing dangerous overlaps. 

Consistency and compliance: Standardised digital templates ensure no critical information is skipped, with mandatory checklists required before submission. Digital systems automatically validate competencies and credentials, checking that training certifications and insurance are current. 

Complete audit trails: Digital systems log every action with timestamps (who opened permits, approved them, when issued and closed), making them all easily retrievable. Audit-ready reports are generated in seconds rather than after hours of searching files. 

Efficiency gains: Electronic approval via email or mobile apps happens in minutes versus hours. CBRE Citibank reduced permit admin from 2-3 hours daily to just 10 minutes across one site while contractors reduced permit applications from 30 minutes to a few minutes online. 

Real-world impact: Organisations report fewer safety incidents and tangible time and money savings after going digital. CBRE Citibank’s London site has issued 3,800+ permits with better control, no contractor works without logged permits, and anyone can see who’s on site at any time.

5. Implementation guide

Getting started with a permit-to-work system might seem daunting, but breaking it down into clear steps makes the process manageable. Whether you’re implementing your first system or refining an existing one, here’s a practical roadmap to guide you through: 

1. Identify high-risk activities: Review operations to determine which tasks require permits (e.g. maintenance on live equipment, hot work, confined spaces, working at height, excavations, and energy isolations). Consider legal requirements mandating written systems for certain work. 

2. Standardise procedures: Develop written PTW procedures defining roles (who authorises permits, who signs off from operations or safety, who accepts permits on jobs). Create standardised forms for each permit type including job specifics, hazard identification, required isolations, precautions, PPE, emergency arrangements, duration, and sign-offs. 

3. Train everyone: Ensure all personnel from employees to contractors understand how the system works and why it matters, including permit issuers, receivers, and coordinators. Training should cover form completion, site communication, and response to changing conditions. 

4. Deploy digital solutions: Consider dedicated software that enables online requests, electronic approvals, and real-time tracking of all permits, especially for large or multiple sites. You should ensure that software matches workflows and personnel are trained thoroughly before rolling out. 

5. Review and improve: Establish routines to monitor effectiveness (audit permits, track data on issues and near-misses, and gather user feedback). Review forms and procedures at least once a year or when operations change significantly.

6. Final thoughts 

Permit to work systems are about making sure everyone goes home safely. While they help you stay compliant and keep operations running smoothly, the real value lies in preventing the kinds of accidents that devastate families and communities. 

The shift from paper to digital isn’t just about convenience. It’s about building a safety culture where high-risk work is properly planned, visible, and accountable. When permits take minutes instead of hours to process, when managers can see exactly what’s happening across their sites in real time, and when every decision is documented and traceable, you’re not just ticking boxes. You’re creating an environment where safety truly comes first. 

If you’re still wrestling with paper-based permits or looking to enhance your current system, EcoOnline’s ePermits software can help. Our platform makes permit management straightforward, efficient, and audit-ready, so you can focus on what really matters: keeping your people safe and your operations running smoothly. 

Book a demo to see how ePermits helps your team manage high-risk work safely and efficiently.