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  Permits to work play an important part of safe systems of work for many maintenance activities. Laid out below is an in-depth look at everything you need to know about Permits to Work and how they contribute to making high-risk tasks safer. Keeping in track with all the requirements can be very time consuming, so using a permit to work software for the management of all their permits has proven values across numerous organizations. Here’s why…     What is the definition of Permit to Work in Health and Safety? Permit to work (PTW) is a documented management system to ensure work is done safely and efficiently. Mostly used in hazardous industries but also used for known hazardous tasks across all industries.   Why would you need a Permit to Work system? Permit to work involves procedures that authorise certain people to carry out specific work within a specified time frame. It sets out the precautions required to complete the work safely, based on a hse risk assessment and is therefore a core element of safe systems of work. The ‘permit-to-work form’, is a written and signed statement resulting from the work safety procedure, ensuring both the establishment of safe conditions for the work to commence and the maintenance of safe conditions for the duration of the work, including the provision of emergency arrangements. An agreed safe system of work for the job task, which prevents instructions from being missed and/or misinterpretation of instructions. They can also serve as a checklist and a training document to ensure that all hazards, protective measures, work instructions and general requirements have been reviewed and understood by the assigned workers.

What is a health and safety management system? Health and safety management systems (HSM) are formal systematic prevention programs designed to manage health and safety risks through all aspects of a business, to prevent incidents and resulting loss with the underlying goal of creating a culture of safety throughout an organisation. Current health and safety (H&S) at work legislation requires an employer to develop, implement and manage risk-based systems. As a systematic approach to identifying hazards and evaluating any associated risks within a workplace, risk assessment is the foundation of an effective safety management system and fundamental to business success. Health and safety risks in the workplace using risk assessment are eliminated, prevented and/or controlled through the design, implementation and mainstreaming of a documented health and safety management system. In addition to the reduction in costs due to loss related to a functioning H&S system, it is also a legal requirement to protect the health and safety of all in the workplace as far as reasonably practicable. A documented health and safety system demonstrates compliance with health and safety management requirements. A compelling economic case for H&S compliments the legal and moral case. Check out our article – What should I look for in a safety management system (ecoonline.com)

Some workers see near miss reporting as an unnecessary piece of administration. Even when investigating minor cuts and bruises, the common excuse for workers tends to be “I just need to be more careful next time.” The question that should be asked is “What can we do to make it less likely that carelessness would result in an accident?”

Today’s society is more socially aware than ever. The treatment and rights of employees, no matter the industry, is of increasing importance to regulators across the world. Leaders within companies are recognizing the importance of employee welfare, too. This is largely down to much tougher penalties for corporate manslaughter and health and safety offenses. No matter the motivation, we are the advent of change. While there’s never been any doubt that good health and safety practices are morally right and just, they have never made better business sense either.

Safety in the workplace is a very important area that organisations need to address. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that they provide a safe and secure environment for all employees.    {{cta(’70b23231-9f83-4e3f-a94f-1bbb028e9268′)}}   It is the law to report all workplace injuries to the Occupational Safety Health Administration. Regular surveying for potential workplace safety hazards should be carried out. In January 2022, 7.8 million workers around the globe had an illness-related absence, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the USA, 340 people died on average each day in 2020 due to hazardous working conditions. Employers reported around 3.2 million work-related illnesses and injuries in the same year, underlining the importance of health and safety in the workplace. Here are 10 steps for employers to encourage better workplace safety. This will lead to a safer and more productive environment.

As the realities of climate change and the environmental impact of sustained growth and economic improvements become an increasing global concern, businesses now have to face up to a new reality. That new reality is one that focuses much more keenly on creating sustainable business practices coupled with the desire to offset our carbon emissions and protect a deteriorating environment.

Most of us are familiar with the Health and Safety precautions we have to take in the workplace. These differ from industry to industry; the risks of working on a construction site are a world away from the risks posed working in an office environment.

Events and particularly music events require much planning and thought beforehand. In most cases, it is recommended that a team is put in place to take control of this planning process. The risks must be considered, and solutions put in place. There are a series of different risks involved when preparing for a music event, from the risk of infection to the risk of injury caused by poor planning, especially near points of egress.  Paying extra attention to laws and legislation can ensure you are providing a safe environment for both workers and audiences alike. This includes The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and The Noise at Work Regulations 2005. 

The aviation industry is always striving to provide a safe, secure, and healthy working environment for employees, passengers, and pilots. That’s why safety measures are so important within the industry. The aviation industry is key to the day-to-day running of the global economy. Not only does it help get the world’s population from A to B, but is also a huge component of global logistics for the trade of goods, with both of these helping to support $2.7 trillion (3.6%) of the world’s Gross Domestic Product.

Most people have heard of risk assessments. In fact, if your business employs more than five people you have a legal responsibility to complete and document risk assessments. What are Risk Assessment Method Statements (RAMS), though, how do they differ from risk assessments, and when should you use them?