Introduction
Contractors often carry out some of the highest-risk work on site, including maintenance, construction, hot works, confined space entry, electrical work, roof work, excavation and breaking containment. A permit to work system helps control these activities by making sure the job is properly planned, authorised, communicated and supervised before work begins.
A permit to work should clearly state what work is authorised, where it will take place, who will carry it out, what hazards are present, what precautions are required, and how long the permit remains valid. For safety managers, the aim is to ensure that contractors are not only competent to do the work, but also fully aware of the site-specific risks and controls.
Scope and Application
Permit to work systems should apply to contractors whenever their work creates significant risk or could affect normal site operations. This may include work involving ignition sources, hazardous substances, stored energy, confined spaces, fragile surfaces, live services, lifting operations or interaction with other work teams.
The system should clearly define which contractor activities need a permit, who can request one, who can issue one, who can accept one, and what must happen before work starts. Contractors should not be allowed to begin high-risk work simply because they have submitted risk assessments and method statements. A permit is needed where site conditions must be checked and formally controlled.
Client and Employer Responsibilities
The organisation engaging the contractor must take reasonable steps to manage the risks created by contractor activity. This includes identifying the work, selecting a suitable contractor, reviewing risk assessments and method statements, providing relevant site information, and making sure the contractor understands the permit requirements.
Safety managers should ensure that contractors are briefed on site rules, emergency arrangements, access restrictions, isolation procedures, welfare arrangements, traffic routes and any specific hazards in the work area. Permit requirements should be explained during induction and reinforced before high-risk work begins.
Contractor Responsibilities
Contractors remain responsible for planning and controlling their own work, but they must also follow the site’s permit to work procedure. They should provide competent workers, suitable supervision, appropriate equipment, and task-specific risk assessments and method statements.
Contractors must not change the job, extend the work area, alter timings, remove isolations or use different equipment without permission. If the task changes, the work should stop and the permit should be reviewed. The permit only authorises the work described on it, and anything outside that scope must be treated as unauthorised until it has been reassessed.
Communication and Coordination
Third-party risk often increases when contractors work alongside employees, other contractors or live operations. Poor communication can lead to conflicting activities, missed isolations, unauthorised access or exposure to hazards that the contractor did not know about.
A strong permit process should include a clear briefing before work starts. This should confirm the task, location, hazards, controls, emergency arrangements, isolation points, time limits and the person responsible for supervision. Where several contractors are working in the same area, permits should be coordinated to prevent clashes between activities.
Competence and Authorisation
Only competent and authorised people should issue, accept or work under permits. Permit issuers need enough knowledge of the site, the hazards and the control measures to decide whether work can proceed safely. Contractors accepting permits must understand the conditions and ensure their workers follow them.
Training should cover permit rules, stop-work authority, emergency actions, handover, close-out and what to do if conditions change. Competence should be checked before contractors are appointed and reviewed during the work, especially where high-risk or specialist activities are involved.
Monitoring and Supervision
Contractor control does not end once the permit is issued. Supervisors should check that the work is being carried out as authorised and that controls remain effective. This includes checking that isolations remain in place, barriers are maintained, fire precautions are followed, access restrictions are respected, and work is not extended beyond the permit conditions.
Monitoring should be proportionate to the level of risk. High-risk work may require regular inspections, direct supervision, or formal hold points before the work can continue.
Close-Out and Handover
At the end of the job, the work area should be inspected, equipment returned to a safe condition, waste removed, isolations reviewed, and any remaining hazards communicated. The permit should then be formally closed by the authorised person.
Close-out is especially important where work has affected plant, services, fire protection, access routes or other safety-critical systems. No equipment should be returned to service until it has been confirmed safe to do so.