Hazardous work permit

Where applicable. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements in 29 CFR Part 1910.146, Permit-Required Confined Spaces, shall be followed [17]. A hazardous work permit (HWP) is an instrument widely used in industry for ensuring safe working conditions, and its use is strongly recommended. The HWP should consider at least the following seven items before anyone enters a vessel or confined space ... 

Hazardous Work Permit International Air Transport Association... 

Work permits Work permits are approvals to perform some work in areas where the worker is subject to radiological and/or industrial hazards. Work permits are approved within the reactor facility and may, in relation to controlling radiation exposure, include the following information ... 

Work planning and control processes include the use of job hazard analyses (JHAs), job safety analyses (JSAs), task analyses, safe work plans, safe work permits, or procedures. 

The hazards of management-controlled nonroutine work in the process areas must be communicated to affected individuals. The work permit prescribes the procedures that must be followed to get the permit. Work authorization procedures specify lockout/tagout, line breaking., confined space entry, and hot work authorization through clear steps leading to job completion, closure, and return to normal. 

Occasionally, however, it may be impossible to be certain that a piece of equipment is spotlessly clean, especially if it has contained a residual oil or a material that polymerizes. If this is the case, or if there is some doubt about its cleanliness, then the hazards and the necessary precautions should be made known to the workshop or the other company. This can be done by attaching a certificate to the equipment. This certificate is not a work permit. It does not authorize any work but describes the state of the equipment and gives the other company sufficient information to enable it to carry out the repair or modification safely. Before issuing the certificate, the engineer in charge should discuss with the other company the methods it proposes to use. If the problems are complex, a member of the plant staff may have to visit the other company. The following incidents show the need for these precautions. 

The person doing the job is exposed to two distinct hazards those due to the contents of the pipeline (these are understood by area A foreman) and those due to work going on in area B (these are understood by area B foreman). If the work permit for the pipeline is issued by area A foreman, then area B foreman should countersign it. If it is issued by B, then A... 

In preparing your proposal, the first step will be to inventory all the PSM and ESH programs and elements that exist, or should exist, within your company. To help with this. Exhibits 2-4,2-5, and 2-6 provide lists of typical programs and elements. Although some of the titles vary, there is considerable overlap between these three exhibits. For example, they each have emergency response, hazards materials programs and work permit requirements. 

Finally, PMCD work permits must be issued for all entries into chemical agent hazard areas and areas designated Permit Required Confined Spaces. Work permits, which must identify the individual and the work to be performed, are reviewed by operations maintenance and safety personnel and approved by the shift manager. Special monitoring may be required, and records of entries and monitoring must be kept for 30 years beyond the last day of employment or the closure date of the facility. 

Using intrinsically safe cables/connectors allows for live connections and disconnection in hazardous areas without danger of explosion or the need for a gas test and a safe work permit. Additional savings will be realized by eliminating the need for conduit, condulets and conduit/cable seals and glands. 

A permit system requires a special document (permit), which acts like a checklist, to be filled out. Usually, the work involves some type of hazard. Personnel involved in the hazardous work must fill out a permit and the permit must be inspected and verified as complete before work can begin. The function of the permit system is to force personnel involved in a hazardous task to take the time to review all the steps, the personal protection equipment (PPE) required, the type of hazard(s) expected, and equipment required to perform the task safely. The permit system also temporarily transfers custody of a piece of equipment. As an example, a unit has a failed pump that must be repaired. This will require the pump to be removed from the process unit and taken to maintenance repair shop for repairs. The permit system places responsibilities on the issuer of the permit (operators) and the recipient of the permit (maintenance personnel). In essence, a permit system is an extra step in the direction of safety and accident prevention. Some of the more common permits are ... 

The hot work permit must be filled out and signed before a safety inspector is called to review it and the work area. When the system is ready, the mechanical supervisor and safety inspector will show up to inspect the area. Chemical concentrations and potential hazards are assessed. The need for a standby will be determined by the mechanical supervisor and the operator. If everything is in order, the safety inspector will sign and post the permit and the work can be started. The permit must be displayed at the work site until the hot work operation is complete. The hot work permit must indicate ... 

Fire and explosion hazard in dryers imposes extra requirements on plant maintenance. It is important to apply the general policy in a breakdown case or prevention measures as well as routine maintenance and turnaround periods. Special attention should be paid to maintenance in all safety systans and in that equipment responsible for the ignition sources. A work permit should be followed in all maintenance work, especially performing hot work like welding, cutting, or soldering. 

Access, lighting, and housekeeping standards Existing risk assessment process [hazard and operability (HAZOP), MOC, unit startups, work permitting] Recommendations from prior and current incident investigation teams... 

The hot work permits must have the date for the work, identify the equipment on which the hot work is to be performed, identify locations where sparks may drop, describe the location and type of fire extinguishers, assign fire watchers, state fire precautions, identify prohibited areas, require relocation of combustibles, and identify the need to shut down any systems that may be a potential fire hazard. 

A formal written or verbal approval to operate a planned procedure, which is designed to protect personnel working in hazardous areas or activities. See also Work Permit. 

The DuPont employee who signed the contractor s hot work permit had no knowledge of the process to which the tank was connected or it s associated hazards. Though the tank to be welded on was locked out from the process, an overflow line between adjacent tanks remained coimected, and not blinded, allowing flammable vapor to accumulate inside the vessel where the welding was taking place [12]. 

In the performance of hot work in the workplace, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119, Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals, requires the following The employer shall issue a hot work permit for hot work operations conducted on or near a covered process (including confined spaces). The permit should document that the fire prevention and protection requirements in 29 CFR 1910.252(a), Fire Prevention and Protection, have been implemented prior to beginning the hot work operations it should indicate the dates authorized for the hot work and it should identify the object on which hot work is to be performed. The permit must be kept on file until completion of the hot work operations. 

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