Permit to Work (PTW) system

The shipboard system that authorises non-routine work — when it kicks in, who signs, what cancels a permit, and why the system itself is the safety control.

Why it matters

A Permit-to-Work system formalises the conversation between the person doing the job and the person responsible for the space, so that risk assessments, isolations, and rescue plans cannot be quietly skipped. Most enclosed-space, hot-work, working-aloft, and electrical-isolation casualties trace back to a permit that was issued without proper testing or supervision — or to work that ran without a permit at all.

Common hazards

• Permit issued without a fresh atmosphere or isolation test.
• Permit extended into a second shift without re-verification.
• Permit covering one space but used as cover for adjacent work.
• Mismatch between the named entrants/workers on the permit and the people actually doing the job.
• Cancelled permit not removed from the board — gives false comfort.

Practical checklist

• Hazard identification + risk assessment completed before the permit is opened.
• Permit signed by the Master and the Chief Officer / Chief Engineer as applicable.
• Time-limited — permit specifies the start, end, and review interval.
• Atmospheric / isolation tests recorded on the permit, time-stamped, signed.
• Rescue plan + stand-by team identified on the permit.
• Communications channel + radio test recorded.
• Cross-references to related permits (e.g. enclosed-space + hot-work) noted.
• On completion, permit closed and removed from the permit board.

Mistakes to avoid

• Treating the permit as paperwork rather than a control.
• Allowing one permit to drift across multiple jobs.
• Skipping the permit because the job is short.

Last verified 15 days ago