A complete permit to work form covering hot works, confined spaces, work at height, and general high-risk activities. Free to print and use on any UK construction site.
A permit to work (PTW) is a formal documented procedure used to control activities that carry a significant risk of injury or death. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and CDM 2015, principal contractors have a duty to manage activities where standard site rules are not sufficient to control the hazard. A permit to work provides that additional layer of control by requiring a competent person to confirm, in writing, that specific hazards have been identified, that control measures are in place, and that named individuals are authorised to carry out the work.
Permits to work are required for activities including hot works (cutting, grinding, welding), entry into confined spaces, work at height where collective edge protection cannot be provided, electrical isolation work on live or recently live systems, excavations deeper than 1.2 metres where there is a risk of collapse or services strike, and any work where exposure to hazardous substances requires formal monitoring and control. Each permit type has its own specific hazards and control requirements, which is why the form below includes a permit type selection at the top. A separate completed permit should be raised for each activity and each shift.
The authorising person - the individual who signs off that work may commence - must be competent for the specific type of work being permitted. Competency means having the knowledge, training, and experience necessary to understand the hazards, assess the controls, and make a sound judgement that it is safe to proceed. This is not a task that should be delegated to a labourer or an untrained supervisor simply because they are the most senior person present on site that day.
Complete all sections before work commences. Retain on site for duration of work.
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The authorising person must be genuinely competent for the specific activity being permitted - not simply the most senior person available. Competency in this context means having sufficient knowledge of the hazards, the legal requirements, and the site-specific conditions to make a sound decision that it is safe for work to begin. For hot works, that typically means a site manager or project engineer with relevant hot works awareness training. For confined space entry, the authorising person must have specific confined spaces training and understand atmospheric testing requirements. For live electrical work, they should hold a relevant electrical qualification.
It is not acceptable for an authorising person to sign off work they do not understand. Where a specialist activity requires expertise that the site management team does not hold, the permit should only be authorised by a suitably qualified specialist brought in to assess the conditions - such as a competent electrician for electrical isolation permits or a confined spaces supervisor for below-ground entries.
The permit to work must remain on site for the duration of the work and should be readily accessible to both the workers carrying out the activity and to any HSE inspector or client representative who requests to see it. Once the work is complete and the close-out section has been signed, the permit should be retained in the project health and safety file. HSE guidance suggests a minimum retention period of three years, though for activities with potential longer-term health consequences, ten years is the more prudent standard.
A common error on construction sites is issuing a permit at the start of a job and then treating it as valid for the entire duration of that job - even if it spans multiple weeks or involves changing site conditions. A permit to work should be re-issued at the start of each shift or whenever site conditions change materially. The authorising person should re-inspect the area and re-confirm that all controls are still in place before countersigning a new permit. An out-of-date permit provides no legal protection and no practical safety value.
A permit to work is required for high-risk non-routine activities where standard site rules are not sufficient to control the hazard. This includes hot works, confined space entry, work at height where edge protection cannot be provided, energised electrical work, excavations over 1.2 metres deep, and activities involving hazardous substances. The requirement is determined by risk assessment output under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The authorising person must be competent for the specific type of work - meaning they have the knowledge, training, and experience to understand the hazards and confirm that controls are in place. On most UK sites this will be a site manager, project engineer, or health and safety manager. For specialist activities such as confined space entry or live electrical work, a specific qualification or certification relevant to that work type is expected.
There is no single statutory retention period, but HSE guidance and general legal practice suggest a minimum of three years. For activities with potential longer-term injury or disease consequences - such as confined space entry or work involving hazardous substances - ten years is the more prudent approach. Permits should be retrievable by date, site, and work type.
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