CITB Managers Permit to Work Systems 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hot work permit should specify a fire watch period after the work is completed. Why?
- To prevent the area cooling too quickly
- Smouldering fires can develop from sparks or embers that appear to have been extinguished — a fire watch (typically 60 minutes minimum) detects these before they develop into a significant fire (Correct answer)
- To comply with RIDDOR requirements
- To ensure workers do not return to the area prematurely
Correct answer: Smouldering fires can develop from sparks or embers that appear to have been extinguished — a fire watch (typically 60 minutes minimum) detects these before they develop into a significant fire
Sparks from hot work can smoulder in concealed materials (insulation, cavities, timber) for up to several hours before igniting. A fire watch of at least 60 minutes after the hot work is completed, with appropriate fire-fighting equipment, is essential to catch delayed ignitions.
Question 2: What is an 'isolation certificate' and when is it used with a permit to work?
- A certificate confirming a worker is isolated from site communications
- A document confirming that energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal) have been safely isolated and locked off before work begins — used with PTWs for work on plant, equipment, or services (Correct answer)
- A certificate confirving the worker has been assessed as competent
- A document used when a worker is sent home from site
Correct answer: A document confirming that energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal) have been safely isolated and locked off before work begins — used with PTWs for work on plant, equipment, or services
An isolation certificate (or lockout/tagout record) confirms that all relevant energy sources have been safely isolated, locked, and tagged before the work begins. It is often issued alongside a PTW for maintenance or electrical work to prevent accidental re-energisation.
Question 3: A permit to work for entry into a confined space must include:
- Only the name of the worker and the start time
- Atmospheric testing results, rescue and emergency arrangements, equipment required, duration of the permit, and the trained standby person's details (Correct answer)
- Only a general description of the entry task
- The cost of the confined space entry activity
Correct answer: Atmospheric testing results, rescue and emergency arrangements, equipment required, duration of the permit, and the trained standby person's details
A confined space entry PTW must specify: atmospheric test results (oxygen, toxic gases, flammable gases), entry and exit routes, emergency and rescue arrangements (including a trained standby person), duration, equipment required (including communications), and any specific precautions.
Question 4: Who may authorise a permit to work on a construction site?
- Any CSCS card holder
- A competent, specifically authorised person with the knowledge and authority to assess that the required precautions are in place and to grant permission for the work (Correct answer)
- The principal designer
- Any manager present on site
Correct answer: A competent, specifically authorised person with the knowledge and authority to assess that the required precautions are in place and to grant permission for the work
Only specifically authorised, competent persons may issue PTWs. They must have the knowledge to assess the hazards and verify that all required precautions are in place. The authorising role must be formally assigned and the person specifically trained for it.
Question 5: A worker starts hot work without obtaining the required permit. The site manager should:
- Allow the work to continue since it has already started
- Stop the work immediately and not allow it to resume until the proper permit process has been followed (Correct answer)
- Issue a verbal warning and allow the work to continue
- Report the worker to the HSE
Correct answer: Stop the work immediately and not allow it to resume until the proper permit process has been followed
Unauthorised hot work creates an immediate fire risk. The site manager must stop the work immediately. The area must be checked for any fire that may already have started, the proper PTW process must be followed, and the worker must be disciplined as appropriate.
Question 6: How long should a permit to work be retained after its close-out?
- Until the end of that working day
- In accordance with the site's safety management system — typically at least 3 years, as they form part of the health and safety records (Correct answer)
- Only until the next site audit
- No retention period — permits can be discarded after close-out
Correct answer: In accordance with the site's safety management system — typically at least 3 years, as they form part of the health and safety records
Permits to work are health and safety records and should be retained in accordance with the site's document retention policy. As health and safety records they are typically kept for at least 3 years, and longer for projects involving asbestos or other significant hazards.
CITB Managers Permit to Work Systems 2
A hot work permit should specify a fire watch period after the work is completed.
Why?