1)HITRA

Explain golden rules.

1. Permit to work

Before conducting work that involves confined space entry, work on energy systems, ground
disturbance, hot work, or other potentially hazardous tasks, a permit must be obtained that:

• Defines the scope of the work, its location, and when the permit expires.

• Identifies the hazards and risk associated with the work

. • Establishes control measures to eliminate or reduce the risk.

• Identifies energy sources that need to be isolated.

• Requires that isolations are not removed before all related permits have been signed off as complete.

• Links the work to other associated work permits or simultaneous operations (SIMOPS).

• Only authorizes work that is defined in the task description.

• Describes adequate control for the return to normal operations.

• Communicates the above information to all involved in the work.

• Is issued following a pre-job worksite inspection to confirm the required control measures are
in place, that site conditions have not changed and any new potential hazards have been risk
assessed and managed.

• Is authorized, monitored, and re-validated by a responsible person.

1. Ground disturbance
Work that involves a man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth’s surface formed
by earth removal must not proceed unless:

• A hazard assessment of the work site is completed by the competent person(s).

• All underground hazards, i.e., pipelines, electric cables, etc., have been identified, located
and, if necessary, isolated.

• A confined space entry permit is issued when the ground disturbance meets the definition of
a confined space.

• Ground movement is controlled and collapse prevented by shoring, sloping, benching, etc., as
appropriate.

A plan is in place to control access to the worksite.

• There is a plan for timely extraction & rescue of personnel.

• Inspections are completed after man-made or natural events, such as heavy rainfall.

• Ground and environmental conditions are continuously monitored for change

 2. Confined space entry
Entry in any confined space must not proceed unless:

• There are no practicable alternatives to entry.

• All sources of energy affecting the space are isolated.

• The confined space atmosphere is tested, verified safe for occupancy, and repeated as often
as defined by the permit.

• The hazards, risks and controls in the confined space entry permit are communicated to all
affected personnel.

• A stand-by person is stationed at the entry point and maintains communication with entrants
during the time the occupants are inside the confined space.

• A plan for timely rescue of workers is in place.

• A confined space entry permit is issued.

• Unauthorized entry is prevented.

3. Working at heights
Working at heights of 2 metres (6 feet) or higher above the ground without a fixed platform
that has guard rails or handrails must not proceed unless:

• A properly anchored fall arrest system is used.

• The fall arrest system ensures 100% tie-off is achieved at all times.

• A plan is in place for the timely rescue of personnel performing work at height while using fall
arrest equipment.

• Fall arrest equipment is inspected prior to each use.

• The risk of dropped objects on personnel and equipment below has been assessed and plans
to manage the risks established.

4. Energy isolation
Any isolation of energy systems; mechanical, electrical, process, hydraulic and others, must
ensure that:

• There is an approved method to: isolate equipment , discharge stored energy , reinstate
equipment

• Isolation points are locked and tagged.

• A test is conducted before any related work begins to confirm the isolation is effective.

• There is a process to communicate the status of isolations between: shifts, different

workgroups
• The isolation is periodically monitored for effectiveness.

5. Lifting operations
Lifts utilizing cranes, hoists, or other mechanical lifting devices must not proceed unless:

• A competent person(s) has completed an assessment of the lift, and determined the
appropriate lift method and equipment.

• Anyone involved in a lifting operation, including for rigging, is competent for the specific job
and/or equipment on which they are working.

• Lifting devices and equipment have been certified for use to local legal or regulatory
requirements.

• The load is less than the dynamic and/or static capacities of the lifting equipment.

• All safety devices installed on lifting equipment are operational.

• All lifting devices and equipment have been visually examined before each lift by a competent
person(s).

• Clear lines of communication during a lift have been established.

• An exclusion zone has been established to limit access to all workers except essential
personnel.

• External conditions which could affect the lift are monitored (e.g., ground condition, wind,
etc.).

6. Driving safety
All categories of vehicle, including self-propelled mobile plant, must not be operated unless:

• Vehicle is equipped with the required safety features and is maintained in safe working order.

• Number of passengers does not exceed manufacturer’s specification and legal limits for the
vehicle.

• Loads are secure and do not exceed manufacturer’s specification and legal limits for the
vehicle.

• A documented risk assessment is completed before motorcycles are allowed for use on BP
business.

Drivers must not operate the vehicle unless:

• They and all occupants wear seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.

• They have a valid driving license for the class of vehicle being operated and to drive in that
country, have been appropriately trained and assessed, and are medically fit to operate the
vehicle.

• They are rested and alert and do not operate any vehicle when fatigued.
• They are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or their fitness to drive impaired by
medication or other substance.

• They do not use a mobile phone or other two-way communication device while operating the
vehicle.

• The risks of the journey have been assessed and a journey management plan is in place when
driving in higher risk countries.

7. Hot work
Hot work must not proceed unless:

• All potential flammable and combustible materials have been isolated, removed and/or protected
from the sources of ignition.

• An authorized person tests the atmosphere prior to the start of the work and during work as often as
the permit requires.

• Levels of oxygen and flammable substances are kept within acceptable ranges or additional barriers
applied.

• Emergency response plans are in place as appropriate given the job’s risk assessment and any
appropriate site requirements.

Ability to break task in steps & understand why:

Explain hierarchy of control:
Set of control measures to reduce risk associated with task

L1 Elimination-remove the hazard and eliminate the associated risk

L2 Substitution-substituting the hazard for on that has less potential to cause harm

L3 Engineering controls- to place a permanent engineered barrier between the workforce and
the hazard

L1-L3 are for prevention

L4 Isolation- temporarily containing the work environment or work process to interrupt the
path between the workforce and the risk. (insert blind flange, guards/barriers; set up
temporarily enclosure).

L5 Administrative controls- to enhance capability of the workforce (tarining, using specialist

personnel, changing rosters, supervising and establishing policies/ standards/procedures)

L6 Personel protective equipment- use of gloves, goggles, hazards resistant apparel, etc. to
reduce consequence of exposure

L4-L6 protection
 Explain Energy sources
Biological- Many sources of energy in life forms, including wildlife and viruses or bacteria, for
example as found in sewage systems, drain lines and cooling towers.

Body Mechanics- Human strength and agility applied to a task involving lifting, pushing,
pulling, climbing or positioning.

Electrical- Types and voltages of electricity including high-voltage power systems, that is, AC,
battery systems and DC, and static. Electrical work involves considering whether the task:
 requires equipment related to the task or in the area of the task to be isolated
 involves electrically-powered equipment
 is in an area where there is vulnerable electrical equipment, for example, insulated cabling,
uninsulated overheads and power lines
 involves transferring fluids, power or friction between non-conducting materials that could
generate static electrical charges
 involves systems and equipment that are adequately grounded, or bonded, or both.

Gravity- Causes tools, equipment or people to fall or move. This affects lifting tasks, work at
height and objects that might fall.

Hazardous process material - Reactive, combustible, flammable, or explosive gases, liquids or

solids, for example hydrocarbons or process chemicals that have the potential to cause fires or
explosions.

Human factor- People and their interactions with other people. It also covers:
 how people interact with the plant and processes
 characteristics of individuals such as pregnancy or someone with a back condition.

Mechanical- This includes mobile equipment, moving parts on stationary equipment and rotating
equipment. Even though items are non-powered, their momentum as they are moved may crush
or cut people or vulnerable equipment. Also includes sharp edges of tools and equipment.

Noise- A form of pressure energy. Work that can generate noise involves considering whether:
 the task is in a high-noise area
 the task involves using noisy tools or equipment
 noise could cause communication problems, including in an emergency.

Pressure- Air, water, pneumatics, springs and gases are possible sources of significant pressure
energy. Work that involves pressure involves considering:
 non-return valves where material may be trapped between the valve and an isolation point
 equipment in which trapped or undrained material may remain
 general equipment or line conditions, for example, and area of corrosion, where a pressured
leak is foreseeable
 reaction forces from a pressure leak, which may move an unrestrained item for example, a
hose, cylinder or pipe segment.
Radiation- This can be in the form of sunlight, radio waves or ionizing radiation, that is,
radioactivity.
SIMOPS- These are possible interactions between tasks occurring at the same time.
Tasks are reviewed to restrict the following happening at the same time:
 Actions within the task itself.
 Unrelated work taking place nearby.
 Work in restricted access area that calls for close co-ordination.

Thermal- Energy associated with hot or cold surfaces and fluids, undesired chemical reactions
and ambient temperatures.

Toxic substances- Life-threatening gases, liquids or solids, for example hydrocarbon, water,
nitrogen, welding fumes, paints, process chemicals, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes,
H2S, asbestos or lead.

Weather- A source of potential harm related to environmental conditions, including rain, wind,
snow, sleet, hail, heat, cold and fog. These create conditions that can potentially impact an
employee’s ability to perform a task safely.

Explain what hazard, Risk, Control, & residual risk is

Control of work- An approved management system that is used to control work in a safe manner

Hazard- Anything that has the potential to result in undesired events such as injury, illness or
damage.

Risk- A measure of potential loss or harm to any one of the following:

 people
 the environment
 our compliance status
 our group’s reputation, assets or business performance.

We measure risk by assessing the likelihood of an event happening and the potential severity
(consequence) if an event happens.

Residual risk- The level of risk that remains after risk reduction control measures are taken into
account.

Explain what Hazard Effect & Probability is;

p. 237 graph
 Explain levels of risk assessment
Level 1 TRA : participates min PA and AA/IA

Examples for tra L1

Radiography. You should verify that the source is not strong enough to set off or
interfere with other nucleonic instruments.

 Breaking containment work on isolations that conform to the isolation

requirements in this procedure.

 Simple lifting operations.

 Erecting, dismantling or modifying simple scaffolding that is, not over side or
connected to live plant piping or equipment. Installing or removing insulation or
cladding.

 Connecting and disconnecting hoses to low hazard systems.

 Flushing and purging at low pressures (<10 barg or 145psig).

 HWOF in a non-hazardous area, that is, an area that is free of hydrocarbon and
hazardous materials.

 Using intrinsically safe equipment.

Level 2 TRA:
PA, AA and deligate. Min 3 persons should attend to site
Examples:

Lifting operations over live plant.

 Breaking containment tasks that do not meet the recommended isolation method
defined in section 14.6
 Breaking containment tasks without verified isolation.
 Tasks that use a mechanical device for a secondary isolation.
 Hot work open flame work in hazardous or hydrocarbon containing areas,
including working on or near (11m or 35ft) live equipment.
 Confined space entry work.
 Work within flare sterile zone.
 Introducing an HP to LP interface.
 Ground disturbance where the presence of underground hazards has not been
verified.
 Abrasive blasting on equipment in service.
 Working over water or near unprotected edges where there are no fixed access
platforms, walkways or installed certified scaffolds.
 Working at heights at or above 2 metres (6 feet) where there are no fixed access
platforms, walkways or installed certified scaffolds.
 Hot tapping (minimum level of approval VP).
 Installing engineered clamps.
 Working with asbestos.
 Diving operations.
 Hot and odd bolting.

2) Site Specific requirements

2. General precautions to be taken during Lifting Operations;

Lift plan considerations 18.3.2

The following criteria are the minimum level of information that shall be acceptable in a lift plan:
 Name and job title of person producing the lift plan.
 Site name and location of lift.
 Lift category.
 Title describing the lifting operations.
 Load weight.
 Weight of lifting tackle (and hook block – onshore only).
 Load centre of gravity.
 Number of personnel, roles and level of supervision.
 Method of communication.
 Method statement or step-by-step procedure.
 Lift plan drawings and additional pictures or sketches if they aid understanding, showing pick-
up and set-down locations, including slew path and direction.
 Lifting over live plant criteria, if applicable.
 Detailed safe operating limits of the lifting equipment (capacity charts or curves).
 Crane capacity at selected (worst case) radius and crane utilisation percentage.
 Applicable approval, review and authorisation names, dates and signatures.
 References to associated documentation such as pre-lift readiness check sheet, risk assessment,
contingency plan, rescue plan and PTW.
 The placement of lifting equipment and potential consequences of catastrophic failure or
unintended motion of the load or equipment, with particular attention to areas where people
congregate.
 Assessment whether to use tag lines, including their hazards and limitations.

Lifting equipment or tackle list or sketch for non pre-slung loads.

 Padeye and shackle details for non pre-slung loads.

 Engineering calculations, such as contingencies or uncertified steelwork criteria.

 Load integrity and dropped object inspections.

 Wind and weather limitations of cranes and the load’s sail area.

 A definition of the exclusion zone.

3. General precautions to be taken during Working at Height;

You shall take a risk-based approach to working at height. You shall avoid work at height as far as is
reasonably practicable. You shall adopt a hierarchy of control when you are considering the risk. If
work at height is necessary, you shall take all precautions that, so far as reasonably practicable,
prevent anyone from falling a distance that may cause injury.

Where the risk of falling of people or objects still remains, risk assessments shall define control
measures to minimise the distance and consequences of such falls.

You should prefer collective measures, such as guardrails, nets, mats and inflated devices, over
personal protective measures such as fall arrest equipment.

The hierarchy of control is a set of control measures to prevent workers falling. Some are more
effective, so are more desirable

1. Put permanent fixed access in place

for example by providing a properly constructed scaffold with guardrails, you do not need to put any
more measures, such as nets, in place.

2. Erect temporary working platforms

This includes scaffolding (which has its own risk implications in the construction phase), cradles or
mobile platforms.

3. Use work positioning

If neither of the first two options is reasonably practicable, then you may use personal suspension
equipment, work positioning techniques or work restraints

4. Use fall arrest equipment

The fourth level in the hierarchy of control is using fall arrest equipment to catch a falling worker. It is
often difficult to accurately predict the level of risk to the worker during the operation. The seriousness of
a fall depends on:
 where they fall
 any obstructions they hit when they fall, and
 how easily other workers can rescue them

Requirements for work at height

The SA shall verify that a task involving work at height may proceed only if one of the methods below is
in place:
 A safe platform with guard or hand rails that a competent person has verified is in place. This can be a
permanent fixed access or a temporary work platform.

 A form of personal fall protection is being used, for example one or more of the following: work
restraint, work position, rope access or fall arrest equipment.
Fall arrest equipment has:
 a proper anchor, mounted preferably overhead
 full body harness using double lanyard, double latch self-locking snap hooks at each connection
 synthetic fibre lanyards
 shock absorber

Dropped objects 17.7

You shall assess the fall potential of all tools and equipment that are being used to work at height. If they
can fall, then you shall put controls in place to stop them from falling. If you cannot eliminate this risk,
you shall have controls in place to protect the personnel and equipment below.
The PA verifies that all materials stored at height are secured so that any unintended movement does not
dislodge them and cause the object to fall.
The PA shall put in place exclusion zones around any area where there is a risk from dropped objects.

4. Excavations
Hand digging is the only acceptable form of excavation when the distance to live services is 0.5 meters
(20 inches) or less.

You shall not use power tools or mechanical excavators within 0.5 meters (1ft 8 inches) of a live service
line. The exception is the use of air jetting tools. Always consider this type of tool as the primary choice
of excavating tool where the surface conditions allow.

Verify the sides are shored, stepped, or sloping (45 degrees or shallower).

Stop work and seek advice from the AA if you expose any previously unidentified pipes, cables, cable
ties, or cable identification tape.
If you damage a buried service during excavation, stop work, make the worksite safe, and inform the AA.
Keep people away from the area until it has been made safe

3) PA roles & responsibilities p222

1. Explain Management of change of a task:
An established means of formally managing and controlling changes.

5. Explain the process of creating a permit, identifying hazards & putting

control measures.
Creating a permit

Draft - This first stage involves creating the risk assessment. The PA and AA do this. Anyone
who has a CoW role can draft a risk assessment and permit within eCoW.
TRA approved- At this stage, the risk assessment is approved based on the residual risk agreed
at the risk assessment. This does not apply if table 3 in this procedure sets a minimum approval
level.

Verified - This is where the AA or SA (for HWOF in Hazardous Areas and CSE) verifies that all
the required CoW documents and supplementary certificates are in place and approved before
they take them to the daily meeting. To find permits that are ready to verify, search eCoW for
permits with a ready to verify status.

Authorised - At this stage, the SA or AA authorises the use of the permit. Table 3 sets out the
authorisation level, which depends on the residual risk level.

Issued - The AA may issue or re-issue the permits to the PA following a site visit.

Live- The PA accepts the permit from the IA or AA.

Suspended- At any time between Live and Completed, the permit may be suspended if the PA
has given a reason by completing the feedback box in eCoW. Permits may also be suspended:

 within a shift and then re-issued by the AA for tasks that need to interface with for example
welding and non-destructive testing of the welds
 at the end of the shift for re-issuing for the next shift or for longer durations because of other
reasons such as awaiting spares
 because they need to be re-verified, for example every seven days for high risk tasks and
every 28 days for other work.

Completed- The PA does this when the job is finished and they have provided feedback.

Closed- The IA or AA does this once they have inspected the worksite.

For more info p 297.

Identifying hazards
The risk assessment team shall visit the worksite together to identify the task, worksite and
process hazards involved in carrying out the task at the actual location. They shall use a
systematic method of identifying hazards, using the HITRA 14 sources of energy, to reinforce
their personal knowledge and experience. They may use a prompt card to help.
The risk assessment team shall:
 make sure they fully understand the task and its implications
The risk assessment team shall visit the worksite together to identify the task, worksite and
process hazards involved in carrying out the task at the actual location. They shall use a
systematic method of identifying hazards, using the HITRA 14 sources of energy, to reinforce
their personal knowledge and experience. They may use a prompt card to help.
The risk assessment team shall:
 make sure they fully understand the task and its implications
When a site visit is not reasonably practicable for example, for TAR preparation or project
design, the PA, AA or IA can perform task risk assessments based on drawings, models or
images of the facility. In these circumstances, verifying hazards, control measures and site
conditions is particularly important and shall be completed before the permit is signed off as
verified.

Putting control measures

Explain the accountabilities of all roles involved in COW (CSE attendant, fire
watcher, banskman etc.) p215
Confined Space Entry Attendant (CSEA)
The CSEA shall be present and have no other duties when managing confined space entry and exit.
More than one entry attendant may be required where there is more than one entry or exit point.
The CSEA shall not enter the confined space or leave their post whilst anyone is inside the confined
space.

The CSE Attendant does the following: How to demonstrate

Raises the alarm if there is an Self verification.
incident.
2 Monitors the worksite to verify Self verification.
that safe conditions are
maintained during CSE
activities.
3 Reads, understands and adheres Self verification.
to the TRA and permit to work
requirements.
4 Understands and agrees with the Self verification.
AA and PA how to
communicate and what site
protocol to use at the start of a
CSE operation, during breaks
and when the task is completed.
5 Maintains an accurate log or Self verification.
register to record everyone who
enters or exits the CSE.
6 Maintains a tagging system for Self verification.
each entry and exit point of
CSE. It is good practice to use
photo ID passes on a display
board to do this.
7 Puts in place mechanical Self verification.
barriers and signs to prevent
unauthorised entry when the
CSE is left unattended.
The CSE Attendant verifies the following:
8 The number of people in CSE at Self verification.
the same time is not more than
the number specified in the risk
assessment.
9 Gas testing is completed and Self verification.
recorded on the CSE permit at
the required frequency.
10 Suitable rescue equipment is Self verification.
available and ready for
immediate use.
11 They know where the following Self verification.
 are:
The nearest manual alarm call
point.
The emergency shutdown
button.
The emergency shutdown for
portable engine-driven
equipment such as generators
and compressors.
The CSE Attendant decides the following:
12 When to stop work if unsafe Self verification.
conditions develop.

Fire Watcher
Fire Watchers shall be present and have no other duties but monitoring a worksite during any
hot work open flame (HWOF) task and for 30 minutes after the work has stopped. In complex
multi-deck layouts, more than one Fire Watcher may be required.
The Fire Watcher does the following: How to demonstrate
1 Raises the alarm if there is a Self verification.
fire, incident or hydrocarbon
release.
2 Monitors the worksite to Self verification.
verify that safe conditions are
maintained during hot work
operations.
3 Reads, understands and Self verification.
adheres to the TRA and
permit requirements.
4 Understands and agrees with Self verification.
the AA and PA how to
communicate and what site
protocol to use at the start of
an HWOF task, during breaks
and when the task is
completed.
5 Demonstrates understanding Self verification.
of their emergency duties.
The Fire Watcher verifies the following:
6 Suitable fire fighting Self verification.
equipment is available,
certified and ready to use
immediately.
7 Flammable materials have Self verification.
been cleared away from the
worksite.
8 Drains remain covered and Self verification.
sealed while the task is being
carried out.
9 Sparks and weld spatter are Self verification.
 contained within the habitat.
10 That they know where the Self verification.
following are:
The nearest manual alarm
call point.
The emergency shutdown
button.
The emergency shutdown for
portable engine-driven
equipment such as generators
and compressors.
11 That continuous gas Self verification.
monitoring is completed as
defined in the permit.
The Fire Watcher approves or decides the following:
12 Stop hot work operations if TBT records.
unsafe conditions develop.

Explain housekeeping practices during & upon completion of job- easy peasy

Explain handover process at shift & crew change periods.

TBT- explain the process

Before work starts, the PA conducts a Tool Box Talk (TBT) at the worksite with the people who
will carry out the work. The SA shall attend the TBT for the first issue of a permit that involves
HWOF in hazardous areas or CSE. The SA may delegate second and subsequent TBTs to the
AA. The AA shall also attend any TBT that has residual risk in Areas II or above.
A TBT is a vital part of the process to verify that everyone understands the scope, hazards,
control measures and monitoring that the TRA covers. The TBT allows the people involved in
the work to:
 discuss the scope and approach to the work to verify that they understand the task steps, job
interruption events and contingencies

 raise any concerns about the task, and

 identify any hazards that have not been identified in the TRA process.

At this stage, the work party shall be informed about any relevant ERRPs that are in place for the
task and know what we require them to do if there is an emergency.
Everyone involved in carrying out the task shall fully understand the TRA. The conversation
shall cover:
 the full scope of work
 details of the task steps involved
 hazards and risks identified for each step in the task
 all control measures identified
 the isolations in place to control energy sources, and
 any SIMOPS issues identified.

The PA should keep the language of the TBT clear and simple, especially for complex technical
tasks. If English is not the work party’s first language, they should make a good quality
translation in appropriate languages available to the team before work starts. The TRA is
reviewed at the worksite unless barriers, such as high noise levels, hamper the discussion.
Everyone signs the TBT section of the permit to confirm that they understand the hazards and
control measures.
When additional people join the work party the PA shall verify that they understand the hazards,
control measures and ERRP referenced on the permit. The additional people sign the work party
declaration section of the TBT.
Example
Issue Notes
Job scope The task description and what the permit does,
and does not, cover.
Weather conditions Weather or sea state.
The work party Competence and experience.
Familiarity with the installation and system
they are working on.
Anyone fatigued or distracted.
Expected behaviour and operating discipline
The worksite Access, egress or awkward working position.
Ground conditions.
Temperature and humidity, if it is relevant to
the task.
Lighting.
Location.
Current state of the plant and equipment Physical condition of the plant and equipment.
Current operating status of plant and
equipment.
Any isolation in place.
Current adjacent worksites Can this job affect other worksites?
Can other worksites affect this job?
Control measures Are they in place and as stated in the TRA?
‘Stop the job’ events Changes in weather and site conditions.
If the task goes outside the permit’s scope
An unplanned activity introduces SIMOPS.
The PA shall stress that anyone has the
authority and obligation to stop unsafe work
or report unsafe conditions.
Contingency plan Everyone understands the emergency response
plans in place.
Everyone knows the location of emergency
response equipment such as extinguishers,
alarm call points, showers and muster points.

Explain the R/R and competency requirements of other COW Role holders
(CSEA, FW, ES)- p 215
 5) Onsite Competence
Individual shall perform an audit of a WCC under the supervision of COW Assessor

1. Check the specification of work;

2. Check the Planning & risk Assessment;

Planning
Identifying and sequencing work including what we need to do to prepare for, and complete, a
task or work.
A systematic process of identifying and listing the work and determining the resources, such as
people and equipment and how long activities will take.

Define the full scope of work accurately.

 Break job down into tasks and task steps.
 Identify the specific Control of Work documents for the task.
 Schedule Level 2 risk assessments and isolations.

This is step 1 of the CoW 8-step process. This step explains how to plan and schedule Control of
Work activity and helps execute work safely and reliably.
Planning defines what is to be worked on, the sequence of tasks to be carried out and the
resources that are required to do these tasks.

The planner breaks the job down into tasks or confirms the breakdown generated from Maximo
or the project planning tool, as appropriate.
A job is a series of tasks to complete a piece of work that are typically performed in sequence.
A task is a distinct activity within a job: that is, distinct enough in terms of work content, trade
skills or type of risk to merit its own CoW requirements.
In creating the tasks, the quality of the task description that you write is key to communication,
understanding the scope of the task and the quality of risk assessments.
A good task description needs to cover the what, where and how for each task. For example:
 What is the activity and what tools are involved?
 Where is the equipment or location?
 How will the task be carried out and what is the sequence it will be done in?
 Who is involved and what techniques will they use?

Planners shall determine the following:

 Can the task be carried out as non-permit work or under a Risk Assessed Procedure or Low
Risk Permit?

 What level of risk assessment - a Level 1 or Level 2 - is required for permit-managed activity?
If the task requires a Level 2 TRA, the planner shall identify on the work order that a Level 2
TRA is required.
 Does the task require an isolation? If it does, the planner shall identify that an isolation is
needed. The AA will assist the planner in determining the individual CoW tasks needed for the
isolation either during the planning of the job or following development of the isolation and de-
isolation plan. Personal isolations do not need to be scheduled as specific tasks. Which
Performing Authority (PA) will be responsible for the task? * The PA may be assigned as a craft
or discipline type, for example Instrument, if any member of that craft or discipline can handle
the task. However, if the task requires specialist skills, the planner should specify the PA by
name.

Planners may make these determinations by:

 reviewing a TRAT or using the examples in section 9 of this procedure
 consulting with others such as the AA, PA and HSE advisors.

The information in the work pack or detailed job plans held within the maintenance management
systems or provided by a project or vendor may help the planner answer these questions.

Risk Assessment
You shall risk assess all tasks. Upstream CoW uses HITRA methodology to:
 identify hazards and their consequence, and
 determine the initial risk level based on the likelihood and severity of the potential
consequences.

The initial risk level is then reduced by identifying and implementing controls to give a resulting
residual risk level.
HITRA methodology has the following two levels of risk assessment:
 Level 1 risk assessments for lower risk activity.
 Level 2 risk assessments which are more rigorous and semi-quantitative for higher risk
activity.

You can find more details on how to apply HITRA in Section 9.

To simplify and highlight task specific controls, you shall not duplicate standard site controls in
the risk assessment. Site standards are important and you shall manage them using local
processes or procedures. For example, you would not expect to see the following items
addressed in the risk assessment:
 PPE compliance. However, any special PPE that is required for a task and is not part of the
site standard for plant access is covered in the TRA and requirements recorded in permit or
attached COSHH or SDS.

 Jewellery policy.

 Hearing protection.

 Adhering to site rules for driving.

 Site drug and alcohol policies.

 Controlling vehicles on onshore sites and getting access to hazardous or classified areas.

 Having three points of contact when using stairways or ladders.

Typically, these are managed through site induction, signage, self-verification and site
behavioural safety systems such as STOP, BOSS and SOC.
The risk assessment team shall focus on key hazards and controls, and avoid cluttering permits
and risk assessments with expectations of good workmanship. By way of example, the following
would not normally be included on permits:
 Following procedures.
 Generic tripping hazard statements. However, if a specific tripping hazard is evident, then it
would be included.
 Control measures for low-risk, regularly used substances such as common releasing fluids,
sealants and lubricants. Examples include WD 40 and copper grease.
 Duplicated control measures.
 Obvious instructions such as ‘Tools to be in good condition’, ‘Comply with LOLER’, ‘Wear
PPE’, ‘PPE to be in good condition’ or ‘Certified scaffold to be used’.
 Escape routes to be kept clear at all times.

No-one shall cross barriers without the work party’s permission.

 Remove barriers at the end of the task.

 No smoking, drinking, eating gum, sweets, tobacco or using lip salve.

 Always use correct manual handling techniques.

 Wear the correct gloves.

 Wear knee pads when kneeling for prolonged periods.

3. Check the Authorisation & Issue;

4. Check the Job Execution;

5. Check the Supplementary Certificates;
Supplementary certificates are documents that provide additional information on hazards and
control measures to support a permit to work. They are created and approved by people who
have specialist knowledge and competence in the subject. You shall not issue a permit if the
appropriate person has not approved the attached certificate, or certificates.
Depending on the certificate the appropriate approver may be, for example, a Lifting Authority
or site electrical leader. The certificates shall be cross-referenced to their applicable permit.

Supplementary certificates are developed along with the permit to work during the planning and
preparation steps.

Energised electrical work certificate

You should avoid working on or close to energised electrical circuits and equipment if possible,
as this type of work is higher risk. However, we do allow it in any of the following
circumstances:
The site electrical leader confirms that:
 energised electrical conductors and circuit parts operate at less than 50 volts
 the capacity of the source, and any overcurrent protection between the energy source and the
worker, present no increased exposure to electrical shock, burns or explosion due to electric arcs
 de-energising introduces additional hazards and results in increased risk, such as:
 interrupting life support equipment
 de-activating emergency alarm systems

Ground disturbance certificate

Ground disturbance is any man-made cut, trench, excavation, penetration or depression in the
ground deeper than 150mm (six inches) or 12 inches or 30 cm deep at USA sites in line with
OSHA.
For every ground disturbance where there are or may be underground services, we require you to
complete a Level 2 TRA, and attach a ground disturbance certificate to the permit, which
identifies:
 underground hazards such as buried services, for example process, electrical and
communications, and subsequent isolations of these systems

 control measures to prevent collapse or ground movement

 any requirements for gas testing

 any requirements for signs, barriers and lighting, and

 required inspections and frequencies.

The certificate shall include approvals from any discipline engineers, according to the hazards
identified, for example, electrical, instrument, control or communications.
It shall include approvals from relevant site competent persons or relevant external regulators as
identified on the certificate being used at the site.
If there are no underground services and the excavation is not a confined space, a Level 1 TRA is
acceptable. If the excavation is a confined space entry, then a CSE permit and Level 2 TRA are
required. See section 15 for details on CSEs.

Isolation confirmation certificate

Isolations shall be managed through an isolation confirmation certificate (ICC), which will
record the status of all isolations throughout the life-cycle of the isolation. It also records the
signatures of the isolating authorities who have confirmed the status of the isolations at any time
during the life-cycle. The exception to this is a personal isolation which does not require an ICC.
The ICC, cross-referenced to all relevant work permits, shall be the principal means of control
once isolations are in place. The ICC performs the following functions:
 It identifies the plant concerned and the reasons for isolation.
 It records isolation by disciplines.
 It records the complete list of isolations including the identification of valve, blinds, blanks
and equipment tag numbers and specific electrical and control information.
 It records bleed points for checking valve integrity. You do not need to record operating the
bleed valves to check integrity as an amendment on the ICC.
 It confirms that the isolations are in place.

6. Check the Permit to Work Registry;

7. Check the Registry of Work Completion.