Permit to Work (PTW)
GM of Operations
A permit-to-work system is a formal authorisation process that controls high-risk activities by ensuring all safety precautions are verified and documented before hazardous work begins at a specific location and time.
A permit-to-work system is a formal, documented procedure used to control activities that are identified as potentially hazardous and require specific safety precautions beyond standard operating procedures. The permit authorises named individuals to carry out defined work at a specific location during a specified time period, subject to documented safety conditions. Common permit types include hot work permits, confined space entry permits, electrical isolation permits, excavation permits, and working-at-heights permits. The permit process typically involves a request from the performing authority, a review and approval by the issuing authority (usually an area or operations supervisor), verification that all safety conditions have been met, the execution of the work, and a formal close-out that confirms the worksite has been left in a safe condition. Permits are time-limited and must be reissued if the work extends beyond the original period, if conditions change materially, or if different workers are assigned to the task, ensuring that the safety assessment remains current throughout the duration of the work.
Why it matters
High-risk activities such as hot work, confined space entry, and live electrical work are responsible for a disproportionate share of serious workplace injuries and fatalities. A rigorous permit-to-work system provides a formal checkpoint that ensures hazards have been identified, controls are in place, and all parties are aware of and agree to the conditions before work begins. Without a PTW system, critical safety steps may be skipped due to time pressure or assumed competence.
How MapTrack helps
MapTrack digitises the permit-to-work process, enabling requesters to submit permits from mobile devices, approvers to review and authorise remotely, and safety teams to track all active permits in real time with automatic expiry alerts.
Related on MapTrack
Related guides
Stay ahead of every inspection deadline
Automated reminders, digital checklists and audit-ready records in MapTrack.
- No credit card required
- 30 days free trial
- Cancel anytime
Frequently asked questions
What types of work typically require a permit to work?
Activities that commonly require permits include hot work (welding, cutting, grinding near flammable materials), confined space entry, electrical isolation and live work, excavation and ground penetration, work at heights, work on pressurised systems, work involving radioactive sources, and any task that falls outside the scope of standard operating procedures and introduces elevated risk to people, the environment, or equipment.
What is the role of the issuing authority in a PTW system?
The issuing authority is the person responsible for reviewing the permit request, verifying that all required safety conditions, risk assessments, and isolations are in place, and formally authorising the work to proceed. The issuing authority is typically the area owner, operations supervisor, or a designated safety representative who has the authority to grant or deny access to the work area. They must also verify that the worksite is safe before closing out the permit.
How does a digital permit-to-work system improve safety?
Digital PTW systems improve safety by enforcing a consistent workflow that prevents permits from being approved without mandatory fields being completed, providing real-time visibility of all active permits across a site, automatically expiring permits at the end of their valid period, creating an auditable record of every permit issued and closed, and enabling remote approval so that permits are not delayed or bypassed due to the approver being physically unavailable.
Related terms
Compliance Management
Compliance management in asset-intensive industries is the systematic process of ensuring that equipment, operations, and personnel meet all applicable regulatory, safety, environmental, and contractual requirements. It encompasses tracking inspection due dates, certifications, licences, safety checks, environmental obligations, and industry-specific standards. Compliance management requires both proactive scheduling and thorough record-keeping.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a safety procedure used to ensure that equipment is properly shut down, isolated from all energy sources, and cannot be restarted until maintenance or repair work is completed. Lockout involves physically locking energy isolation devices (such as circuit breakers or valves) in the off position, while tagout involves attaching a warning tag to the isolation point. LOTO protects workers from the unexpected release of hazardous energy during servicing.
Confined Space
A confined space is an enclosed or partially enclosed area that is not designed or intended for continuous human occupancy, has limited entry and exit points, and may pose a risk to health and safety from atmospheric hazards (oxygen deficiency, toxic gases, flammable vapours), engulfment, entrapment, or other dangers. Australian WHS Regulations define specific criteria for classification. Common examples include tanks, silos, pits, sewers, tunnels, and roof voids.
Working at Heights
Working at heights refers to any work performed in a location where a person could fall a distance likely to cause injury. In Australia, this generally means any task carried out 2 metres or more above ground level, though the risk applies at any height where a fall hazard exists. It includes work on roofs, scaffolds, ladders, elevated work platforms (EWPs), and open edges. Controls follow the hierarchy: eliminate the need for height work first, then use passive fall prevention, work positioning, and finally fall arrest systems.
Cite this definition
Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this definition. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.
A permit-to-work system is a formal, documented procedure used to control activities that are identified as potentially hazardous and require specific safety precautions beyond standard operating procedures.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Glossary: Permit to Work (PTW), https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/permit-to-work
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Permit to Work (PTW) [Glossary definition]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/permit-to-work
Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/permit-to-work.
See how MapTrack handles permit to work (ptw)
Ready to track every asset?
Join construction, mining and field service teams across Australia.
4.9 on G2 · 5.0 on Capterra
- No credit card required
- 30 days free trial
- Cancel anytime