Permit-to-work - energised circuits

Work completed on electrical installations should be controlled with the use a permit-to-work system. This is of great importance when the work in question is on a live system.

Manage the risks

Our permit-to-work document sets out the control measures that should be applied when working on electrical systems. This particular document covers work on energised systems.  

To ensure that the work is carried out safely, the competent person should make sure that a safe system of work has been produced and this, along with any risk assessments and diagrams, should be attached to the permit prior to its issue.

You must be able to justify working on live equipment, e.g. if tests can only be completed whilst equipment is live. If you don’t have a good reason for the circuit to remain live, the work must be completed with the power turned off.

What’s covered?

The form is divided into two separate parts. Part A deals with the safety issues and the permit authorisation, including the receipt from the competent person carrying out the work. Part B deals with the completion or stopping of the work and the cancellation of the permit.

Note. The “authorised person” is the individual who will issue the permit-to-work. They are required to complete the first sections in Part A.