Guides
Practical guides, free templates, and regulatory explainers for UK contractors.
Permit Records: What to Keep and How Long
HSE guidance sets 30 days on site, then an archive period you define. What that means in practice, and how to set a period you can defend.
Managing Permits Across Multiple Sites
Permit oversight breaks at the second site, not the second permit. What HSE requires of co-ordination, and why per-site registers stop adding up.
Permit to Work Procedure: How to Write One
The written procedure is what your permit system is judged against. What it must contain, a section-by-section structure, and drafting mistakes.
Moving From Paper Permits to Digital
A staged plan for switching permits from paper to digital — what to fix first, what to run in parallel, and the failure modes to design out.
PTW Form: What Every Permit Must Record
HSE sets out 13 essential elements of a permit-to-work form. What each is for, which ones sites leave off, and how to audit the form you use.
Permit to Work Example: A Worked UK Job
A complete permit worked end to end on a realistic UK job — request, isolation, issue, shift handover, hand-back — and what goes wrong at each step.
Who Can Issue a Permit to Work?
No licence makes someone a permit issuer. The roles HSE names, what competence actually means here, and how to write your authorisation rules.
What a Permit to Work System Costs in the UK
The cost of a permit-to-work system is mostly not the software. How to model admin time, re-issue effort, retrieval, setup and training first.
Permit to Work Books vs a Digital System
Paper permit books cost a few pounds a pad. The real cost is what happens after the permit is signed — a practical comparison for UK sites.
Fire Watch Requirements UK: What the Rules Say and What to Record
What UK fire watch requirements are, how long the fire watch period must last, who can act as fire watch, and what records you need to maintain for compliance.
Permit to Work Register: What It Is and How to Maintain It
What a permit to work register is, what HSE guidance and CDM 2015 say, how to structure it, and the common mistakes that turn a register into a compliance liability.
Hot Work Procedure: A Step-by-Step Guide for UK Sites
A complete hot work procedure for UK construction and industrial sites — what to do before, during, and after hot work, and how to connect it to your permit system.
PUWER Regulations and Permit to Work: What Maintenance Teams Need to Know
What the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 require, how PUWER inspection duties connect to permit-to-work systems, and what maintenance teams must do before working on plant and equipment.
LOLER Regulations: What They Mean for Your Lifting Operations Permits
What the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 require, when lifting work needs a permit to work, and how LOLER inspection cycles fit into your permit system.
Hot Work Risk Assessment: 5 Steps for UK Contractors
How to carry out a hot work risk assessment on UK construction sites — 5 steps to follow, what the law requires, and how the assessment connects to your hot work permit.
DSEAR Regulations Explained: What UK Contractors Need to Know About Hot Work
What DSEAR 2002 requires for hot work on UK sites, how zone classification drives permit requirements, and what contractors must do before any ignition source is introduced.
Working at Height Regulations 2005: A Plain-English Guide for UK Contractors
What the Work at Height Regulations 2005 actually require, when a permit to work is needed, and how to stay compliant on UK construction sites.
Lone Working Permit: When and How to Use One (UK)
When a lone working permit makes sense, what it should record, and the UK law behind it. Covers risk assessment, check-in arrangements, and high-risk lone tasks.
Confined Space Risk Assessment: A UK Step-by-Step Guide
How to carry out a confined space risk assessment in the UK — the five steps, the atmospheric hazards, and how the assessment links to your permit to work.
When Do You Need a Permit to Dig? (UK Guide)
When a permit to dig is required in the UK, what it controls, and how it differs from a general excavation permit. Covers HSG47, CDM 2015, and buried services.
Free Cold Work Permit Template (UK, HSE-Aligned)
A free cold work permit template for UK construction and maintenance sites. Covers isolation checks, residual hazards, and close-out — aligned with HSG250.
Permit to Work Coordinator: Role, Responsibilities, and What Good Looks Like
What a permit to work coordinator actually does on UK sites. Responsibilities, competence requirements, and how to make the role work for small contractors.
Types of Permit to Work: A Complete UK Guide
The 8 main types of permit to work used on UK construction and maintenance sites. What each one covers, when you need it, and what the template should include.
Benefits of Electronic Permit to Work Systems: What Actually Changes
Specific, quantified benefits of electronic permit to work systems. Covers audit trails, time savings, compliance evidence, cost reduction, and mobile access.
Permit-to-Work Checklist: Pre-Start, During-Work, Close-Out, and Audit
A universal permit to work checklist covering pre-start, during-work, close-out, and audit checks. Applicable to all permit types on UK construction sites.
Permit-to-Work Training: What Your Team Needs to Know
How to deliver effective permit to work training for UK teams. Covers who needs training, what to include, competency assessment, and refresher frequency.
HSG250 Permit-to-Work Guidance: A Plain-English Guide
A plain-English breakdown of HSG250, the HSE's permit-to-work guidance document. What it requires, key principles, and common misunderstandings explained.
CDM 2015 and Permit-to-Work Requirements: What Contractors Need to Know
How CDM 2015 regulations affect permit-to-work requirements for UK contractors. Covers principal contractor duties, duty holders, and documentation needs.
How to Implement a Permit-to-Work System: Step-by-Step Guide
A practical step-by-step guide to permit to work implementation for UK contractors. Covers planning, templates, training, rollout, and CDM 2015 requirements.
Free Excavation Permit Template (UK, HSE-Aligned)
A free, section-by-section excavation permit template for UK sites. Covers buried services, shoring, ground conditions, CDM requirements, and safe digging practices.
Paper vs Digital Permits to Work: An Honest Comparison
An honest comparison of paper vs digital permit to work systems. Covers real costs, admin time, compliance evidence, and common objections from site teams.
Permit to Work Audit: What HSE Inspectors Actually Check
What HSE inspectors look for during a permit to work audit. Covers common findings, documentation requirements, enforcement notices, and an audit checklist.
Free Electrical Isolation Permit Template (UK, HSE-Compliant)
Download a free electrical isolation permit template for UK sites. Covers lock-out/tag-out, proving dead, safe isolation, and the Electricity at Work Regulations.
How to Choose Permit to Work Software (Without Getting Locked In)
A practical decision framework for choosing permit to work software. Covers pricing models, mobile access, HSE compliance, audit trails, and red flags.
Free Working at Height Permit Template (UK, HSE-Compliant)
Download a free working at height permit template for UK sites. Covers scaffold checks, MEWP inspections, fall protection, and Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Free Confined Space Permit Template (UK, HSE-Compliant)
Download a free confined space permit-to-work template for UK construction and maintenance. Covers gas testing, rescue plans, and atmospheric monitoring.
Digital Permit to Work: Why UK Contractors Are Going Paperless
Why UK contractors are switching from paper permit books to digital permit to work systems. Practical benefits, common concerns, and how to make the switch.
Free Permit to Work Template (UK, HSE-Aligned)
A free, printable permit to work template built on the essential elements in HSE's HSG250 — plus a walkthrough of every section, from hazards to close-out.
Free Hot Work Permit Template (UK, HSE-Compliant)
A free, printable hot work permit template built on HSE guidance — precautions, fire watch timings from HSG168, close-out, and a walkthrough of each section.
What Is a Permit-to-Work System? A Plain-English Guide
A clear, jargon-free explanation of permit-to-work systems for UK contractors. What they are, when you need one, and how to set one up on site.
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