Free Electrical Isolation Permit Template (UK, HSE-Compliant)

Working on electrical installations without proper isolation is one of the quickest ways to end up in an HSE incident report. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 are clear: you need to prevent danger, and that means dead circuits when you're working on them. An electrical isolation permit makes sure everyone knows what's isolated, who's working on it, and what steps were followed to make it safe.

Here's what you need to know about electrical isolation permits, what goes on the template, and how to avoid the mistakes that still catch people out.

When You Need an Electrical Isolation Permit

Not every piece of electrical work needs a full permit. If you're changing a light bulb in an office, you're probably fine with a simple risk assessment. But if you're working on anything where there's a real risk of injury or death from electrical contact, you need proper isolation and documentation.

The HSE's guidance in HSG85 ("Electricity at Work: Safe Working Practices") and HSG250 (permit-to-work systems in general) makes it clear: isolation permits are for high-risk electrical work where lives depend on getting it right.

Common situations that need an electrical isolation permit include work on distribution boards, motor control panels, high-voltage equipment, or anything where multiple sources of supply might exist. If there's any doubt about whether the circuit is truly dead, or if other trades might accidentally re-energise it, you need a permit.

The permit-to-work system guide covers when permits are required more broadly, but electrical work sits at the top of the risk pyramid. You're dealing with invisible danger that can kill instantly.

Lock-Out/Tag-Out Explained

Lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) is the physical bit that backs up your permit. It's not enough to just switch something off and stick a note on it. Someone needs to physically lock the isolation point so it can't be turned back on while you're working.

Here's how it works in practice: you identify all sources of supply, isolate them at the distribution board or isolator, then fit a lock through the mechanism so it can't be switched back on. Each person working on the circuit fits their own lock. The key stays with them. No one can restore power until every worker has removed their lock.

The tag part means you attach a label showing who locked it out, when, and what work is being done. If you've got three electricians on a job, you should have three locks and three tags on that isolator. It sounds excessive until you think about what happens if someone removes a lock that isn't theirs.

Some sites use lockable isolation devices, hasps that hold multiple padlocks, or even purpose-built LOTO stations. The principle is the same: physical prevention of re-energisation.

What Goes on the Template

A proper electrical isolation permit template walks through each stage of safe isolation. Here's what should be on it, section by section.

Job and Location Details Start with the basics: what work is being done, where, and by whom. Include the specific equipment or circuit reference (like "DB3, Circuit 12" rather than "the one by the stairs"). You'll also want the date and expected duration, so everyone knows how long the isolation needs to stay in place.

Isolation Points List every single point where electrical supply has been isolated. This isn't just the main isolator you can see. It includes standby generators, UPS systems, control circuits, or anything else that could put voltage on the system. If you've got multiple sources, you need every one documented.

This section should name the specific isolator or switchgear, its location, and its reference number. Something like "Main LV Switchboard, Room G.14, Isolator ref: ISO-L3-DB7".

Proving Dead Here's where people get sloppy, and it's where the risk sits. You can't just assume a circuit is dead because you switched it off. You need to prove it with a voltage indicator that you've tested before and after use.

The template should have checkboxes or signatures confirming: voltage indicator tested on known live source, circuit tested and proved dead at point of work, voltage indicator tested again on known live source. That's the "prove-test-prove" sequence that's been drilled into every qualified electrician, but it's easy to skip when you're busy.

Earthing and Short-Circuiting For work on high-voltage systems or anywhere specified in your risk assessment, you'll need to apply temporary earths. The permit should record where earths have been fitted, their reference numbers, and who applied them.

On lower-voltage installations this might not be necessary, but your template should at least have a section to confirm whether it's required or not applicable.

Authorisation and Handover Someone competent needs to authorise the isolation — usually an electrician or authorised person who's checked the work and confirmed the circuit is safe. They sign it off, then hand the permit to the person doing the work.

When the work is done, there's a return section where the worker confirms they've finished, removed all earths and tools, and the circuit is ready to be re-energised. The authorised person then signs it back and restores power.

Permit Closure The final bit records when power was restored, who did it, and confirmation that all locks and tags have been removed. This creates a complete audit trail from start to finish.

Common Mistakes

Even with a good template, things go wrong. Here are the mistakes that keep coming up.

Incomplete isolation is the big one. Someone isolates the obvious supply but misses the control circuit, the emergency supply, or the feed from another building. You need a single-line diagram and a proper understanding of the installation. If you're not certain, get someone who is.

Not proving dead is the other classic. People rely on the isolation switch being off, without actually testing. Voltage indicators can fail, switches can be mislabelled, and backfeeds can appear from unexpected places. Always prove it dead at the point of work.

Missing the de-isolation procedure happens more than it should. Someone finishes the job, removes their tools, but forgets to tell the authorised person. Power gets restored while their mate is still in the panel. The permit system prevents this if you actually follow it through to closure.

Single-lock systems on multi-person jobs are asking for trouble. If three people are working on a circuit, three locks should be on the isolator. Otherwise you're relying on someone else to look out for you, and that's not a control measure.

Paper vs Digital

Most electrical isolation permits are still paper forms on clipboards. They work, they're familiar, and they don't need charging. But paper permits have limitations once you're running more than a handful at a time.

You can't search a filing cabinet for which permits are currently active, or which circuits are isolated right now. If someone needs to know whether they can work on a particular board, they're going through a stack of paper or radioing around site.

Digital systems like PermitPad keep electrical isolation permits on phones and tablets, with live status visible to everyone who needs it. You can see at a glance what's isolated, who's working on it, and when it's due back. The workflow still follows HSG250, but you're not hunting for paperwork or dealing with illegible signatures. See pricing plans for details.

That said, if you're a small contractor doing occasional electrical work, paper templates are perfectly adequate. Just make sure everyone knows where they're kept and that completed permits are filed properly.

Practical Summary

An electrical isolation permit template should cover job details, all isolation points, proving dead procedures, earthing requirements, and a clear handover and return process. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require you to prevent danger, and a proper isolation permit is how you demonstrate you've done that.

Lock-out/tag-out is the physical control that backs it up: one lock per worker, keys stay with the workers, power can't be restored until every lock is removed. Prove the circuit dead with a tested voltage indicator before you start, and again before you declare it safe to re-energise.

The common mistakes — incomplete isolation, skipping the proving-dead step, unclear handover — are all prevented by following the permit through properly. Whether you use paper forms or a digital system like PermitPad, the process is what keeps people safe.

If you're setting up electrical isolation permits for your site or business, start with a template that covers all the sections above, make sure your authorised persons and electricians understand the LOTO procedure, and don't let anyone skip the proving-dead step. That's the difference between a safe job and an HSE investigation.