Permit to Work Software for Small UK Contractors — What to Look For

If you have decided that paper permit books are no longer cutting it, the next question is which permit to work software to choose. A quick search will show you dozens of options — from enterprise platforms built for oil refineries to generic form builders with a permit template bolted on. For a small or mid-sized UK contractor, most of them are either too complex, too expensive, or not designed with your reality in mind.

This guide covers what to look for, what to avoid, and how to evaluate permit to work software without wasting weeks on demos and sales calls.

Why small contractors need different software

The PTW software market has historically served large industrial operators — petrochemical plants, power stations, offshore platforms. These organisations have dedicated safety teams, IT departments, and training budgets. Their PTW systems reflect that: complex configuration, lengthy onboarding, enterprise pricing.

A small UK contractor — say, 5 to 50 people doing construction, maintenance, or facilities work — has fundamentally different needs:

• No dedicated safety team. The site manager or supervisor handles permits alongside everything else.
• No IT department. The software needs to work out of the box, on whatever devices people already have.
• Tight margins. Spending £500+ per month on permit software is hard to justify when the paper book costs £15.
• Variable team sizes. Subcontractors come and go. Per-user pricing punishes you for bringing extra people onto a project.
• Multiple small sites. You might be running three or four jobs simultaneously, not one mega-project.

Software designed for Shell or BP is not going to work for a roofing contractor in Manchester. You need something built for how you actually operate.

Key features to evaluate

HSE-aligned permit templates

The software should include permit templates that follow the structure described in HSG250: permit identification, hazard identification, precautions checklist, dual-signature authorisation, and close-out. At a minimum, you need templates for the four most common permit types:

• Hot work
• Confined space entry
• Working at height
• Electrical isolation

A general permit to work template for other high-risk tasks is also valuable. Each template should have its own relevant checklist — not a generic one-size-fits-all form.

Dual-signature workflow

A permit to work requires at least two people: the permit applicant (or holder) and the permit authoriser. This dual-control mechanism is the core of any PTW system, as described in HSG250. If the software does not enforce this — if one person can create, approve, and close a permit on their own — it is not a real permit system.

Mobile-first design

Your team will create and approve permits on their phones. The software must work properly on a mobile screen — not just technically function, but be genuinely usable with one hand, in rain, wearing gloves. If the vendor's primary demo is a desktop dashboard, ask to see the mobile experience before anything else.

Offline functionality

UK construction sites frequently have poor or no mobile signal, particularly in basements, tunnels, and rural locations. The software should allow permits to be created and completed offline, then synced when connectivity returns. If it requires a constant internet connection, it will fail on exactly the sites where you need it most.

Audit trail and PDF export

Every permit action — creation, approval, amendment, close-out — should be automatically time-stamped and stored. You should be able to search and retrieve any permit by date, site, type, or person. And you should be able to export permits as professional PDFs for clients, principal contractors, and inspectors.

User management

You need to control who can do what. Not everyone should be able to authorise permits. The software should let you assign roles — permit holder, permit authoriser, administrator — so that the dual-signature workflow is enforced by the system, not just by policy.

Pricing models: what to watch for

PTW software pricing varies enormously, and the pricing model matters as much as the headline figure. Here are the common models and their implications for small contractors:

Per-user, per-month

This is the most common model. You pay a monthly fee for each person who uses the system. Typical range: £10 to £50 per user per month. The problem for contractors is that team sizes fluctuate. If you bring on six subcontractors for a three-week job, your software bill spikes. Per-user pricing penalises growth and flexibility.

Flat-rate, per-month

A fixed monthly fee regardless of how many users you have. This is more predictable and generally better value for small contractors who need to add and remove users regularly. Typical range for SME-focused tools: £35 to £99 per month.

Per-permit

You pay for each permit issued. This can seem cheap initially but becomes expensive quickly if you issue permits daily. It also creates a perverse incentive to avoid issuing permits, which is the opposite of what you want.

Enterprise / quote-based

The vendor does not publish pricing and requires a sales call. This almost always means the price is in the hundreds or thousands per month. If you are a 10-person contractor, this is probably not for you.

Free tier

Some tools offer a limited free plan — typically restricted by number of users or permits per month. This is valuable for evaluation. You can test the software on a real project before spending anything.

Common pitfalls when choosing PTW software

Choosing based on features you will never use. Enterprise platforms offer SCADA integration, gas detector telemetry, and multi-level approval chains. If you are a maintenance contractor with 12 people, you do not need any of that. Extra features add complexity and cost without adding value.

Ignoring the mobile experience. Always test the software on a phone before committing. If the permit creation flow requires pinching, zooming, and horizontal scrolling, your team will revert to paper within a week.

Underestimating the importance of simplicity. The best PTW software is the one your team actually uses. A simple tool used consistently is infinitely more valuable than a sophisticated tool gathering dust. If a new operative cannot create their first permit without training, the software is too complicated for site use.

Locking into long contracts. Some vendors require 12-month commitments. For a small contractor evaluating a new system, monthly billing with the ability to cancel is far less risky.

A practical evaluation approach

Rather than spending weeks comparing feature matrices, try this:

1. Shortlist two or three tools that appear to fit your size and budget.
2. Sign up for free trials or free plans — do not sit through a sales demo first.
3. Create a real permit on your phone. Time how long it takes. Note anything that is confusing or frustrating.
4. Ask a colleague to approve it. See if the authorisation workflow makes sense to them without explanation.
5. Export a PDF. Check that it looks professional enough to share with a client or principal contractor.
6. Check the pricing page. If you cannot find clear pricing without speaking to sales, that is a signal.

The whole evaluation should take an hour, not a month.

How PermitPad fits

PermitPad is permit to work software designed specifically for small and mid-sized UK contractors. It includes HSE-aligned templates for hot work, confined space, working at height, electrical isolation, and general permits. Each template has guided checklists and a mandatory dual-signature workflow.

It runs on any phone, tablet, or computer — no app store download required. The free plan includes 2 users and 5 permits per month, so you can evaluate it on a live project without any cost or commitment. Paid plans start at £35 per month with flat-rate pricing — add as many users as you need without per-seat charges.

If you are a small UK contractor looking for PTW software that is simple, affordable, and built for how you actually work, PermitPad is worth trying. Sign up takes two minutes, and you can issue your first permit the same day. See pricing plans.