HS&E Operatives practice question: Permits to work (2 of 7)
A. Working environment A free question from our original HS&E Operatives practice exam. Try it, then open the answer to see why each option is right or wrong.
You are repairing a pump under a permit to work. The pump's power has been isolated, which means switched off and locked off. Your shift is ending and the job isn't finished.
What should you do?
Choose one answer.
AA. Take off your lock so the next shift can start straight away
BB. Keep working until it's done, even after your shift ends
CC. Tell someone on the next shift and leave the permit by the pump
DD. Leave the job safe and hand over through the permit system
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D
A. Wrong: Wrong. Removing the isolation while the job is unfinished could let the pump start with no one aware of the danger. Isolations stay in place until the work is safely complete.
B. Wrong: Wrong. Working on while tired raises the risk of mistakes, and the permit sets out when the work is to be done. Speak to the person who issued the permit instead.
C. Wrong: Wrong. A quick word is not a proper handover. The handover should go through the permit system, so the person in charge knows the state of the job.
D. Right: Right. HSE says a job not finished in one shift should be left in a safe state, with clear information for the next shift. The permit system should handle the handover.
Explanation
If a permit-to-work job can't be finished in one shift, leave it in a safe state and hand it over through the permit system. Never remove an isolation until the work is complete.