NL EDITION March 2011 H S E W A WAY OF LIVING Safety Health Well-being Environment HSEW Standards for professionals, be aware!
Work safely or don't work Work Permits are used within NAM to govern how work is done. The agreed arrangements covering the work to be carried out are laid down in these Permits. For the safety of all, it s vital for everyone to understand and comply with these agreed arrangements. If you re in doubt: don't let the work go ahead! NAM (50% Shell, 50% ExxonMobil) takes part in the cooperative working partnership of Shell exploration and production companies in some European Countries. Within the context of this partnership, the NAM acts as the centre for natural gas operations, primarily in the area of land-based activities. Safety is the top priority in all activities. 2
Why are Work Permits used? to record agreed arrangements to recognise hazards and risks to lay down precautionary measures to promote good communication between the various parties Purpose of Work Permits? to ensure work is done safely to avert incidents 3
Who are involved in a Work Permit? Applicant - usually the contractor s work planner Issuer - usually NAM Operations Validator - usually NAM Operations Holder - the person who carries out the work Minimum requirements Applicant / Issuer / Validator VCA* - VOL certificate NAM Work Permit training Holder VCA* - Basic NAM Work Permit training valid for 10 years valid for 2 years valid for 10 years valid for 2 years *VCA: safe working qualification for contractor- and own staff (Veiligheids Checklist Aannemers) At least two people (parties) must be involved with the Work Permit. An Issuer can also be a Validator and an Applicant can also be a Holder. The Issuer may only take on the role of applicant in exceptional cases. 4
When is a Work Permit required? The NAM Work Permit system is applicable to all work carried out on NAM plant and equipment, such as: non-operations work, for instance: - maintenance and repairs of company plant and equipment high risk work, such as: - working at heights - hoisting work on parts of the plant that are in operation or under pressure - demolition work - work for which additional Personal Protective Equipment is required, including compressed air joint work by various disciplines, such as: - conflicting tasks that could mutually affect each other - (too) many tasks simultaneously in a small or limited area 5
Supplementary Work Permits For (high) risk work, a supplementary Work Permit may have to be appended to the normal Work Permit: Working in confined spaces Excavation work Diving operations If an activity and the associated risks cannot be clearly surveyed and properly managed, a Task Risk Analysis must be carried out in addition to the Work Permit. How long does a Work Permit remain valid? A Work Permit is valid for a maximum of 7 successive working days. N.B.: a supplementary Work Permit for excavation work has a maximum validity of 12 weeks. The Work Permit number (normally valid for one week) can be entered 12 times at the top of such a supplementary Permit, to allow for the extended duration of excavation work. 6
Parts of the Work Permit Block 1 Work application Filled in by: Applicant Block 2 Precautions to be taken by issuing department Filled in by: Issuer Block 3 Precautions to be taken by Holder Filled in by: Applicant Block 4 Confirmation To be signed by: Requester, Issuer, Holder and Validator 7
Tasks and responsibilities of Applicant Provide an accurate and clear description of the activities Indicate the appropriate precautions to be taken so that the work can be done safely, in consultation with the Permit Holder if appropriate. Determine the risk category and if appropriate ensure that a Task Risk Analysis is carried out, jointly with the Issuer. Tasks and responsibilities of Issuer Determine the precautionary measures that the Issuer s department must take to create a safe working environment Assess the proposed precautions to be taken by the Holder Provide product information (WIKs Worksite Instruction Cards) where necessary Discuss the Work Permit Determine any additional requirements Determine whether gas measurements are necessary 8
Tasks and responsibilities of Holder Carrying out the work or direct supervision at workplace Studying the Work Permit and assenting to the required precautions Discussing the permit with the workers Taking the appropriate precautions and ensuring they are adhered to Supervising proper execution of the work and being physically present at the worksite Stopping the work in the event of any abnormality (alarm, doubt, incident) and contacting the site supervisor and own immediate superior Signing off the work It is of crucial importance for the Holder to understand how the work must be done safely. He must therefore be prepared to challenge the Issuer and Validator of the Permit. After all, everyone s safety is at stake. 9
Tasks and responsibilities of Validator Checking whether all prescribed precautions have been taken Daily validation of Permit, provided the circumstances remain unchanged Initial permit release must take place at the worksite Giving the green light to start the work Supervising observance of the Permit requirements and conditions 10
Filling in the Work Permit Write clearly and legibly for everyone Use as few abbreviations and acronyms as possible Any (unauthorised) changes made later will invalidate the Permit The white form is intended for the Holder, who must carry it with him unless agreed otherwise The yellow form is intended for the Issuer Additional important and general information is on the back of the Work Permit If you have any questions or need further information, you can always contact the NAM Site Supervisor. 11
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