SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10 (ST-OMS-316.10) is a key tool for workplace safety health environment management system(SHEMs), which is established by SABIC to ensure the safety of operations and to protect the health and safety of employees. This document helps us to control, regulate and authorize routine and non-routine work that has been identified as potentially high or moderate risk. When work is to be carried out, the certified receiver goes to the issuer to fill out the work permit and the hazards assessment control form.
The SABIC Unified Work Permit System (UWPS) is a comprehensive set of procedures designed to ensure the safe execution of work activities in SABIC facilities. The UWPS is based on the principles of risk assessment, isolation, and verification. By following the UWPS procedures, SABIC can help to prevent injuries and fatalities and to protect the environment.
Here are some additional benefits of the UWPS:
The UWPS is a valuable tool for ensuring the safe execution of work activities in SABIC facilities. By following the UWPS procedures, SABIC can help to prevent injuries and fatalities and to protect the environment.
- Increased safety: The UWPS helps to ensure that work activities are performed safely by requiring that all work activities that pose a risk to personnel or the environment be authorized by a work permit.
- Improved efficiency: The UWPS helps to improve the efficiency of work activities by providing a standardized process for obtaining and managing work permits.
- Reduced liability: The UWPS helps to reduce a company’s liability in the event of an accident by providing a documented process for ensuring the safety of work activities.
The purpose of this blog is to describe SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10 for work activities controlled through a work permit. The work permit is used to acknowledge the initial hazard and control preparation using the hazardous assessment and control form for any work activity.
SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10 moves to the electronic safe work permit system(e-SWP)
Yes, SABIC has moved to a digital work permit system within 2023. The new system, called the SABIC Electronic Safe Work Permit System (e-SWP), is a web-based application that allows users to create, manage, and track work permits electronically.
The e-SWP has a number of advantages over the old paper-based system. First, it is more efficient. Users can create and manage work permits from anywhere with an internet connection, and they can track the status of work permits in real-time. Second, the e-SWP is more secure. All work permits are stored in a central database, which is protected by security measures. Third, the e-SWP is more compliant. The system generates reports that can be used to demonstrate compliance with safety regulations.
The e-SWP has been well-received by SABIC employees. They appreciate the convenience and efficiency of the system, and they feel that it has made work safer. Here are some of the benefits of the SABIC Digital Work Permit System (DWPS):
- Increased efficiency: The e-SWP allows users to create, manage, and track work permits electronically, which can save time and improve efficiency.
- Improved safety: The e-SWP provides a centralized system for storing and managing work permits, which can help to prevent errors and ensure that work is performed safely.
- Reduced liability: The e-SWP generates reports that can be used to demonstrate compliance with safety regulations, which can help to reduce a company’s liability in the event of an accident.
Overall, the SABIC Digital Work Permit System is a valuable tool for ensuring the safe execution of work activities in SABIC facilities. By moving to a digital system, SABIC has made it easier and more efficient to manage work permits, and it has helped to improve safety across the company.
The DWPS is part of SABIC’s Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) program, a core value that remains committed to achieving industry-leading performance. The EHSS organization serves as a centre of excellence supporting all manufacturing operations, business units and corporate functions in continually improving their EHSS performance at sites. The EHSS program also includes the Safety, Health & Environment Management (SHEM) Standards Audits, the EHSS Information Enablement (E-SHEM), and the Responsible Care® certification.
SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10 of SHEMs-08
- 8.1 – General EHSS Rules
- 8.2 – Laboratory HSE Rules
- 8.3 – Material handling and storage
- 8.4 – Prevention of fires and explosions of combustible dust
- 8.5 – ELECTRICAL safety
- 8.6 – Lifting equipment
- 8.7 – Handling tools
- 8.8 – Personal protection equipment
- 8.9 – Working at height
- 8.10 – Work Permit
- 8.11 – Control hazardous energy isolation including LOTO
LMRA
The permit system is required to conduct the “LMRA” method of last-minute risk assessment by the Permit Receiver. which is used to help implement safety precautions before any work is started.
It means taking two minutes before starting any job to think (think before you act). “LMRA” assessments are conducted in the field before the start of any task/job by the people performing the job.
Hazardous Control and Assessment Form/JSA:
A hazard assessment and control form is a process for recognizing hazards and control for any work activity. A Hazardous Assessment and Control Form is the master document for all types of work permits except the Confined Space Entry Permit which is required by the formal JSA.
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The operation/maintenance coordinator specialized in the area will organize the hazardous control and assessment form document once all the relevant risks are identified and the risk evaluated, as well as the defined control measures, are in place and completed.
Formal JSA requirement:
- Break down the job into small steps in sequence
- Identify hazards from activities, equipment and tools
- Evaluate the risk of each hazard.
- Decide control measures.
- List down the responsible person.
- Monitoring the check the effectiveness of control measures
- Review and update if condition change
Work Plan:
- Excavation Clearance
- Lifting Plan
- LOTO Certificate
Excavation Clearance
Excavation is any work that requires breaking up the Earth’s surface including the removal of previously installed roads, slabs, or foundations in the surrounding ground level to a depth of 10 cm or more. Initially, need the excavation authorization for any excavation work activity. The excavation authorization containing all the requirements must be completed before the work permit is issued. This stage of preparation includes:
- Determination of the presence and locations of underground services in the area to be excavated.
- The exact location and area of the excavation.
- The location of all known underground services will be physically located before allowing any machine excavation.
- Definition of the type of excavation, manual and/or machine excavation.
- Use of cable detector or other techniques to identify the location of underground services, if drawings are not available.
The plan is provided by a civil engineer for excavations greater than 3 meters, adjacent to structures, subject to vibration or ground. The calculations in support of the type of shoring/method will be specified in the authorization form. The work permit issuer will request gas testing with its frequency for the excavation conduct a joint site inspection with the permit receiver and define the hazards and control measures.
Keep excavated soil 1 meter (Aramco 60 cm) away from the edge of the excavation. Keep mechanical equipment or heavy objects within 2 meters of the edge of any excavation. Hard barricade the excavated area 1 meter away from the edge of the excavation if the depth is less than 1.2 meters, depth more than 1.2 meters barricade 2 meters from the edge (SABIC).
Provide shoring, sloping or shield system for excavations greater than 1.2 meters, or where heavy equipment needs to be operated closer than 2 meters to the edge and following control measures including:
- Provide ladders or other suitable means of access/egress to excavations at a maximum spacing of 30 meters on the perimeter of open excavations and 7.5 meters for trench excavations greater than 1.2 meters in depth.
- Barricades shall be placed around all excavations and flashing lights shall be installed at night if the excavation is not in a well-lit area.
- Provide proper arrangements for all exposed cables and pipes.
- Do not leave excavations, regardless of their depth, unattended without taking steps to prevent someone from inadvertently tripping, falling or driving into them.
Lifting Plan
This Plan is required for all types of lifting using cranes (Fixed/Mobile). Manual lifting, forklift, and aerial lifts including man lift, and scissor lifts are exempted from the lifting Plan.). Simply lifting plan is a calculation of load weight, load height, boom length, boom angle and the radius of the crane with the help of a load chart and certified rigger level-1.
Non-Critical Lift: Non-critical lift involves lower risk, simple lifting operations to which none of the complex items apply to the lift.
Critical Lift: The critical lift requires a higher level of experience, qualification, and/or certification to plan and/or execute than a Critical Lift. Critical lifting includes:
- Lifting of radioactive source
- Exceed 75% of the crane-rated capacity
- Tandem lifting
- Lift with jib crane
- Lifting over live service
LOTO Certificate
LOTO is a safety procedure to ensure that the equipment and stored energy are properly shut off and not able to unexpectedly start up during maintenance work. The LOTO procedure:
Step 1- Preparation for LOTO
Step 2- Securing LOTO
Step 3- Place LOTO device (lockout and tag-out)
Step 3- Try out and verification
Step 4- LOTO removal
Work Permits (EXECUTION)
Work permits are used to perform any activities by non-operations personnel. The Work Permit shall be issued by an authorized “permit issuer” of the area where work is to be performed. The type of work permits are:
- General Work Permit.
- Hot Work Permit.
- Electrical Work Permit.
- Confined Space Entry Permit.
- Excavation Work Permit.
- Radiation Work Permit.
- Lifting Work Permit.
- High-Pressure Jetting Work Permit.
General Work Permit
Written authorization to perform a non-operation activity that does not create enough heat or sparks to ignite flammable gas-air mixtures or flammable materials. A general work permit may also require a gas test. A General Work Permit shall be required for all such activities. Some examples are:
- Vehicle Entry in non-hydro carbon area.
- Work at height activity.
- Flange tightening, gland packaging & gasket tightening activities.
- Installing & removal of blind activities.
- Plant Area cleaning
- Visual supervision: any supervision of machinery or instruments, such as vibration or noise tests.
- Plumbing jobs
Hot work permit
Written authorization to conduct operations activities capable of supplying ignition energy to ignite flammable mixtures or combustible materials that may be released to create a potential fire or explosion hazard using the hot work permit.
Hot work permits require potential exposure to ignition sources in the area which are classified as flammable gasses, vapours dust and entry of vehicles in a hydrocarbon zone. The following activities (but not limited to) will be covered by the scope of the hot work permit:
- Flame/gas cutting, grinding, welding, brazing, soldering, etc.
- Using heat or flame for any activity, etc.
- Operation of internal combustion engines in classified areas.
- Any release of flammable gas materials.
- Use any spark-producing machine or device such as drills, grinders, etc. or flash photography inside the plant or hydrocarbon area.
- Hot tapping activity.
Fire Watch Responsibility
Fire Watch must be an employee who is trained and certified by the EHSS department. Fire Watch is responsible and authorized to immediately stop hot work if hazardous conditions arise. His role includes:
- Monitor flammable and combustible, spark containment and any abnormal events.
- Be familiar with the area and potential hazards and know how to get assistance in an emergency.
- Stop hot work if a fire (or unsafe situation) is observed, notify the operations supervisor and initiate appropriate operations.
- Monitors hot work area for changing conditions and watches for fires, extinguishing them if possible.
- Make sure the area is covered with a fire blanket and all openings in the immediate area to control sparks and slag.
- Each time a fire watch leaves the activity area, the work must stop or be entrusted to another qualified fire watch.
- The fire watch must remain in the hot workplace for at least 30 min. after completion of work.
Electrical work permit
Work on, with, or in the vicinity of a live electrical installation, such as test and measurement, repair, replacement, modification, addition, assembly, maintenance, and inspection using the electrical work permit).
The Electrical Work Permit is to, Safeguard the work of authorized personnel to avoid an unexpected power outage that affects the normal operation of the plant and prevent unexpected incidents during the restoration of energy also during the Isolation and Restoration of Transformer Feeders, Switchgear, Motors and Transfer of Automatic Transfer Switches or other electrical equipment.
This section provides additional requirements for electrical work permits to cover related electrical hazards in support of a hazard assessment and control form.
Confined Space Entry Permit
This unit will establish the minimum requirements for a Confined Space Entry Permit to protect personnel from hazards such as oxygen deficiency, toxic materials, flammable substances and energy, or moving parts of power-driven equipment when working in confined spaces, as well as rescue requirements using the Confined Space Entry Work Permit.
Confined Space is any enclosed space (although not always fully enclosed) that has a limited opening for entry and exit; presents serious hazards to occupants, or is not intended for continuous employee occupancy.
The space is large enough and configured to allow entry (including partial entry) of personnel for the performance of an assigned task. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to, storage tanks, process vessels, ventilation and exhaust ducts, manholes, wells, and excavations deeper than 1.2 meters.
Confined space work permit package
- Blind list
- P&ID
- Formal JSA
- Approved rescue plan
- Approved ventilation plan
Excavation Work Permits
Excavation is understood as any activity in which the soil surface is penetrated from a depth of 10 cm. Excavation authorization must be obtained and approved before an excavation work permit.
All underground areas and services, including foundations, pipes, cables, drains, and channels, must be identified (e.g., through P&ID, site and floor design drawings) as part of the process for obtaining an excavation permit for the specified work area. This is to make people aware of underground risks before opening the ground.
The Excavation Work Permit is a basic Assessment to carry out excavation work. If this Permit does not cover the full risk of the specified activities, a formal JSA must be completed as directed. The decision on the formal JSA requirement will be the responsibility of the permit issuer if:
- The possibility of an oxygen-deficient or hazardous atmosphere developing within the excavation.
- The potential for collapse of the excavation and/or groundwater.
Excavations deeper than 4 feet (1.2 meters) will be considered work that requires a Confined Space Entry Permit in addition to the Excavation Work Permit.
Radiation work permit
To minimize exposure to any amount of radiation. A radiation safety officer (RSO) is responsible for monitoring radiation levels around the controlled area.
Controlled area: it will be established in places where workers may be exposed to a dose limit higher than 3/10 of the occupational exposure limit (3µSv/h).
Radiation safety officer (RSO): A person who has been selected to be responsible for overseeing radiation safety in the organization.
Radiography: The examination of materials by non-destructive methods using radioactive isotopes or X-ray generating equipment.
Lifting permit
This section establishes the requirements for permit-to-work controlled lifting operations under SABIC lifesaving rules and with the primary objective of protecting personnel from injury and property from damage using the permit-to-work lifting organization, including SABIC, contractors and subcontractors. SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10
They are responsible for maintaining auditable records of lifting equipment certification and competencies of persons involved in the lift (including appropriate certifications/licenses for the task as required by local regulations). SABIC Work Permit SHEMs 8.10
A lifting permit must be issued before the entry of the lifting equipment into the classified area to consider the potential fire ignition hazard of the lifting equipment.
High-pressure Jetting work permit
This section provides the requirements for HP Sandblasting and hydro-jetting Work activities using the High-Pressure jetting Work Permit.
Conclusion
The SABIC Unified Work Permit System (UWPS) is a set of procedures designed to ensure the safe execution of work activities in SABIC facilities. The UWPS is based on the principles of formal job safety analysis, hazard assessment control, permit, and plan.
The UWPS requires that all work activities that pose a risk to personnel or the environment be authorized by a work permit. Work permits are issued by a designated UWPS issuer, who is responsible for ensuring that the work activity is safe to perform.
The UWPS includes several specific procedures for isolating and verifying the safety of work areas. These procedures include:
- Lockout/Tagout: This procedure is used to isolate energy sources in a work area.
- Isolation of Hazardous Materials: This procedure is used to isolate hazardous materials from a work area.
- Verification of Isolation: This procedure is used to verify that energy sources and hazardous materials have been properly isolated.
- Safe Work Practices: This procedure is used to ensure that work activities are performed safely.
