Question blocks
| Block | Questions |
|---|---|
| General | 15 |
| Lifting operations | 16 |
| Confined space | 12 |
| Work at height | 12 |
| Hazardous energy | 12 |
| Hot work | 10 |
| Excavation and backfill | 10 |
| Hazardous chemicals | 9 |
| Assembly and dismantling | 5 |
| Total | 101 |
Beyond the questions
The form was not only questions: the requesting department, the area, the description and method of the work, potential hazards, the working party, the hazard class of the work area, protective equipment, work equipment, isolation points, earthing points, extension rows, a cancellation and stop-work area, the closing check and emergency contact details.
What the coding is for
The procedure required non-conformities to be reported by code, which makes unique codes mandatory. Measurement found a defect at exactly that point: one block gave the same code to two different questions and carried 13 questions under 12 codes. A record saying "this code failed" could not be traced to a question.
Questions answered at closure
The last five questions of the hazardous energy block were answered at the end of the job, while energy was being restored. The form is therefore not a document completed at the start but a two ended record.
Questions that ask for a name
Some questions asked not for an answer but for a name: attendant, banksman, certified personnel, first aid and fire trained staff. This is where a permit system attaches to competence records — writing the name is not the point; that person's certificate being valid is.