Both the permit-to-work and the job risk assessment are critical procedures designed to ensure that work takes place safely. Both methods involve hazard identification, risk analysis and specifying the necessary precautions to control the risks. Despite both methods seeming to accomplish the same end objective, there are fundamental differences.
Below we will explain the differences between permit-to-work (PTW) and job risk assessments (JRA) and why both procedures are necessary to reduce workplace safety risks.

Permit-to-Work (PTW)
What is Permit-to-Work (PTW)?
Both the permit-to-work and job risk assessment processes are complementary and necessary in order to work safely. To understand a PTW, we first have to understand what it is used for.
A permit-to-work (PTW) is an important document that controls the entire lifecycle of a job, starting with the work planning, the initial permit request, the listing of expected hazards, and the necessary precautions to be taken. The PTW stays valid for the duration of the entire job until the equipment is formally handed back to production and returned to operation.
The permit to work system verifies that all the steps that have been set-out are being followed correctly. The responsible persons must sign the document at the different stages of the permit life cycle.
A well-designed PTW system will help guide the user to follow the necessary procedures in order to work safely. It will also assist in enforcing safety rules and assigning clear accountability between operations and maintenance. It will also clarify the energy isolations necessary and identify all the precautions necessary for certain high-risk activities such as entering confined spaces or working at height. The PTW will also identify and help control work group interactions where several crews are required to work in adjacent areas or on common systems.
The PTW is a vital part of operational risk management and control of work. The permit essentially assists in identifying, quantifying and mitigating safety-related risk in advance of, during and after work in the field.
Job Risk Assessment (JRA)
What is Job Risk Assessment (JRA)?
The PTW is necessary but not always sufficient in order to ensure people work safely. The other critical safety procedure is known as the job risk assessment (JRA). To understand what a job risk assessment, it is important to first clarify what a job risk assessment is.
The job risk assessment (JRA) is a structured methodology that looks at the steps that will be needed to complete the job, the specific hazards associated with each step, the associated safety risks and the safety controls necessary to work safely. Depending on the industry and organisation terminology, the JRA is sometimes referred to as the point of work risk assessment (POWRA) or job hazard analysis (JHA).
In this article the JRA is prepared at the equipment location, just ahead of the work proceeding. However, in practice a draft JRA might first be prepared ahead of time by a team of specialists together with the preparation of the permit to work. A JRA might also use a pre-defined template. It is vital that when the JRA is prepared ahead of time, it is still verified at the location by the worksite supervisor and the team who will be doing the maintenance work.
To explain the difference, and thus the relationship, between JRA and PTW, it is beneficial to consider a simple example. This example is of a maintenance team installing scaffolding to replace old lagging located at the top of a high-temperature reactor. The team will have obtained a PTW in advance of the job. The PTW will identify the hazards (in this example, working at height and high temperature).
The permit will also show the precautions to be taken (e.g., the incoming steam valve must be isolated, the reactor must have cooled to less than 30 degrees, prescribed wearing of a harness when on the scaffold structure and the use of leather gloves for protection). The production superintendent will have signed the permit, and after preliminary preparations, he will hand over the reactor to the maintenance crew for work to proceed.
When the maintenance crew arrives at the reactor to set up the scaffold, they discover that several cylinders of welding gas are standing at the base of the reactor. They are in the way of the work crew. The cylinders were missed during the permit handover because they had been delivered while the crew was getting their tools and equipment. The gas cylinders were left there by another team, unaware of the scaffolding work about to take place in the same space.
How Job Risk Assessment Is Part Of The Process
Continuing with the example, this is where the JRA becomes a critical step in the process. A JRA is done at the worksite by the people directly involved in doing the job. The JRA is intended to identify any potential hazards relating to the actual site conditions. It is the final step in assessing potential safety risk before work commences. It is important to note the relationship between hazards, controls and safety risks. The JRA will also ensure that any additional precautions are implemented before anyone is potentially exposed to new, unexpected hazards within the work environment.
In our example, the person completing the JRA will record the new hazard which has been identified in the risk management process, namely gas cylinders in the immediate vicinity. He will then have to mitigate the identified risk. Working between gas cylinders is an unnecessary hazard to the free movement to install the scaffold. In our example, the supervisor decides to instruct the operations team first to remove the gas cylinders before his crew can commence work.
Table of Key Differences Between PTW and JRA:
PTW | JRA | |
When | Applies to the whole job from job initiation/planning to handover back to operations. | Verified at the worksite just ahead of the work taking place. |
Where | Often issues from a central permit office located some distance from the job site itself. | In the field where work is to take place. |
By Whom | All role-players including operations, maintenance, permit officer, isolation officer and other. | Filled in by the designated leader of the working party. All workers then also sign the JRA to confirm that they have reviewed and are satisfied that work can take place safely. |
Rules/Checks Applied | Safe work rules are prescribed by procedures and may be printed on the permit certificate. | The JRA relies on the experienced judgment of the working party at the work site itself. Combined with supporting information from the permit certificate. |
The Combined Processes | Integrating JRA with Permit-to-Work Management
There’s some duplication between the PTW and the JRA. For example, the hazards shown on the permit should also be identified in the JRA. But the JRA is intended to also identify other hazards that might have been missed when the permit was prepared.
The permit will specify specific precautions which are later found to be incorrect or conflicting. For example, wearing thick leather gloves might not be practical when using small tools, and this requirement might need to be updated for specific steps in the procedure.
These and many other scenarios are possible in a typical production environment and cannot be foreseen when preparing the permit. Therefore, the JRA and the PTW must function seamlessly together to ensure all risk is considered and double-checked.
A computer-based PTW and JRA system will have many advantages compared to a paper-based system. Many organisations issue a computer-based permit and fill out the JRA manually using pre-printed forms. However, there are significant benefits to digitising the whole process.
For example, the information provided on the permit can be automatically checked against pre-defined safe work rules to ensure its integrity and then later cross-checked against the data entered in the JRA. The system can immediately flag any inconsistencies to prevent errors or oversights.
Another advantage to using a mobile device for the JRA is that the device will also usually also have a camera that can be used to record details of the worksite and scan bar codes to verify the location, the isolations and even the equipment about to be worked on. There are many other advantages to a fully computerised system; for example, important engineering information and maintenance procedures can be delivered to the technicians through a tablet.
The above example illustrates several differences and similarities between a permit-to-work (PTW) and a job risk assessment (JRA). In short, both are essential tools to ensure that people work safely. A fully digital solution will have many benefits and ensure that risk is better managed.
Manage JRA using the IntelliPERMIT Mobile App
IntelliPERMIT Mobile is a companion software application which includes Safety Management, Isolation Management and Risk Management that extends and enhances the functionality of IntelliPERMIT to teams working in the field. This further enhances safety by taking into account changing local factors and conditions that were not considered when preparing and monitoring the original permit.
IntelliPERMIT’s mobile app and software includes job risk assessment (JRA) functionality. This allows work teams to do JRA’s in the field just before work takes place. They also then benefit from the enhanced information and controls possible from an integrated computer-based system. To learn more about IntelliPERMIT’s capabilities, click here.
IntelliPERMIT Mobile includes functionality to authorise specific steps relating to a permit, as well as performing a Job Risk Assessment (JRA) from a mobile device in the field. IntelliPERMIT Mobile includes additional checks to ensure the integrity of the process is not compromised while working remotely.
IntelliPERMIT Mobile empowers teams in the field to work more safely, become more productive while greatly improving the visibility of work in progress.
Conclusion
Understanding the distinct roles of Permit-to-Work (PTW) and Job Risk Assessment (JRA) is essential for ensuring workplace safety and operational efficiency. While both processes aim to mitigate risks, their integration offers a comprehensive safety management solution. To discover how IntelliPERMIT can enhance your safety procedures and streamline operations, request a demo today and experience the benefits firsthand.