A control of work procedure is a documented process for planning, authorizing, coordinating, and closing work so people understand its scope, hazards, controls, and responsibilities before tasks begin. It is commonly used for higher-risk or non-routine work, and should connect the work plan to the site’s actual hazards, permit requirements, and emergency arrangements.
What a Control of Work Procedure Covers
“Control of work” is a broad management approach rather than one universal form or rule. Organizations use it to make sure work is properly defined, assessed, authorized, carried out under agreed conditions, and formally handed back. A procedure may apply to employees, contractors, or both, and should explain who can request, review, approve, supervise, and close work.
The process is especially important when a job could affect other people, equipment, or operations. Examples include maintenance on operating equipment, work at height, confined-space entry, hot work, excavation, electrical isolation, and simultaneous activities in the same area. The particular controls depend on the task and applicable workplace rules; not every job needs the same permit or approval.
How the Procedure Works
A sound process follows the job from its initial request through completion. The names of roles and forms vary, but the main stages are usually:
- Request and define the work. Record what needs doing, where, when, by whom, and on which equipment or area. Describe the intended outcome and boundaries so the work does not expand informally.
- Assess hazards and plan controls. Identify task-specific hazards, affected people, nearby activities, required competence, tools, protective equipment, and emergency arrangements. Decide whether a separate permit, isolation certificate, or specialist review is required.
- Coordinate and authorize. Check operating conditions, access, conflicting work, and the availability of controls. An authorized person confirms that prerequisites are met and sets any limits, conditions, or expiry time.
- Brief the work team. Explain the job, hazards, controls, stop-work conditions, communications, and what to do if the plan changes. Workers should have a chance to ask questions and confirm their understanding.
- Carry out and monitor. Keep the work within the approved scope and conditions. The responsible supervisor monitors changes in the worksite or process and pauses the task if controls are missing or conditions become unsafe.
- Close and hand back. Confirm people and tools are clear, temporary safeguards are dealt with appropriately, equipment or the area is inspected, and the receiving person understands its condition. Close permits and record outstanding defects or restrictions.
Authorization is not a substitute for safe execution. If the job, location, equipment state, or surrounding work changes materially, the team should stop and have the plan reviewed before continuing.
Core Roles and Records
Clear accountability prevents gaps. A work requester defines the need; a planner or risk assessor develops the job plan; an authorizing person verifies prerequisites and grants permission; and a supervisor ensures the team follows the conditions. Workers remain responsible for following instructions, using required controls, and raising concerns. In smaller workplaces, one person may hold more than one role, but the procedure should still make each responsibility clear.
Records may include a work request, risk assessment, method statement, permit, isolation record, toolbox briefing, inspection, and close-out. Keep only records that serve a clear purpose, and make them available to the people who need them. A permit should state its scope and validity, not act as a general approval for unrelated work.
Common Problems and Practical Checks
Typical weaknesses include vague job descriptions, copied risk assessments that do not match site conditions, unclear permit ownership, poor coordination between contractors and operations, and work continuing after its assumptions change. Another frequent misconception is that a signed permit makes a hazardous task safe by itself. It does not: safeguards must be implemented, checked, and maintained at the worksite.
- Use specific equipment and location identifiers rather than broad labels such as “repair pump.”
- Check whether nearby work creates a combined hazard, such as hot work near flammable materials or maintenance that affects an operating system.
- State who can suspend work and how the team will communicate a change or emergency.
- Do not restart after a shift change, interruption, or changed condition until the required review and re-briefing are complete.
- Review close-out information so defects, incomplete work, and temporary restrictions are not lost during handover.
Procedures should be reviewed after significant changes, incidents, or recurring failures, as well as at the organization’s planned review intervals. The goal is a process people can follow at the point of work, not paperwork that merely records approval.
Control of Work Template
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Work request or reference | |
| Work description and limits | |
| Location and equipment identification | |
| Requester and contact | |
| Work team and supervisor | |
| Planned start and finish | |
| Hazards identified | |
| Controls and required protective equipment | |
| Permits, isolations, or specialist checks required | |
| Nearby work and coordination arrangements | |
| Emergency and stop-work arrangements | |
| Authorization, name, and time | |
| Team briefing confirmation | |
| Completion, inspection, and handback details | |
| Outstanding issues or restrictions |
Sample — fictional details: Work reference: CW-104. Work: inspect a workshop ventilation fan, unit VF-2. Location: North workshop. Hazard: unexpected electrical start-up. Control: isolate and verify the equipment is de-energized under the site isolation process. Supervisor: Alex Example. Planned period: 12 May, 09:00–11:00. Close-out: tools removed; unit condition and any defects reported to the area operator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a control of work procedure the same as a permit-to-work system?
A permit-to-work system can be one part of control of work. The broader procedure also covers planning, risk assessment, coordination, briefing, monitoring, and handback. A permit records authorization and conditions for specified work; it does not replace those other steps.
Which jobs need formal authorization?
That depends on the workplace, task hazards, and applicable requirements. Organizations commonly require formal permits for certain high-risk activities, but should define triggers in their own procedure rather than assume every task—or only a familiar list of tasks—has the same risk.
Who is responsible for approving the work?
The organization’s procedure should identify an authorized person with suitable knowledge and authority to check the plan and prerequisites. The supervisor and workers also have responsibilities during execution; approval does not transfer all safety responsibility to the approver.
What should happen if conditions change?
Pause the work, make the area safe as appropriate, and notify the responsible supervisor or authorizer. Reassess the changed conditions, revise the plan or authorization if needed, and brief the team before work resumes.
How often should a control of work procedure be reviewed?
Set a planned review interval suited to the organization and its requirements, and review sooner after major operational changes, incidents, audit findings, or evidence that workers cannot use the process effectively. Follow any applicable regulatory or internal review requirements.
If a particular task has legal or regulatory requirements that are unclear, ask a qualified safety professional or relevant authority.