Access permits
An access permit is a class of permit that is designed to manage access to defined areas where work is carried out. Access permits can be used to manage the access of both internal employees and external visitors or contractors.
Some categories of work, such as an inspection, might require that the inspector holds an access permit to gain access to a particular area. Other types of work might require that the access permit is used along with another type of specialist permit or isolation certificate. For example, a welding task might require that the welder holds an access permit and that an isolation certificate is in place for the location.
An issuing authority is responsible for issuing access permits, and a performing authority is responsible for accepting the access permit and carrying out the relevant work.
From the Access Permits application, you can access the inspection work centers and associate inspection forms and results with access permit records.
Starting in 9.2, assign inspections to specific individuals or groups to reduce unnecessary downloads of unassigned inspections to mobile devices. New fields in the inspection results identify the assigned owner and owner group for each inspection. The application uses this information to route inspections to the appropriate person. For more information, see Assigning inspections.
From the procedures tab, you can associate training courses with an access permit and ensure that personnel complete the essential training courses before they are granted an access permit.
Templates for frequently used access permits
When you use the same types of access permits, a template ensures a consistent process and format.
You can create a template from an existing access permit record. Using the List tab, search for an access permit record that corresponds to your current goals, and specify the record as a template. You can also create an access permit record from an existing template.
When you create a record from an existing access permit record, only certain fields and their values are duplicated. Those fields and their values are copied from the originating record to the new record. Templates remain in Draft status.
Extension of access permits
When you want to change the time that is needed to complete the tasks, you can extend the duration beyond the validity of the access permit. Operational rules might dictate that an access permit requires an extension.
When you extend an access permit, an extension number is generated. The extension number starts with 0 and increments by 1 for each subsequent extension. You can extend an active access permit numerous times. For each extension of an access permit, you might want to obtain the essential issuance and acceptance signoffs.
Only a person who is authorized to issue access permits can extend the duration. An access permit that is extended can be approved again to ensure that the associated work processes are still valid.
Access permits and work orders
An access permit is frequently used with one or more work orders. You can create a work order to associate with the access permit.
On the Access Permit tab, you can identify the originating work order, and on the Related Records tab, you can identify more work orders as needed.
You can also generate an access permit based on an existing work order or task. The work order or task might not be associated with a permit or a certificate type. If a work order or task is associated with a permit or a certificate type, the permit or certificate type field is populated when you specify that work order or task.
Access permits and lock management records
You can associate a lock management record with an access permit. On the Closure tab, you can indicate when all locks and keys that are associated with the access permit are returned.
Access permits and related records
When you use an access permit and create another record, such as a defect, you create a follow-up relationship between the two records. In the context of this follow-up relationship, the defect is defined as the follow-up record, and the access permit is the originator. When you create a follow-up record, the asset or the location are copied from the originator to the follow-up record.
You can also relate access permits with permits to work, isolation certificates, work orders, and tickets.
Access permits and simultaneous operations
You might decide to conduct simultaneous operations. Simultaneous operations indicate that separate access permits are assigned to the same area that is associated with a location or a unit. The activities that are associated with access permits must be monitored.
You can identify potential clashes by reviewing the simultaneous operations that are taking place. You can review the access permits that are assigned to the same area, the same unit, or both area and unit. You can review the access permits by running conflict detection on all access permits that are in Issued, Active, and Suspended status, with the criteria that you specify.
Access permits and standard actions
Standard actions can be associated with access permits. Actions can occur either before the start of the work activities or after the work activities begin. You might decide that an access permit is not ready to be issued until certain actions are taken.
You can specify standard actions when the access permit has a status of Draft or Request. After the access permit is approved and the access permit is in Active status, you confirm that the actions apply to the access permit. You cannot add actions when the permit is in Active status.
Access permits and workflow processes
You can create workflow processes that reflect your business processes. A workflow process defines the actions and the notifications that can occur at different points in a business process. You can manage the movement of a record through a process from start to finish. You can instruct individuals to act on records, ensure that individuals act in a timely manner, and ensure that an audit trail exists for each record and process. You use the Workflow application to plan, design, build, test, implement, and manage workflow processes.
For example, for access permits, you can create a workflow process to route the access permit through the review and approval stages. You can have the workflow process notify you when the access permit is approved.