Posted By Adrian Watson Fred, Yes, it should be closed out. The main purpose of the PTW is to force communication. No work should be allowed in an area where a PTW was in place unless the PTW is signed off as the time may have expired, without the work being completed, with the location still in a dangerous condition. Regards Adrian Watson

Posted By sagalout Forgive me if my memory serves me poorly, but wasn't this type of PTW failure (no positive close out) one of the main concerns post Piper Alpha? Wherever you are using PTW, you have recognised that there is a need for additonal risk control through formalised communciation and clear understanding of safety critical info and the status of key tasks at each stage of that work. The risk of work over-running the close out time and others assuming that it has finished is just one reason why discipline around this area is vital. If you are auditng and find PTW which have not been formally closed out, it tells you the system is failing in practice. "Safety depends on systems" in such circumstances. Either because it is being used where it is not really needed or those using it have become complacent and I do know that is where Piper Alpha started! Pete

Posted By Fredbigfoot Hi guys thanks for your responses... this is confirming what i thought was right ..a colleague assumed!!!(what should you never do) that if the time period and date had lapsed the PTW was no longer of any use...however i had informed him that it is still invaluble as proof of record keeping however if there is no signature ... the record is of no use thanks Fred