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Summary: High-risk operations demand Control of Work because hazardous tasks cannot be managed through isolated safety processes alone. By connecting planning, authorization, risk controls and work execution, Control of Work helps organizations reduce the likelihood of incidents while maintaining operational control.
High-risk work rarely depends on a single process to ensure worker safety. A maintenance shutdown, confined space entry or hot work activity may involve a variety of risk assessments, approvals, competency verifications and shift handovers, all of which must connect to ensure the job is completed safely.
However, these complex, hazardous jobs are often managed across different teams, systems or workflows. When information becomes disconnected, organizations can lose visibility into critical hazards and changing work conditions.
A Control of Work process layers these essential assessment, permitting, and handover processes, helping organizations plan, authorize, execute and monitor high-risk work with greater consistency and oversight.
Control of Work is a systematic approach to planning, authorizing, performing and closing high-risk work activities. While the specific aspects vary based on operational and risk-based differences, a comprehensive Control of Work program typically includes the following components:
| Component | Purpose |
| Integrated Safety Plan | Serves as the coordinating layer between the components below |
| Job Hazard Analysis | Identifies job related hazards and critical controls |
| Lockout/Tagout | Prevents the unintended release of hazardous energy |
| Permit to Work | Ensures work is authorized and performed under defined conditions |
| Shift Handover | Transfers critical work and risk information between shifts |
| Workplace Risk Assessment | Assesses ongoing risks and conflicting work that may cause new hazards
|
Individually, each process helps manage one part of high-risk work, but together, they create a connected system that provides the necessary oversight of work from start to finish.
While Control of Work is valuable across many sectors, it is particularly important in industries where hazardous tasks are commonly carried out.
Industry | Examples of High-Risk Work | Why Control of Work Matters |
Confined spaces, blasting, excavations | Coordinates complex work and helps manage multiple simultaneous hazards | |
Work at height, excavation, electrical work, contractor activities | Improves oversight of changing work environments and subcontractors | |
Maintenance, hot work, machine isolation, chemical handling | Strengthens operational efficiency and supports safe maintenance activities | |
Electrical switching, permit-controlled maintenance, shutdown work | Helps manage hazardous energy and critical infrastructure risks | |
Fleet maintenance, loading operations, fuel handling | Improves visibility into hazardous tasks and contractor activities | |
Engineering | Inspection work, structural assessments, marine operations | Supports planning and authorization of specialized high-risk work |
High-risk work often involves multiple hazards, work groups, contractors and approvals. Without a structured way to manage all related processes, critical information can be missed and workers may operate with incomplete knowledge of site conditions.
Many organizations either use a permit to work system in place of a comprehensive Control of Work process or have individual pieces of Control of Work in place. The challenge is that those processes often operate independently or don’t have purposeful connections built in to better manage the overall work.
For example, risk assessments may be managed in one system. Permits may exist on paper. Contractor records may be maintained elsewhere. Shift handovers may rely on email, spreadsheets or verbal communication.
This fragmentation creates operational blind spots. Consequences, like the following, can stem from disconnected processes:
Control of Work brings these processes together into a coordinated system, helping organizations maintain operational control while ensuring work is performed safely and consistently.
Building a mature Control of Work program requires creating alignment between people, processes and data.
Organizations should take steps to:
Establish consistent processes for risk assessments, permits, isolation management and work authorization across sites and teams.
Risk assessments should directly inform permit requirements, control measures and work approvals.
Contractor qualifications, training records and approvals should be accessible during the planning and authorization process. Organizations should also put in place procedures to assess ongoing risk related to contractors.
Digital permit systems, mobile inspections and electronic shift handovers help ensure information is available when and where it is needed.
Workers, supervisors and safety teams should be working from the same information, with visibility into permits, hazards, isolations and work status.
Organizations in mining, construction, manufacturing, energy, transportation and engineering face unique operational risks. Managing those risks requires more than individual permits or isolated safety processes.
Control of Work brings together the critical processes that manage high-risk work into a coordinated framework. When these processes are connected, organizations gain greater visibility, stronger risk controls and a more consistent approach to safe work execution.
Want to learn more? For more information, request a demo with one of our EHS specialists.
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