Product Overview

Summary: This Permit to Work in Drilling Areas Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, defensible process for authorising and controlling work in and around drilling operations. It helps Australian businesses manage high-risk activities, coordinate multiple contractors, and maintain strict WHS compliance in complex, high‑hazard drilling environments.

Drilling areas are among the most hazardous workplaces, with simultaneous operations, heavy mobile plant, high-pressure systems, flammable substances and constantly changing ground conditions. Without a robust Permit to Work (PTW) system, routine tasks such as maintenance, hot work, confined space entry or isolation of plant can quickly escalate into serious incidents. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, end‑to‑end framework for assessing, approving, coordinating and closing out permitted work in drilling areas, ensuring that no task proceeds without proper planning, communication and risk control.

Developed for Australian drilling, mining, quarrying, and energy operations, the SOP defines clear roles, approval thresholds and verification steps so that supervisors and permit issuers know exactly what is required before work starts. It integrates hazard identification, risk assessment, isolation and lock-out, simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) management, and pre‑start briefings into a single, repeatable process. By implementing this procedure, businesses can demonstrate due diligence under WHS legislation, reduce permit-related conflicts and misunderstandings, and create a consistent standard for all personnel and contractors working in and around drilling areas.

Key Benefits

• Ensure high-risk work in drilling areas is only carried out under a controlled, documented Permit to Work system.
• Reduce the likelihood of collisions, struck-by incidents and loss of containment through structured planning and coordination of activities.
• Standardise how supervisors, permit issuers and contractors identify hazards, apply controls and verify isolations before work begins.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and industry expectations for managing high-risk drilling operations.
• Improve communication between drilling crews, maintenance teams and contractors through clear pre-start briefings and permit handover requirements.

Who is this for?

• Drilling Supervisors
• Rig Managers
• WHS Managers
• HSE Advisors
• Site Managers
• Permit to Work Coordinators
• Operations Managers
• Contractor Supervisors
• Maintenance Planners
• Project Engineers

Hazards Addressed

• Uncontrolled interaction between drilling rigs, support vehicles and pedestrians
• Contact with moving or rotating drilling equipment (rotary tables, drill strings, top drives)
• Uncontrolled release of pressure from drilling fluids, compressed air or hydraulics
• Ignition of flammable gases, vapours or fuels during hot work in drilling areas
• Falls from height on drill pads, platforms, rigs and access structures
• Entrapment, crush and pinch injuries during rig-up, rig-down and pipe handling
• Exposure to hazardous substances such as drilling fluids, cuttings and diesel exhaust
• Ground instability, slips, trips and falls on uneven, wet or contaminated surfaces
• Simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) conflicts between drilling, lifting, maintenance and blasting activities
• Inadequate isolation and lock-out of energy sources prior to maintenance or repair

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Drilling Areas and Permit Types)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Authority Levels
• 4.0 Activities Requiring a Permit to Work in Drilling Areas
• 5.0 Permit to Work Workflow (Issue, Extension, Suspension and Closure)
• 6.0 Pre-Permit Planning, Risk Assessment and SIMOPS Review
• 7.0 Isolation, Lock-Out/Tag-Out and Verification Requirements
• 8.0 Controls for Common High-Risk Tasks (Hot Work, Confined Space, Working at Height, Lifting Operations)
• 9.0 Site Access, Barricading and Exclusion Zone Requirements in Drilling Areas
• 10.0 Communication, Pre-Start Briefings and Toolbox Talks
• 11.0 Contractor Management and Interface with Drilling Crews
• 12.0 Monitoring, Permit Auditing and Non-Compliance Management
• 13.0 Emergency Response, Permit Suspension and Reinstatement
• 14.0 Training, Competency and Authorisation of Permit Issuers and Holders
• 15.0 Recordkeeping, Documentation and Retention Requirements
• 16.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement of the Permit to Work System

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Confined spaces
• AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still widely referenced)
• ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS 2865:2009 Confined spaces
• AS 4024 series – Safety of machinery
• Relevant state-based mining and petroleum safety legislation and guidelines (e.g. NSW Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014, Qld Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017)