Electronic Permit Boards: Turning Permit Data into Real-Time Operational Awareness
Permit to Work systems exist to control risk, but control depends on visibility.
In many organisations, permits are technically “in place”, yet the people who need oversight still rely on whiteboards, printed permit lists, verbal updates at shift handover, or walking between offices to check status. That approach works, until it doesn’t. As sites become busier and work becomes more interconnected, the challenge is no longer issuing permits, but understanding what is happening right now.
This is where the Electronic Permit Board earns its keep.
What Is an Electronic Permit Board?
An Electronic Permit Board is a live, digital view of permit activity, showing the status of all permits across a site or operation in real time.
Rather than replacing the Permit to Work system, the board surfaces permit data in a way that people can quickly understand, whether they are supervisors, control room staff, safety teams, or operations managers.
In Pisys, the permit board is not a separate tool, it is a visual layer on top of the Permit to Work system, always reflecting the current state of work.
Why Traditional Permit Visibility Falls Short
Paper permits and static lists struggle because they:
- Go out of date almost immediately
- Rely on manual updates
- Don’t scale well across large or complex sites
- Make SIMOPS difficult to spot
- Create gaps at shift handover
The result is often partial visibility - everyone knows their own permit, but no one sees the whole picture.
An electronic permit board solves this by providing a single, shared source of truth.
What Information Is Shown on an Electronic Permit Board?
At its core, a permit board displays live permit data, such as:
- Permit number or reference
- Permit type (for example hot work or confined space)
- Location or work area
- Status (draft, awaiting approval, active, suspended, closed)
- Permit owner and authoriser
- Start and expiry times
Because the data is pulled directly from the permit system, it updates automatically as permits are issued, approved, suspended or closed.
Different Ways to Display Permit Data
One of the strengths of an electronic permit board is flexibility. Different roles need different views, and the same data can be displayed in several useful ways.
1. Board View (Digital Whiteboard Style)
This is the most familiar format for teams transitioning from physical boards.
How it works:
- Permits are shown as rows or cards
- Colour-coding indicates status (for example active, expired or suspended)
- Filters allow users to focus on specific areas or permit types
Best for:
- Control rooms
- Permit offices
- Shift handovers
This view gives a quick “at a glance” understanding of site activity.
2. Location-Based View
Permits are grouped by area, asset or zone rather than by time or type.
How it works:
- Each location shows which permits are active
- Multiple permits in the same area are clearly visible
- Conflicting activities are easier to spot
Best for:
- Managing SIMOPS
- Area supervisors
- Large or multi-zone sites
This approach helps teams understand where work is happening, not just what type of work it is.
3. Timeline or Shift View
This display focuses on when permits are active.
How it works:
- Permits appear along a time axis
- Start and expiry times are visually obvious
- Upcoming expiries are easy to spot
Best for:
- Shift planning
- Avoiding permit overruns
- Managing handovers
This is particularly useful where permits must be revalidated or reauthorised at shift change.
4. Filtered Role-Based Views
Electronic permit boards can be filtered by:
- User role
- Permit type
- Area
- Status
Examples:
- A supervisor sees only permits in their area
- authoriser sees permits awaiting approval
- A safety manager sees all high-risk permits
This reduces noise and helps people focus on what matters to them.
5. Large Screen / Control Room Display
On many sites, the permit board is displayed on a large shared screen.
Why this works well:
- Everyone sees the same information
- Changes are visible immediately
- It supports quick discussions and decisions
These screens often become the reference point for daily operations and shift briefings.
How Electronic Permit Boards Improve Safety and Coordination
When permit data is visible and up to date, teams can:
- Spot conflicting work before it becomes risky
- Avoid accidental overlaps
- Respond faster when conditions change
- Make better decisions during busy periods
This is especially important when managing SIMOPS, where individual permits may be safe on their own, but unsafe in combination.
Electronic Boards and Shift Handover
Shift handover is one of the most vulnerable points in any operation.
An electronic permit board supports handover by:
- Showing all active permits clearly
- Reducing reliance on verbal updates
- Ensuring nothing is “missed” between shifts
Instead of asking “What’s still open?”, incoming teams can see it instantly.
The Pisys Approach to Electronic Permit Boards
In Pisys, the electronic permit board is designed to:
- Reflect the live state of permits automatically
- Avoid duplicate data entry
- Support multiple display styles from the same data
- Work across desktop, tablet and large screens
Because it is part of the Permit to Work system, the board always stays aligned with what is actually authorised.
Final Thoughts: Visibility Enables Control
Electronic Permit Boards don’t change permit rules or processes — they change how clearly people understand them.
By turning permit data into a shared, real-time view, organisations move from reactive checks and fragmented updates to situational awareness, better communication and safer, more confident operations.
If permits control risk, then permit visibility controls understanding, and understanding is what keeps complex work safe.
Electronic Permit Boards don’t change permit rules or processes, they change how clearly people understand them.
By turning permit data into a shared, real-time view, organisations move from reactive checks and fragmented updates to situational awareness, better communication and safer, more confident operations.
If permits control risk, then permit visibility controls understanding, and understanding is what keeps complex work safe.
