Assume every service is live until it's located, isolated and tested. No intrusive work starts on a maybe.
Start safeControl the riskStop when it changes
Scroll the journey
1
When it applies
If you're doing any of this, this guide is in play.
Electrical
Hydraulic
Gas
Communications
Fire
Water
Stormwater
Embedded services
2
Before you start
Before the work begins, the Site Supervisor confirms — and you check your own work area.
Drawings
Scan where required
Isolation points
Lock-out / tag-out
Affected duty holders
3
The controls
Work down the hierarchy — collective protection first, PPE last. PPE never carries the job on its own.
The RPD rule
Use permits and isolation for intrusive work. Lock, tag and test before work. Keep an exclusion zone around live services.
PermitLocateLOTOTest before touchExclusion zoneHold point — never skip
No intrusive work starts until services are located and isolation status is verified.
Locate, isolate, lock, tag and test. A service you can't prove is dead is treated as live.
5
Stop & escalate
See any one of these? The job stops until it's fixed — no exceptions.
- An unidentified service is found
- Isolation cannot be confirmed
Stop work→ tell the Site Supervisor → don't restart until the control is back and the SWMS is reviewed.
6
What gets recorded
The job isn't done until the evidence exists. Live records go in Breadcrumb.
Breadcrumb · live site
- Permits
- SWMS
- Pre-starts & toolbox talks
- Site alerts for isolation / exclusion zones
- Hazard reporting for unidentified services