7 Stop Work Authority

Most companies have Stop Work Authority or Command. Meaning that anyone, at any time can call out a stop work command when they see something unsafe.

When should a Stop Work Command be issued?

A stop work command can be issued under the following conditions:

1. Sudden change in weather conditions
2. Alarms
3. Generally unsafe conditions
4. Missing protective equipment
5. Malfunctioning equipment
6. Near-miss accident

What should be done once a stop work command is issued?

1. STOP – equipment should stop running, and workers should but themselves and equipment in a safe off position
2. NOTIFY – Notify affected personnel of the stop work put into place, and halt all activities associated with the work area in question if necessary. Make the area(s) as safe as possible by removing all personnel.
3. INVESTIGATE – Affected personnel will review and discuss the situation at hand. If all parties agree that the situation is safe to proceed, work may be resumed. If there are differing opinions on the safety of the activity or environment in question, it may be necessary to call someone higher up in the chain of command.
4. CORRECT – Before an employee(s) may restart work, all conditions that posed a threat must be modified and repaired to ensure the danger is no longer a threat. In alignment with the corrections outlined in the Stop Work Issuance Form, any updates to an affected area(s) should be made by the proper personnel.
5. RESUME – When the affected area(s) has been inspected and deemed safe, work may resume. This should only happen after all corrective actions implemented have been made known to the affected personnel.
6. FOLLOW UP – Following up with the correct personnel to monitor the effectiveness of the stop work policy’s changes is a crucial step in understanding if the issue has been correctly abated. It is prudent to ensure corrective actions were put into place and that they have effectively resolved the issue. If further investigation is necessary, corrective actions may be required to identify root cause issues.

When a worker sees something unsafe or suspicious, they can initiate the WIN protocol. This is adjacent to the Stop work command. Remember to WIN when you see something unsafe or out of the ordinary

W – warn others of the potential danger/ issue

I – Isolate the issue and make sure that no one is able to go near

N – Notify the correct personnel to deal with the issue. Make sure that you confirm they are going to handle the situation and wait to hand off the situation to them