Prevention plan software: digitising the safety of your operations
Work carried out by external contractors is common in industry. This may involve maintenance operations or new construction projects involving several contractors. In these situations where multiple contractors are working on site, coordination is essential to prevent risks and comply with regulatory requirements. The risk prevention plan serves as the key document for organising these operations. However, managing it can become complex, particularly if Word documents or Excel spreadsheets are used indiscriminately. Risk prevention planning software therefore enables information to be centralised and the entire process to be secured.
What is a prevention plan?
A prevention plan (PDP) is a risk assessment and prevention document drawn up when one or more external contractors (EC) are working on the premises of a client organisation (CO). Its purpose is to identify the risks associated with interference between the activities of the various organisations, and to define the preventive measures to be implemented to protect those involved. Such interference may give rise to additional risks. These are in addition to the risks specific to each activity.
Indeed, interference between the activities, equipment or facilities of the various contractors can give rise to additional risks. These are in addition to those specific to each activity. The risk prevention plan relating to the involvement of external contractors is governed by the Labour Code and Decree No. 92-158. It must be drawn up in writing where the expected duration of the work exceeds 400 hours over a twelve-month period, or where the work to be carried out is classified as a hazardous activity as defined by the Order of 19 March 1993. Each major operation requires one or more risk prevention plans, work permits, PPSPS files and daily coordination between internal and external parties.
Depending on the nature and conditions of each operation, various documents and preventive measures may be required, including prevention plans, work permits, or – for construction sites subject to health and safety coordination – specific health and safety plans (PPSPS). Their implementation also involves regular coordination between internal staff and external contractors.
For a long time, prevention plans were managed:
Using Word or Excel documents stored in shared folders;
Using PDF files sent by email, printed for signature, then archived;
Using paper checklists to carry out the joint preliminary inspection.
As long as we are talking about just a few operations a year, this approach can remain manageable. However, as soon as the number of interventions runs into the tens or even hundreds, the client organisation finds itself faced with wasted time, duplication of effort and risks of non-compliance.
What features should good risk prevention planning software offer?
Here are the key features of good risk prevention plan software:
Software with compliant and customisable risk prevention plan templates
Risk prevention plan software must provide digital risk prevention plan templates that comply with the regulatory framework.
Each digital risk prevention plan must contain information on the user company, external contractors, a description of the operation, a risk analysis, a list of hazardous tasks, preventive measures and signatures.
These templates must be:
customisable according to your sector (chemicals, energy, nuclear, agri-food, construction, shipbuilding, rail, etc.);
adaptable by site, workshop, production line or geographical area;
reusable from one operation to another (standard operations, recurring projects, regular contractors).
The idea is to use a template that the software guides you through completing, to make it easier to manage and update prevention plans.
A collaborative software solution that will enable the various internal and external stakeholders to jointly develop the prevention plan and provide all the necessary information and documents
Software that enables the standardisation and modelling of a uniform process for all those involved in drafting prevention plans
The software will also centralise all information and documents relating to prevention plans, as well as providing comprehensive archiving of this data.
Software that enables the management of all prevention plans, regardless of the company’s organisational structure (multi-entity, multi-site, multi-activity, etc.), but also by type, client, etc.
A digital risk prevention plan for managing work permits and concurrent operations
The risk prevention plan is closely linked to work permits (fire permits, electrical and mechanical lock-out/tag-out permits, confined space permits, etc.). A suitable software solution must include:
a dedicated work permit module linked to the risk prevention plan;
libraries of standard work procedures and associated risks;
workflows for validating, renewing or closing permits.
This facilitates the transition from fragmented management (loose sheets, separate forms) to a comprehensive overview of collaboration, thereby enabling key questions to be answered. What work is currently underway? Which permits are active? Where are the areas requiring vigilance on site?
An electronic signature integrated into the digital risk prevention plan
The approval of a risk prevention plan requires the signature of the user company, external companies and their subcontractors. However, the process is lengthy and tedious when carried out on paper, as it is prone to errors and difficult to track.
Risk prevention plan software should offer the following features:
a reliable electronic signature that complies with current regulations;
time-stamping for approvals, amendments and modifications;
automatic archiving in PDF or an equivalent format, accessible for audits, inspections or investigations.
With just a few clicks, the electronic signature becomes a simple and traceable step in the workflow.
Turning the risk prevention plan into a tool for managing operations
The main change brought about by risk prevention plan software is the shift from a document-based approach to one focused on managing operations.
Centralising external contractors, work activities and sites
Imagine a complex industrial environment in which you manage multiple external contractors, operations across different sites, and worksites involving different service providers. In this context, the risk prevention plan software enables you to:
centralise the database of external contractors (contact details, authorisations, work history);
display all current prevention plans, whether by site or by sector;
monitor projects and operations on a day-to-day basis, tracking the status of prevention plans and work permits.
For an HSE or maintenance manager, this provides an overview of concurrent activities on site, which is difficult to obtain using standard office software:
Managing prevention plans, amendments and inspections
The prevention plan software enables real-time management of work delays, changes to the schedule, the addition of new equipment, or the revision of a safety configuration.
The prevention plan can be updated within the application. Amendments are tracked. You can see who modified the document, when and why. Joint inspections and coordination meetings can be scheduled. A report is automatically filed in the intervention’s folder.
Reducing duplicate data entry and securing HSE data
Where no dedicated software is available, the same information has to be entered several times: once in the risk prevention plan, once in work permits, once in HSE records or maintenance databases, and yet again in reporting tables. This repetition creates a risk of errors, discrepancies between versions, or simply wasted time re-entering information that already exists.
Prevention plan software puts an end to this process. Master data is recorded once and for all and is then reused for each new intervention. The HSE manager retrieves the information from the repository, supplements or adjusts it if necessary. The document is then formatted automatically.
By structuring the data in this way, the software also facilitates the completion of the DUERP, HSE indicators and reports for senior management. The figures produced are drawn from the same database. They reflect the reality of the work carried out on site. The result? A risk prevention strategy based on reliable and up-to-date information.
How to choose risk prevention plan software?
For an HSE manager or site management, choosing risk prevention plan software is a key decision. The aim is to acquire a tool for managing work carried out by external contractors.
Before comparing solutions, it is useful to clarify a few criteria based on real-world circumstances.
Firstly, functional coverage. The software must manage the entire lifecycle of the risk prevention plan (preparation, approval, monitoring and archiving). It must also integrate with work permits (fire permits, lock-out/tag-out procedures, confined spaces, etc.) and the management of concurrent works, as well as joint inspections and amendments.
Regulatory compliance is another key factor. The solution must enable prevention plans to be structured in accordance with Decree No. 92158 and the relevant articles of the Labour Code, take into account the concept of hazardous work, and facilitate the formalisation of joint inspections. The aim is for the tool to facilitate compliance.
Next comes the question of integration. Risk prevention software must be able to interface with your HSE tools, your maintenance systems (CMMS) and, ultimately, your DUERP. The smoother this integration is, the more you reduce double data entry and create value for all business units.
Finally, adoption on the ground is a decisive factor. Acceptance by maintenance and production teams, as well as external contractors, is facilitated by:
a user-friendly interface;
guided forms;
a library of risks and standard operations;
access via a tablet or smartphone.
Finally, support and guidance must not be overlooked: team training, integration of your existing models, multi-site deployment and a phased roll-out. Good software is also an organisational project, and it must be supported.
Nerya’s risk prevention plan software: ePDP
The e-PdP risk prevention plan software developed by Nerya demonstrates the benefits of a solution designed specifically for sensitive industrial sites.
ePDP has been designed for environments where there are numerous and critical interventions by external contractors: the chemical, energy, mining, metallurgy and nuclear sectors, as well as large process plants… Managing concurrent work and hazardous operations is a key challenge for safety and production continuity in this context.
The software enables the entire lifecycle of the risk prevention plan to be digitised. Data relating to external contractors, sites and operations is centralised in a repository that can be reused from one intervention to the next.
ePDP integrates with Nerya’s other software modules, particularly for the management of work permits and concurrent operations. This continuity ensures consistency between what is decided in the prevention plan, what is authorised via the permits, and what is actually carried out on site.
In short, prevention plan software enables organisations to move from decentralised management using Word and Excel to structured oversight of work carried out by external contractors. By consolidating data, linking prevention plans to work permits and ensuring traceability, it enhances the safety, compliance and efficiency of HSE and maintenance teams. If you would like to see how this model fits into an operational solution, a demonstration of ePDP will give you a practical insight into the digitisation of your risk prevention plans and work permits.
