Permit Request
SMU has a Permit Request system that requires approval from the Office of Risk Management before any hazardous work begins. Permit Requests apply to all SMU faculty, staff, and service providers working under contract at SMU-owned or operated facilities.
SMU Permits are not a substitution for a service provider's contractually required safety program. Service providers are responsible for initiating, maintaining, and supervising all safety precautions and program in connection with their work. They are required to take reasonable precautions for the safety of persons performing the work and others who may be affected. They must also provide reasonable protection to prevent damage to property at the site and surrounding area, equipment, materials, tools, etc.
Permit Types
SMU has many confined spaces on campus, most of which do not require a permit. However, before working in any confined space, contractors must complete an SMU Confined Space Permit.
Contractors are responsible for informing their sub-contractors about their own and SMU’s safety procedures and must provide their own equipment related to confined space. For safety questions and concerns, contractors can contact the Office of Risk Management team through their project manager or district manager. All contractors shall be informed of any known hazards and/or past experiences that University employees may have had with the Permit-Required Confined Space to be entered. At the conclusion of a contractor's entry operations, the University's Project Manager shall debrief the contractor regarding the entry procedures used and whether the contractor encountered any hazards that were not known or if any hazards were created during entry.
Contractors must be informed of SMU Campus Emergency Services. Contact the SMU Police Department (214-768-3333) in the event of an emergency. Dialing 911 will delay access to emergency resources.
Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS) are confined spaces with active hazards. If a PRCS permit is needed, please indicate this on the Confined Space Permit. According to OSHA regulations, PRCS must have an on-site confined space rescue team. SMU Risk Management will review and approve the rescue team before issuing a PRCS permit.More information on SMU's Confined Space program is available here.
Hot work involves any activity that produces flames or sparks, such as welding, cutting, brazing, burning, or other spark-producing operations. These activities can be hazardous and may lead to fires, injuries, or explosions.
Hot work permits cannot be requested online. To obtain a hot work permit, visit the Office of Risk Management located at 6300 North Central Expressway.
All operations that contain hazardous energy should be turned off, and physical locks should be used to eliminate the unexpected start of equipment. SMU uses blue identification locks and digital tags to help with lock-out operations, and service providers are expected to use red locks.
No one is permitted to cut a lock-out device on campus unless the process is documented by a representative from the SMU Office of Risk Management.
More information is available here.
Erected scaffolding poses significant hazards to both workers and the general public. If not properly constructed, scaffolding can collapse, cause objects to fall, or even become electrified. Additionally, poorly designed scaffolding can obstruct emergency exits or other critical life-safety devices.
To ensure safety, all erected scaffolding must be inspected daily and signed off by a competent person, even in areas accessible to the general public. Where walk-through passages are permitted, overhead protection must be installed.
More information of SMU's scaffolding program is available here.