This article describes the role of Permit-to-Work (PTW) as a safety tool, highlighting its limitations based on users’ experiences in real work situations. This research was developed within the context of an intervention project conducted using a quantitative-qualitative methodology to assess the level of safety culture in an oil and gas industry, and after a diagnosis promote interventions to increase the safety culture. In this context the specific objective of this article is to explore the different logics of PTW used in those units and develop a critical analysis of its current functioning in two studied units of an oil and gas industry. The effectiveness of the document in promoting safety is questioned when viewed in light of the decisions made in day-to-day work, revealing a delicate balance between quality and quantity in operational routines. Based on the data obtained, it was possible to discuss the key concepts as: partial logic of use, collective strategies to manage the PTW and the bureaucracy involved in preparing and using the tool, in the PTW process, aiming to indicate pathways for effective changes.