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Hot Work ManagementWhen to Get a ‘Hot Work Permit,’ When to Prohibit It Working with ignition sources near flammable materials is referred to as “hot work.” This includes but is not limited to: brazing, cutting, grinding, soldering, torch applied roofing and welding.The definition of hot work can be applied to activities within a facility such as normal manufacturing processes, periodic/planned maintenance activities, new construction work and emergency repairs. Hot work procedures include getting a hot work permit as one of the steps taken to ensure a fire is not started by welding or cutting in areas where there are flammable or combustible materials. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 51B “Fire Prevention in the Use of Cutting and Welding Processes” serves as the basis for the fire codes and many fire prevention practices adopted by industry. What are some precautions to take when working near combustible materials? Make sure that all equipment is in good operating order before work starts. Inspect the work area thoroughly before starting. Look for combustible materials in structures (partitions, walls, ceilings). Sweep clean any combustible materials on floors around the work zone. Combustible floors must be kept wet with water or covered with fire resistant blankets or damp sand. Use water only if electrical circuits have been de-energized to prevent electrical shock. Move all combustible materials away from the work area. If combustibles cannot be moved, cover them with fire resistant blankets or shields. Protect gas lines and equipment from falling sparks, hot materials and objects. Block off cracks between floorboards, along baseboards and walls, and under door openings, with a fire resistant material. Close doors and windows. Cover wall or ceiling surfaces with a fire resistant and heat insulating material to prevent ignition and accumulation of heat. Inspect the area following work to ensure that wall surfaces, studs, wires or dirt have not heated up. Vacuum away combustible debris from inside ventilation or other service duct openings to prevent ignition. Prevent sparks from entering into the duct work. Cover duct openings with a fire resistant barrier and inspect the ducts after work has concluded. Post a trained fire watcher within the work area during welding and for at least 30 minutes after work has stopped. Comply with the required legislation and standards applicable to your workplace. When to Prohibit Hot Work Prohibit hot work in areas where it cannot be conducted safely under any conditions or where extensive preparation and planning are required to make the area/equipment fire-safe. When these conditions exist, designate the area and/or equipment involved as a ‘‘No Hot Work Area’’ and prominently post this restriction. Examples of a ‘‘No Hot Work Area’’ can include: Areas/equipment that contain/handle flammable liquids, flammable gases, combustible dusts or combustible metals; partitions, walls, ceilings or roofs with combustible plastic coverings or cores (e.g., expanded plastic insulation, sandwich panels); rubber lined equipment; oxygen-enriched atmosphere; storage and handling of oxidizer materials, storage and handling of explosives. When hot work must be conducted in areas or equipment containing hazardous processes as described above, follow the specific precautions outlined below: When possible, relocate hot work to a suitably arranged and isolated fixed hot workstation. Locate fixed hot work in noncombustible buildings or combustible building areas with secured and sealed one-hour fire rated noncombustible barriers over combustible floors, walls and ceilings. Maintain the fixed hot workstation free of combustible materials and isolate it from surrounding combustible occupancies with physical non-combustible enclosures or open space of at least 35 feet. Provide manual fire extinguishers throughout the fixed hot workstation. If the materials or equipment cannot be relocated to a fixed hot workstation, and hot work is unavoidable, use the least hazardous form of hot work that will get the job done (e.g., electric iron or heat gun vs. propane torch) and cover any area combustibles with FM Approved hot work blankets and pads. These hot work options still require hot work management. Manage any hot work conducted outside of a designated, fixed hot workstation using a formal hot work permit system. FSM
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