Hot Work Program


School District Hot Work Program

Purpose

This school district is committed to protecting its facilities from damage caused by fire. The district also recognizes that certain repair, maintenance and construction activities require work that involves the use of equipment that produces flames or sparks (hot work). In order to reduce the risks associated with hot work the district has established written Hot Work Permit Procedures.

Scope

The District follows rules set forth by the 2003 International Fire Code (IFC)Chapter 26, “Welding and Other Hot Work” and WAC 296-24-695, “Welding, Cutting and Brazing”.

This program applies to all district employees and contractors who perform or supervise hot work activities in district buildings outside of a designated hot work area. A designated hot work area is a permanent location designed for hot work operations, such as a welding booth. This program does not apply to designated hot work areas.

For the purposes of this program, “hot work” is defined as any temporary construction, repair and maintenance activity involving open flames or producing heat and/or sparks. This includes but is not limited to brazing, cutting, grinding, soldering, pipe thawing, torch applied roofing, and welding.

Responsibilities

District Fire Safety Officer (DFSO)

The District Fire Safety Officer is a school district employee (often the district’s Maintenance Supervisor) who is knowledgeable in the safety and fire safety considerations of hot work operations. This person:

  • Will enforce District procedures for hot work.
  • Ensure the protection of combustibles from ignition due to hot work operations.
  • Advise all employees and contractors about flammable materials or hazardous conditions of which they may not be aware in areas where they will be working.
  • Ensure that employeesusing hot work equipment are suitably trained in the operation of the equipment including all safety requirements and hot work procedures.
  • Conduct an inspection of the district’s or contractor’s equipment before the hot work permit is issued.
  • Issue hot work permits and ensure that employees and/or contractors are following the hot work permit program.
  • Establish designated areas for hot work operations and determine areas where hot work operations should be prohibited.
  • Assign a fire watch to the work site if required.

Hot Work Operator

Hot work operators are employees (district or contractor) who perform hot work operations. A hot work operator will:

  • Follow and use hot work procedures.
  • Obtain a hot work permit prior to hot work and display at job site.
  • Ensure that all cutting and welding equipment is in satisfactory condition and in good repair.
  • Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
  • Attend and actively participate in training sessions.
  • Protect nearby personnel and property against heat, sparks, etc. when working in occupied buildings.
  • Cease operations if unsafe conditions develop and notify the DFSO.

FireWatch

The Fire Watch is the person posted to monitor the safety of hot work operations and watch for fires. The Fire Watchis posted by the DFSO if the situation requires one, during hot work, and for at least 30 minutes after work has been completed. The Fire Watch will:

  • Be aware of the inherent hazards of the work site and of the hot work.
  • Ensure that safe conditions are maintained during hot work operations.
  • Ensure that fire extinguishing equipment is readily available and be trained to use it.
  • Know how to respond in an emergency and the procedures for sounding an alarm in the event of a fire.
  • Stop the operations if unsafe conditions develop.
  • Watch for fires in all exposed areas and try to extinguish them only when the fires are obviously within the capacity of the equipment available.
  • Review the job with the new fire watch if replaced as fire watch. The new fire watch must place their name on the hot work permit.

Contractors (non-district employees)

Contractors shall perform all hot work in accordance with this operating procedure or be able to demonstrate that they have a comparable procedure that meets or exceeds the requirements of this operating procedure. Contractors will also:

  • Provide all required fire fighting equipment and protection material before hot work operations begin.
  • Provide the fire watch.
  • Verify that all hot work equipment is in proper working order and in a fire safe condition.

Hot Work Permit Procedures

To reduce the likelihood of fire during hot work operations, a Hot Work Permit is issued by the District Fire Safety Officer or other suitably trained employee. A Hot Work Permit is a risk assessment that incorporates a precautions checklist that is completed and signed before hot work is allowed to begin.Sample Hot Work Permits are found at the end of this program.Hot work is only permitted in areas that are or have been made fire safe.

1.Perform work using alternative methods other than hot work whenever possible.

2.Move objects to be welded, cut or heated to a designated safe location, such as welding booths, when practical.

3.Obtain a Hot Work Permit from the DFSO or designee before work begins.

4.Inspect the hot work area to identify any fire hazards and ensure that the requirements of the permit are being met.

5.Designate a fire watch.*

6.The DFSO uses the Hot Work Permitto authorize the hot work. Before signing the permit, the DFSO will discuss with the hot work operator and fire watch exactly what the work will involve.

7.Each permit will be valid only for the date, time and location stated on the permit. After this time period, another permit must be obtained from the DFSO before hot work can continue. A copy of the permit must remain at the hot work location until the fire watch has ended and the area is cleared.

8.Close the hot work permit only after the area in and around where the hot work was completed has been inspected. The DFSO is responsible to ensure that the hot work area and surroundings are fire safe before closing the permit.

9.Have hot work permits availablefor review by the fire code official at the time the work is conducted and for the 48 hours after work is complete. Maintain permits for one year from the date the permit was issued.

10.Protect all personnel (employees, contractors, building occupants) against hazards generated by the work, i.e. heat, sparks, fumes, welding rays, etc. This may include, but is not limited to, the use of personal protective equipment, shields, screens, or local exhaust ventilation.

A flow chart showing the process for obtaining a Hot Work Permit is found on Page 6.

*A fire watch is required during hot work activities exceptwhere the hot work has no fire hazards or combustible exposures or when the hot work is performed in a designated hot work area.

Hot Work Permit – Prohibited Conditions

A Hot Work Permit will not be issued if ANY of the following conditions exist:

  • Sprinkler protection is impaired.
  • Appropriate fire fighting equipment is not readily available.
  • Areas where there exists the potential of an explosive atmosphere, such as locations where flammable gases, liquids or vapors are present (e.g. paint spray booths, chemical storage areas, near parts washing tanks that use solvents, and confined spaces).
  • Any area not authorized by the fire code official.
  • In areas near the storage of large quantities of exposed, readily ignitable materials such as a records storage room, rubbish and trash area or a shop area where wood dust or shavings are present, unless precautions are taken that satisfy permit requirements.

Operations not Requiring a Hot Work Permit

Operations that produce a flame, sparks, hot slag or enough heat to ignite combustible materials should be considered hot work with a few exceptions. The following operations do not require a Hot Work Permit:

  • Bunsen burners in laboratories
  • fixed grinding wheels
  • electric soldering irons
  • work in a designated hot work area**

** A designated hot work area is made of noncombustible fire-resistant construction, equipped with fire extinguishers and suitably segregated from adjacent areas.

Hot Work Practices and Precautions

  • Inspect the hot work area to identify any fire hazards.
  • Remove all flammable or combustible materials within a 35 foot radius of hot work. If relocation is impractical, properly shield combustibles with fire-resistant covers or fire-resistant guards or curtains.
  • Cover openings or cracks in walls, floors and ducts within 35 feet of the site through which hot sparks or slag may enter, with a fire-resistant or noncombustible material.
  • Sweep floor clean of all combustible materials, such as paper, wood shavings,and combustible dust or textile fibers for a radius of 35 feet from work site. Keep combustible floors wet, covered with damp sand or protected by noncombustible or fire-resistant shields.
  • When hot work is done near walls, partitions, ceiling or roof of combustible construction, use fire-resistant shields or guards to prevent ignition.
  • When hot work is done on a metal wall, partition, ceiling or roof, relocate combustibles on the other side to prevent ignition due to convection or radiation. Provide a fire watch on the opposite side from the work when combustibles cannot be relocated.
  • Protect ducts and conveyers that might carry sparks to distant combustibles.
  • Do not attempt hot work on a partition, wall, ceiling, or roof that has a combustible covering or insulation or on walls or partitions of combustible sandwich-type panel construction.
  • Do not cut or weld on pipes or other metal that is in contact with combustible walls, partitions, ceilings or roofs, if the work is close enough to cause ignition by conduction.
  • Place non-combustible screens/welding curtains to protect personnel in adjacent work areas from heat, flames, radiant energy and welding splatter.
  • Suspend fire-resistant tarps underneath hot work for overhead work.
  • Post a warning sign(s) where the hot work area is accessible to persons other than the operator of the hot work equipment. Sign to display the following warning:

CAUTION

HOT WORK IN PROGRESS

STAY CLEAR.

  • Be sure that fire extinguishing equipment is operable and available.
  • Do not shut off automatic sprinkler head protection while hot work is performed. Where hot work is performed close to automatic sprinklers, noncombustible barriers or damp cloths may be used to shield individual sprinkler heads and must be removed once the hot work is completed.
  • Cover individual smoke detectors in close proximity of the work area during hot work. Remove cover once work is completed.

Any questions regarding this program should be directed to the District Fire Safety Officer.

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